Inferno at Iraq mall kills 60, sparks criminal probe against owner

A catastrophic fire tore through a five-storey shopping mall in Iraq’s eastern city of al-Kut overnight Thursday, leaving at least 60 people dead and 11 others unaccounted for, officials said. The blaze, which engulfed a hypermarket housed in the building, has triggered a sweeping criminal investigation, including legal action against the mall’s owner.

The full extent of the tragedy is still unfolding as emergency teams continue to sift through the charred remains of the complex. Harrowing images and videos circulating on social media — though not independently verified — showed firefighters battling towering flames and thick black smoke as panicked onlookers watched in horror.

“We have confirmed the identities of 59 victims so far,” a local health official told Reuters, “but one body is so severely burned that identification has not yet been possible.”

The state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) cited Wasit province’s governor, who confirmed lawsuits have been filed against both the building owner and mall management. While the exact cause of the fire remains unclear, the governor said preliminary findings from the investigation will be made public within 48 hours.

The fire marks one of the deadliest non-conflict-related tragedies in recent memory for the region, casting a fresh spotlight on Iraq’s frequent building safety violations and weak emergency infrastructure.

As the country mourns, families of the missing await word — and accountability.