Tragic Hypermarket Blaze Claims Fifty Lives in Iraq

In a catastrophic event, a raging fire at a hypermarket in eastern Iraq's al-Kut has claimed the lives of fifty individuals, as reported by Iraq's state news agency INA. Dramatic social media footage depicted the inferno that had enveloped the five-storey structure overnight. Firefighters were urgently deployed to battle the blaze.

The videos circulating online have not been verified independently by Reuters. As the cause of this tragic incident remains unclear, local authorities are conducting investigations and have pledged to release initial findings within a span of 48 hours, according to the Governor of the province.

Legal proceedings have commenced against the owner of the building as well as the mall, as the governor confirmed to INA. The community mourns while awaiting clarity on the fire's origins and accountability for the disaster that has struck al-Kut.

(With inputs from agencies.)