Six Iraqi officials detained over deadly Kut mall blaze
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Following an initial investigation, the interior ministry cites “clear negligence” by multiple officials and employees.
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Iraqis are shown in the aftermath of the fire at the shopping centre building in Kut, Iraq, on July 17, 2025 (AP)
Iraqi authorities have detained six local officials and suspended several public employees following a deadly fire that killed 61 people at a shopping mall in Kut earlier this week, they announced Saturday.
The blaze broke out late Wednesday at the newly opened Corniche Hypermarket Mall in the eastern city, around 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad. It marks the latest in a string of fatal incidents in Iraq, where building and safety codes are frequently neglected.
Following an initial investigation, the Interior Ministry cited “clear negligence” by multiple officials and employees. Among those detained are three local officials, including Kut’s civil defense chief. Seventeen other employees have been suspended pending further notice.
Later, the Commission of Integrity, Iraq’s top anti-corruption body, confirmed three additional detentions, including the head of the municipality’s violations department, for their alleged role in the safety failures that contributed to the fire.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing, and the number of arrests could grow.
Safety standards lagging
Safety standards in Iraq’s construction sector are routinely overlooked, and with infrastructure severely weakened by decades of war on the country, it often faces deadly fires and other accidents.
These incidents become more frequent during the sweltering summer months, when temperatures soar to nearly 50°C (122°F).
While the exact cause of the recent mall fire remains unclear, one survivor told AFP that an air conditioner exploded on the second floor, triggering a blaze that quickly engulfed the five-storey building.
Several people reported losing loved ones, some even entire families, who had gone to shop and dine at the newly opened mall just days before the tragedy.
