Massive Blaze Claims Dozens of Lives in Eastern Iraq’s Kut City

By One Nation Voice Staff

Updated: July 17, 2025

A devastating fire has ravaged a commercial building in Kut, a city in eastern Iraq, killing at least 50 people, including men, women, and children. The tragic incident occurred overnight, with flames engulfing the Kut Hypermarket mall, one of the city’s busiest commercial centers.

Local authorities, including Wasit Governor Mohammed Jameel Al-Mayahi, confirmed the fatalities and declared three days of mourning in honor of the victims. Video footage shared on social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) captured the chaos, showing people trapped on the building’s rooftop as firefighters struggled to contain the inferno. Other videos depicted the desperate attempts of individuals attempting to evacuate while flames raged above.

Emergency response teams and local authorities arrived swiftly, with images shared on Telegram showing crowds of people gathered near the scene, alongside emergency vehicles and personnel.

Governor Al-Mayahi has promised that the investigation into the cause of the fire will be expedited, with initial findings expected within 48 hours. The authorities have also filed a legal case against the building’s owner as part of their ongoing probe.

This tragedy is not the first of its kind in Iraq. In the past, fires linked to poor safety protocols and lack of adherence to civil defense standards have led to devastating casualties. Notably, in April 2021, a fire at Ibn al-Khatib Hospital in Baghdad claimed the lives of over 80 patients, and in September 2023, a wedding hall fire in Qaraqosh resulted in over 100 fatalities.

The ongoing investigations are expected to shed more light on whether this latest fire was caused by negligence, poor safety practices, or technical faults such as electrical short circuits.`