Death toll from Iraq's Al-Kut mall fire rises above 70 as corruption and negligence come under scrutiny

The death toll from the catastrophic fire that tore through a shopping centre in the eastern Iraqi city of al-Kut has climbed to over 70, with most of the victims identified as women and children. At least 40 others were injured in the inferno, which broke out late Wednesday night at the newly opened Corniche Hyper Mall.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani visited the site on Thursday, accompanied by the Ministers of Interior and Health, where he offered condolences to grieving families. In response to the tragedy, the Iraqi government declared a three-day national mourning period and ordered an immediate investigation.

According to health officials, 18 of the victims' bodies were so severely burned that they remain unidentified, underscoring the horrific intensity of the fire.

The directorate reported that civil defence teams had arrived at the scene six minutes after receiving the alert and managed to rescue at least 45 people. 

However, eyewitnesses speaking to Iraqi media channels challenged the official account, saying that firefighters had arrived late and that their efforts were hampered by inadequate equipment, including the absence of high-rise ladders. They also claimed the building lacked functioning fire alarms and extinguishing systems.

The Corniche Hyper Mall, which only opened days before the incident, was reportedly operating without proper permits. Wasit Governor Mohammed Jamil al-Miahi confirmed during a joint press conference that the investor had no legal building or investment licence and had converted the premises from a restaurant into a hypermarket without approval.

"The investor bears full responsibility," Miahi stated, adding that results from the official investigation would be announced within seven days.

The building, with a footprint of 350 square metres and five levels, had previously been closed by the Civil Defence for safety violations and was fined. Despite this, it reopened in violation of closure orders.

Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari, acting on the prime minister's orders, formed a high-level committee to investigate the causes and hold those responsible accountable. He pledged there would be "no leniency" for negligence.

The Wasit Provincial Council held an emergency session on Thursday evening, voting to suspend the heads of the al-Kut Municipality and Occupational Safety until investigations conclude. The council also declared all victims of the fire as martyrs and mandated the formation of inspection committees across the province to verify the enforcement of safety measures in public and commercial buildings.

Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers approved a new draft law to regulate the rights of fire victims. This legislation, which includes past tragedies like the 2021 Ibn al-Khatib hospital fire, will be referred to parliament. The families of those killed in the al-Kut fire will receive 10 million dinars in compensation, and the wounded will be treated locally or abroad at state expense.

The disaster has renewed painful memories of another deadly fire less than a year ago. In late 2023, at least 120 people were killed, and 100 others injured when a fire broke out during a wedding in Hamdaniyah, the largest Christian town in Nineveh province in northern Iraq. 

As the nation mourns once again, many Iraqis are pointing to corruption and regulatory failure as the true causes of the disaster. Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr condemned the incident as evidence of deep-rooted corruption, while civil society groups renewed demands for comprehensive reform and strict enforcement of safety standards.

The al-Kut fire stands as a harrowing reminder of the fatal cost of neglect and impunity in Iraq's public and private sectors, raising urgent questions about accountability, oversight, and the safety of everyday Iraqis.