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‘A tragedy and a calamity have befallen us,” the Wasit province governor says.
No less than 60 folks have been killed and a number of other extra are lacking in an enormous hearth at a hypermarket in Kut metropolis in jap Iraq, the town’s well being authorities and two police sources have advised the Reuters information company.
“Now we have compiled an inventory of 59 victims whose identities have been confirmed, however one physique was so badly burned that it has been extraordinarily troublesome to establish,” a metropolis well being official advised Reuters on Thursday.
“Now we have extra our bodies that haven’t been recovered, nonetheless underneath hearth particles,” metropolis official Ali al-Mayahi advised Reuters.
Movies on social media confirmed flames engulfing a five-storey constructing in Kut in a single day, the place firefighters have been making an attempt to comprise the hearth.
The Wasjit province governor, Mohammed al-Mayahi, mentioned the hearth broke out in a hypermarket and a restaurant. Households have been having dinner and buying, he mentioned. Firefighters rescued numerous folks and put out the hearth, the governor added.
Hypermarket in Kut metropolis in jap Iraq (Display seize/ Al Jazeera)
Three days of mourning have been introduced and an investigation has been launched. Investigation outcomes can be launched inside 48 hours.
“A tragedy and a calamity have befallen us,” the governor mentioned.
“Now we have filed lawsuits towards the proprietor of the constructing and the mall,” INA quoted the governor as saying.
