Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Thursday ordered three days of national mourning following a hypermarket fire that killed at least 63 people.
A probe into the deadly incident has been launched amid questions about the market's compliance with safety regulations.
The fire, breaking out on Wednesday night at a hypermarket in Kut, the capital of Iraq's Wasit province, had been completely put out by noon on Thursday, leaving the facade of the five-story commercial building housing the supermarket heavily blackened, with windows severely damaged.
According to Wasit's civil defense authorities, the blaze first broke out on the second floor of the building, which was used for selling perfumes and cosmetics, then quickly spread to adjacent floors.
Civil defense officials said the fire's exact cause has yet to be determined.
However, eyewitnesses said that the fire was triggered by an explosion in an outdoor air conditioning unit.
"The fire started at around 8 o'clock last evening. The initial blaze broke out on the first floor. An outdoor air conditioning unit exploded, and the flames quickly spread to the second floor, where cosmetics and perfumes were stored, causing another explosion. People fled upstairs. Firefighting efforts lasted from 8 o'clock in the evening until 4 o'clock in early morning before the fire was brought under control," said Abbas Ali Talib, a local resident in Kut.
Wasit's provincial governor, Mohammed Jameel al-Maihy said on Thursday evening that a detailed investigation report would be released within seven days.
The building's investors bear full responsibility for the incident, said the governor.
The commercial building was originally permitted as a restaurant but was illegally expanded into a hypermarket. Despite being fined and ordered to suspend operations for safety rectification by civil defense authorities, the investors reopened the commercial building just two days ago.
Following the incident, Prime Minister al-Sudani issued directives for nationwide inspections and the closure of all non-compliant construction projects.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing. So far, 45 trapped individuals have been rescued by civil defense teams.
Casualties have been continuously transported to medical facilities across Kut since the early hours of Thursday, with crowds gathering outside hospitals awaiting news of missing relatives.
"The actual casualty figures haven't been announced yet. We want to know the exact number of victims. Residents say some are missing -- some have been found, others not. This is a real catastrophe," said Mustafa, a local resident.
Iraqi PM orders probe, national mourning as hypermarket fire kills 63
Iraqi PM orders probe, national mourning as hypermarket fire kills 63
Iraqi PM orders probe, national mourning as hypermarket fire kills 63
