Fires reported across Iraq within 48 hours of deadly Kut blaze
Just two days after a deadly fire at a hypermarket in Kut, the capital of Wasit province, Iraq has recorded ten more fires across multiple provinces, including Baghdad.
A source in the Civil Defense Directorate told Shafaq News that ten separate fires broke out in the past 48 hours, in addition to the major blaze that killed and injured dozens in Wasit.
Among the reported incidents was a fire at a waste storage site in Taji military camp in Baghdad and another at a spare parts warehouse in Wasit. A fire also broke out in the meeting hall of the College of Physical Education at Al-Karma University, as well as in a commercial complex in the Talbiya area of the capital.
Other incidents included a blaze at a fuel station on the al-Tayeb road in Maysan province, a fire inside prefab units belonging to a Chinese company in Baghdad's al-Qadisiyah district, and a gas tank fire in Najaf province. A residential house in the Hay district of Wasit, used as a makeshift workshop, also caught fire.
Public safety and fire expert Fadel al-Eisawi told Shafaq News that most fires stem from negligence and a lack of adherence to safety regulations. He criticized the Civil Defense Directorate for failing to enforce professional standards.
'In the past, fewer fires occurred because the Civil Defense leadership maintained high levels of expertise and professionalism,' he said, adding that the Directorate's Fire and Safety Division has failed to effectively implement safety strategies across its branches.
Al-Eisawi said that previous warnings were issued regarding fire hazards in Baghdad's Karrada and Nineveh's Hamdaniya, but no preventive action was taken. 'These tragedies will continue unless those responsible are held accountable and safety protocols are enforced across malls, restaurants, residential buildings, and industrial facilities.'
He noted that the Kut hypermarket, where the recent fatal fire occurred, lacked basic fire safety systems, including sprinklers, ozone cabinet systems, dry pipe infrastructure, and emergency exit stairwells.
'These systems are mandated under Iraq's Civil Defense Law, but are frequently ignored in critical facilities,' he said.
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