Infant dies in house fire in Diyala’s Khalis district

DIYALA — An infant not yet a year old died tragically today in a fire that broke out in the family’s bedroom in the Jizani Al-Joul area of Khalis district, Diyala governorate, according to a security source.

The source told 964media that the fire, which engulfed large parts of the room, was caused by an electrical short circuit in a heater

“The child succumbed to burns and smoke inhalation,” the source stated.

The infant’s body was transferred to the forensic medicine department, while civil defense teams extinguished the fire.

In August 2023, the Civil Defense Directorate reported that Iraq had experienced 19,000 fires since the start of the year. This marked a 20% decrease compared to 2022, which officials attributed to greater public awareness of safety practices and the use of modern construction techniques that mitigate fire risks. The statistics of 2024 are not available.