The fire erupted on the night of 16/7 at a supermarket and restaurant complex in al-Kut, the capital of Wasit province, as families were having dinner and shopping. Videos circulating on social media showed the 5-story building engulfed in flames and smoke, while firefighters battled to control the blaze.

Iraqi officials have confirmed the identities of 59 victims, with one body too badly burned to be identified.

Firefighters rescued several people, but 11 remain unaccounted for. "There are still several bodies under the rubble," said Ali al-Mayahi, a city official.

"We came here for dinner because we were afraid of power outages at home. Then this tragedy happened," said Nasir al-Quaraishi, a doctor who lost 5 relatives in the fire.

Fire at a department store in al-Kut, Iraq. Photo: *Rudaw*

The cause of the fire remains unclear. According to AFP, the supermarket had opened just 5 days earlier. One witness reported that an air conditioner on the second floor exploded.

Iraq has declared 3 days of national mourning for the victims. Al-Mayahi stated that preliminary investigation results will be released within 48 hours. Provincial officials have filed a lawsuit against the building's owner and the supermarket.

Duc Trung (Reuters, Al Jazeera, Hindustan Times)