Protesters seal off Wasit government offices over fire tragedy, demand resignations

KUT — Outraged demonstrators shut down the Wasit governorate headquarters and local council offices Friday night, calling for the resignation of senior officials and demanding full accountability for the fire that tore through Kut’s Corniche Hypermarket on July 16, killing at least 61 people.

Protesters marched through downtown Kut before gathering at the gates of the governorate building, where they chanted slogans, struck portraits of local leaders, and accused officials of negligence and corruption in the lead-up to the disaster.

“We are here to demand the dismissal of those responsible for this disaster,” one protester said. “Why didn’t the army aircraft respond? How did the fire burn for 10 hours before the prime minister even arrived?”

The five-story building, which had only been open for a week, went up in flames late Wednesday, with most victims dying of smoke inhalation and many found trapped inside bathrooms. Families of the missing said they are still awaiting DNA test results from Baghdad to identify remains.

“My nephew had just been accepted to college,” said Amer Al-Badri. “He went to the hypermarket to celebrate, and now he’s missing. We hold the Wasit governor, the police chief, and the mayor responsible. They granted permits to the building owner despite many violations, and this is what caused the tragedy.”

Another demonstrator, Rasool Abu Ragheef, said: “We believe in fate, but what happened here was a failure in every way. The fire raged for 10 hours, and even when the prime minister arrived, there were still flames on the upper floors. We want the local government to resign. We call on tribal leaders to take a stand and for candidates to review their political lists.”

Ali Al-Yasiri, a Kut resident, said two of his friends remain missing. “The way the police and civil defense handled the situation was disastrous,” he said. “Where were the new fire trucks? Where were the air force helicopters? Their families don’t know what to do or where to go. This alone is a tragedy, and the local government must be held accountable.”

The protest followed new developments earlier Saturday, when the Interior Ministry announced it had suspended 17 government employees and detained three senior officers as part of the investigation. A committee, formed by order of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, has identified “clear negligence” across multiple government agencies and is expected to deliver its findings to the Council of Ministers within five days. Investigations are ongoing.