Devastating Fire Engulfs Shopping Center in Iraq, Killing Over 60

2025-07-20 08:42:37

(MENAFN) A devastating fire engulfed a shopping center in eastern Iraq on Thursday, resulting in at least 61 fatalities and prompting the rescue of dozens, the country’s Interior Ministry confirmed.

The inferno erupted in Kut, the capital city of Wasit governorate located south of Baghdad, according to an official ministry statement.

Emergency teams managed to evacuate more than 45 individuals from the burning complex, while numerous others sustained injuries. A local news agency, citing a medical source, reported the death toll had risen to 63 with 40 people wounded.

Local officials have launched legal action against the shopping center’s owner, the governor announced in a statement relayed by media.

In response, the Interior Ministry ordered the establishment of an investigative committee tasked with determining the fire’s origin, media reported.

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