What Caused the Fire That Killed Four in Baghdad?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Fire incidents are on the rise in Iraq due to extreme heat.
- The recent fire in Baghdad resulted in four fatalities and two injuries.
- Emergency responders acted quickly to control the fire.
- Iraqi authorities are under pressure to improve safety measures.
- Similar incidents have occurred recently, including a major fire in Kut.
Baghdad, July 23 (NationPress) A devastating fire erupted in a civilian residence in eastern Baghdad on Wednesday, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least four individuals and leaving two others with serious injuries, according to a source from the Iraqi Interior Ministry.
The fire broke out in the al-Amin neighborhood after an electrical transformer ignited due to extreme heat and overloading, leading to flames that swiftly engulfed the nearby residence, the source disclosed on the condition of anonymity.
Civil defense teams promptly responded to the emergency to extinguish the flames, the source further reported.
This incident follows a catastrophic fire at a hypermarket in Kut, the capital of Iraq's eastern Wasit province, which resulted in at least 61 fatalities.
Recently, Iraq has seen numerous fire outbreaks, as several regions experience a scorching summer with temperatures soaring to 50 degrees Celsius, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.
On July 17, the Interior Ministry announced that the toll from the devastating fire at the hypermarket in Kut had climbed to 61.
The massive fire erupted in a five-story commercial building housing both a restaurant and a hypermarket on July 16, just a week after its opening.
Most of the victims succumbed to suffocation caused by heavy smoke, and among them were 14 unidentified charred bodies.
The fire was eventually brought under control, with civil defense teams successfully rescuing over 45 individuals trapped inside the structure, the statement indicated.
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, subsequently instructed the immediate dispatch of medical assistance to aid in treating and caring for the injured.