Devastation in Kut: Fire at Iraqi Shopping Center Kills Over 60, Leaves Dozens Injured and Missing

What should have been a vibrant evening at a new shopping center turned into a horrifying tragedy in eastern Iraq on Wednesday night, as a devastating fire engulfed the five-story Corniche Hypermarket Mall in the city of Kut, claiming the lives of at least 61 people and injuring dozens more.

Many of the victims were women and children who had gone out for a night of shopping and leisure. Instead, families were torn apart in minutes as thick, toxic smoke quickly filled the structure, and flames rapidly consumed the building.

Chaos Unfolds in Seconds

Eyewitnesses described the scene as “hellish”—families trapped behind locked stairwells, mothers screaming for their children, and shopkeepers breaking windows to escape the thick black smoke. Emergency sirens wailed across the city as first responders rushed to the scene.

“I saw people jumping from the upper floors,” said Ahmed Karim, a 29-year-old vendor from a nearby kiosk. “One man was trying to hold onto a child before the flames reached them, but then… we couldn’t see them anymore.”

According to Iraq’s civil defense authorities, more than 45 people were rescued, but firefighters and medics worked for hours searching for survivors and recovering the dead—many burned beyond recognition.

A New Mall, Now a Graveyard

The Corniche Mall had just opened its doors a few days prior. Local officials touted it as a symbol of economic revival in Wasit province—a glitzy, air-conditioned space in a region still grappling with power cuts and infrastructure issues.

But as the investigation begins, serious questions are emerging about how such a tragedy could happen so quickly.

Initial findings suggest the mall had no functional fire alarm system, no sprinkler system, and used flammable construction materials, including cheap foam panels for insulation. Some doors were reportedly locked, and fire exits were either poorly marked or obstructed.

Anger and Accountability

In a somber press conference, Governor Mohammed al-Mayyeh declared a three-day mourning period, vowing that those responsible for “gross negligence” will be held accountable.

“How can a brand-new building become a tomb for our people?” he said. “We will not let this go unpunished.”

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani has ordered the Interior Ministry to open an urgent investigation and enforce stricter building codes across the country.

A Painful Pattern of Preventable Deaths

Unfortunately, this is not Iraq’s first tragedy linked to building safety failures:

• In 2021, a hospital fire in Nasiriyah killed over 60 people, caused by oxygen tank explosions and poor fire management.

• In 2023, more than 100 people died in a fire at a wedding hall in Nineveh province when pyrotechnics ignited the flammable ceiling.

Despite public outrage after these incidents, many Iraqis say not much has changed.

“Why do our buildings keep burning down with people still inside?” asked Leila Hussein, a teacher in Kut who lost her cousin in the fire. “It’s always the poor who pay for someone else’s shortcuts.”

Grief, Ashes, and a Call for Change

As bodies were pulled from the wreckage Thursday morning, families gathered outside the smoldering remains of the mall, holding up photos of loved ones, many of whom were still missing.

There is growing public pressure on the government to overhaul Iraq’s building inspection systems, ban flammable materials, and enforce real accountability—not just for developers, but also for government officials who approve unsafe projects.

“This wasn’t just a fire,” said survivor Noor Ali, 22, who escaped from the third floor with a broken leg. “It was a murder scene—and the murder weapon was negligence.”