Tragedy in Iraq: At Least 61 Dead in Devastating Mall Fire 💔
A massive blaze tore through the newly opened six-story Corniche Hypermarket Mall in Kut, Iraq, claiming the lives of at least 61 people — many of them women and children — after an air conditioning unit reportedly exploded.
The fire broke out on the first floor and quickly engulfed the entire structure. Harrowing videos show the building swallowed in flames and smoke, with some desperate victims seen stranded on the roof. It remains unclear whether they were rescued.
Firefighters battled the inferno through the night, rescuing survivors and carrying the injured to hospitals until 4 a.m. this morning. As the sun rose, chilling images revealed the mall’s charred skeleton — blackened, gutted, and still smoldering.
Authorities are still combing through the wreckage in a desperate search for the missing. A medical source confirmed “many unidentified bodies” have been recovered, including 14 that were severely burned beyond recognition.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry called it a national tragedy, stating:
“The fire claimed the lives of 61 innocent citizens — most of whom suffocated in bathrooms while trying to escape.”
An investigation is now underway as the nation mourns one of its deadliest urban fires in recent memory.