A devastating fire at a shopping mall in Kut, Iraq, has claimed over 60 lives, with many victims suffocating in bathrooms. The tragedy highlights safety concerns and leaves families mourning lost loved ones.

A catastrophic fire swept through a recently inaugurated shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least 61 people, authorities confirmed on Thursday. Amidst panicked scenes, heartbroken families searched desperately for missing loved ones.

Numerous victims reportedly succumbed to asphyxiation in bathrooms, while a bereaved individual shared with AFP that five of his relatives perished in an elevator.

The inferno, occurring in a nation often plagued by overlooked safety standards, ignited late Wednesday night. The flames allegedly began on the first floor and swiftly consumed the five-story Corniche Hypermarket Mall.

Although the exact cause remains undetermined, a survivor recounted to AFP that an air conditioner explosion may have triggered the devastating blaze.

Community members recounted losing family members, including mothers and children, who had ventured to the mall to shop and dine shortly after its opening in Kut, approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad.

Social media footage depicted people, including children, stranded atop the building, pleading for rescue.

Ali Kadhim, 51, alternated between the mall site and the main hospital where casualties were taken, in search of his missing cousin, the latter accompanied by his wife and three children.

Back at the shopping complex, Kadhim anxiously observed as rescue teams searched the debris while an ambulance stood ready nearby. "We don’t know what happened to them,” he expressed in despair.

An AFP correspondent at the scene reported the fire was eventually subdued, leaving the building's façade heavily blistered by flames.

The interior ministry released a statement confirming the fire's toll, stating: "The tragic fire claimed the lives of 61 innocent citizens, most of whom suffocated in bathrooms, and among them 14 charred bodies yet to be identified."

'We couldn’t escape'

The INA news agency later cited a medical source estimating the death toll at 63, with 40 individuals injured.

Wasit province governor, Mohammed al-Miyahi, informed the official INA outlet that victims consisted of men, women, and children.

A medical spokesperson in Kut disclosed the presence of "many unidentified bodies," according to AFP.

An AFP journalist witnessed severely burnt bodies at the provincial forensic department.

Civil defense groups managed to rescue over 45 individuals trapped inside the mall, which encompassed a restaurant and a supermarket, according to the interior ministry.

Into the early hours, ambulances transported victims, with Kut’s medical facilities stretched to capacity.

Distraught relatives awaited word at the forensic department, some overwhelmed by grief.

A man succumbed to distress, beating his chest and crying out in despair.

Nasir al-Quraishi, a doctor in his fifties, recounted the loss of five family members to the fire. "A disaster has befallen us," he lamented. "We went to the mall to enjoy a meal and find respite from power outages at home," he said, reflecting the deep sense of loss and tragedy felt by so many in the community.