ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The shopping center in eastern Iraq’s Kut that caught fire on Thursday was opened without official approval and its owner had not obtained any permits, according to the governor of Wasit.

A major fire erupted at Kut’s newly-opened five-story Corniche Hypermarket on Thursday morning, claiming the lives of at least 77 people as of the time of writing this article.

“The investor bears full responsibility for the accident, as he did not have a construction or investment license and transformed the project from a restaurant to a hypermarket without legal approvals, and opened it two days ago,” said Wasit Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi during a presser.

The governor accused the mall owner of defrauding relevant authorities, vowing to not only dismiss the “negligent” parties, but also hold them legally accountable. Miyahi noted that the results of the investigation into the incident will be announced within seven days.

The Wasit provincial council on Thursday voted to dismiss the heads of the Kut Municipality and Occupational Safety Directorate, “pending the completion of the investigation,” according to Iraqi state media.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani said that the incident “confirms the existence of a flaw despite the procedures and directives, which calls for deterrent and punitive measures commensurate with the scale of the loss of life,” describing the loss of lives “a form of murder and corruption that goes beyond the embezzlement of funds.”

The Iraqi Council of Ministers decided to compensate the families of the deceased victims with 10 million Iraqi dinars.

The deadly inferno sparked solidarity messages from multiple countries, bodies, and organizations.

The US Embassy in Baghdad offered its “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims” in a post on X, while the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) expressed solidarity with the people of Wasit, extended condolences to the families of the victims, and wished a speedy recovery for the wounded.

“We stand ready to provide all possible humanitarian support and assistance to help mitigate the impact of this tragedy, while reaffirming the utmost importance of protecting human life,” read a statement from UNAMI chief Mohamed Al Hassan.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei offered Iran’s “deepest sympathy and solidarity.”

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani expressed the Region’s solidarity, while offering assistance to treat the wounded, with President Nechirvan Barzani expressing his “profound sadness and sorrow” over the deadly blaze.

Iraq regularly experiences fires, especially during the hot summer months, with safety standards in the Iraqi construction sector often being neglected, thus increasing the risk.

 Over 21,000 fire incidents were recorded in Iraq in 2023, and more than 5,500 fires were reported during the first half of 2024, according to official figures.

In September 2023, at least 122 people lost their lives, and 82 others were injured when a fire tore through a wedding hall in Iraq's Nineveh province, due to flammable construction materials and lack of safety measures.