A hearth that tore via a procuring centre within the Iraqi metropolis of Kut has left dozens useless and injured, state media has reported.
The blaze on the mall, which had reportedly opened 5 days in the past, broke out on Wednesday night time and has since been introduced below management.
Medical officers quoted by information company AFP stated stated 55 folks died within the hearth, with rescuers nonetheless in search of lacking folks.
“A tragedy and a calamity has befallen us,” regional governor Mohammed al-Miyahi stated, including that authorized motion can be introduced in opposition to the procuring centre’s proprietor.
Movies on INA’s information channel present flames ripping via a number of flooring of a multi-storey constructing as firefighters attempt to douse them.
Different clips circulating on social media seem to indicate a small variety of folks on the roof through the hearth, in addition to the burned out insides of the centre.
Numerous folks had been rescued from the constructing by firefighters, al-Miyahi instructed native media.
Ambulances had been nonetheless taking casualties to hospitals within the metropolis, which is about 160 km (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, at 04:00 native time.
Firefighters are persevering with to seek for lacking victims.
Nasir al-Quraishi, a physician in his 50s, instructed AFP he misplaced 5 relations within the blaze.
“A catastrophe has befallen us,” he stated. “We went to the mall to have some meals, eat dinner and escape energy cuts at residence.
“An air conditioner exploded on the second flooring after which the fireplace erupted and we could not escape it.”
A medical supply instructed the company: “We now have greater than 50 martyrs, and plenty of unidentified our bodies”.
An investigation into the reason for the fireplace is underway, with preliminary findings anticipated inside two days, al-Miyahi stated.
“The tragedy is a serious shock,” he stated, including {that a} “severe evaluation of all security measures” would happen.
The procuring had opened simply 5 days in the past, AFP reported.
It has been named because the Corniche Hypermarket Mall within the centre of Kut by native media.
