• At least 61 people have died in a massive fire in a mall in Kut, Iraq.
• Most victims were women and children, with many succumbing to suffocation.
• Legal action is being pursued against the building's owner for negligence.
• An investigation into the fire's cause and safety violations is underway.
• The mall had only opened a week before the disaster.

A catastrophic fire engulfed the Corniche Hypermarket in Kut, Iraq, claiming at least 61 lives as of reports by the Iraqi Interior Ministry. The fire broke out late Wednesday in the newly opened mall, with many victims found in bathrooms due to suffocation, reflecting a tragic failure of safety measures, according to Al Jazeera, Reuters, and Dawn.

Initial investigations suggest poor fire safety standards as contributing factors, prompting calls for accountability. Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi announced that legal actions are being pursued against the mall and building owners, stating, “We will not be lenient with those responsible for this tragedy,” as reported by Dawn, Le Monde, and Newsweek.

Rescue operations have reportedly saved over 45 trapped individuals while search efforts continue for those missing amidst the fire debris. Eyewitness accounts describe a chaotic scene, with many trying to escape as the flames spread quickly, according to CBS News and Le Monde.

Many victims were identified as families visiting the mall shortly after its opening; the tragedy evoked collective grief within the community. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has ordered an urgent probe into the incident to ascertain failures in safety protocols, emphasizing government responsibility in preventing such disasters in the future, according to Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and South China Morning Post.