Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 01:33pm on 17 Jul 2025,Thursday International
At least 60 people died after a fire broke out in a newly opened shopping centre in Kut, Iraq. The blaze tore through the five-storey Corniche Hypermarket on Wednesday night, with many victims trapped inside. Officials say most of the deceased suffocated in bathrooms, and 14 bodies remain unidentified. Firefighters rescued 45 people, but others are still missing. Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has ordered an urgent investigation and pledged stricter safety measures. Survivors blamed the lack of fire safety systems. Three days of mourning have been declared in Kut as families search for missing loved ones. (PC: BBC)
