BAGHDAD, July 17: A fire in the newly opened Corniche Hypermarket Mall in eastern Iraq has killed over 60 people, including children, according to Iraqi officials. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but officials and residents claim that the lack of fire safety measures in the building contributed to the tragedy. The Ministry of Interior stated that 61 people died in the shopping centre fire, most of them from suffocation. Among the dead were 14 charred bodies that remain unidentified. Provincial Gov.
Mohammed al-Miyahi declared three days of mourning and filed legal cases against the building owner and shopping centre owner, but did not specify the charges. He assured the families of the innocent victims that they would not be lenient with those who were directly or indirectly responsible for the incident. No government official has resigned or been dismissed as a result of the fire, and they are currently awaiting the results of the investigation
The building owner could not immediately be reached for comment. Poor building standards have often contributed to tragic fires in Iraq, as seen in July 2021 when a blaze at a hospital in Nasiriyah killed between 60 to 92 people. (AP)
