Fifty people killed, injured in huge fire at hypermarket in Iraq’s Kut

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‘A tragedy and a calamity have befallen us”, the Wasjit province governor says.

At least 60 people have been killed and several more are missing in a huge fire at a hypermarket in Kut city in eastern Iraq, the city’s health authorities and two police sources have told Reuters news agency.

“We have compiled a list of 59 victims whose identities have been confirmed, but one body was so badly burned that it has been extremely difficult to identify,” a city health official told Reuters on Thursday.

“We have more bodies that have not been recovered still under fire debris,” city official Ali al-Mayahi told Reuters.

Videos on social media showed flames engulfing a five-storey building in Kut overnight, where firefighters were trying to contain the fire.

The Wasjit province governor Mohammed al-Mayahi said the fire broke out in a hyper market and a restaurant. Families were having dinner and shopping he said. Firefighters rescued a number of people and put out the fire, the governor added.

Hypermarket in Kut city in eastern Iraq [Screen grab/ Al Jazeera]

Three days of mourning have been announced and an investigation has been launched.  Investigation results will be released within 48 hours.

“A tragedy and a calamity have befallen us,” the governor said.

“We have filed lawsuits against the owner of the building and the mall,” INA quoted the governor as saying.

Source:

Al Jazeera, News Agencies