Shafaq News / Residents of a residential complex in the administration of Soran, within the Kurdistan Region (KRI), did not anticipate the transformation of ground-floor shops into a woodworking factory - lacking safety conditions - leading to a minor fire that resulted in a major catastrophe, claiming approximately 21 victims.

Shadi Khalid Ma’rouf, a university professor and a resident of this complex that witnessed the tragedy, stated, "It was never expected that most of the stores on the ground floor of the residential building would turn into woodworking factories using highly flammable materials like wood and fabric. A minor fire led to a major disaster as witnessed in the building, claiming many victims."

Meanwhile, Dr. Kamran Mala Muhammad Al-Shirawani, the Director-General of Health in the Soran district, informed Shafaq News Agency that "14 individuals lost their lives due to the fire incident that erupted in the building. Among the victims were Syrian and Iranian citizens, individuals from Baghdad, and two from the Soran district."

Al-Shirawani added that "seven injured individuals were transferred to Soran Hospital for treatment, and five of them were discharged yesterday, leaving only two remaining who are currently receiving intensive medical care."

Conversely, Sherawan Sharif Qurtas, the President of Soran University, clarified that the residential building where the tragic fire occurred was not part of the university's internal department. Instead, it was rented by a group of professors and postgraduate students for accommodation during official working and study days.

Qurtas explained, "We did not rent the building for student housing due to its non-compliance with safety conditions. However, a group of professors and postgraduate students rented it, and unfortunately, a group of university professors and one graduate student from our university fell victim to the incident, attaining a doctoral degree."

Meanwhile, Iraqi Health Minister Saleh Al-Hasnawi expressed readiness to provide any necessary supplies for treating the victims of the residential building fire within the Soran administration in the Kurdistan Region (KRI).

This statement came during a phone call he made with the Kurdistan Regional Health Minister Saman al-Barzanji, according to a statement issued by the Kurdistan Health Authority.

Al-Hasnawi extended his condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Soran for the building fire incident, expressing his readiness to meet any requirements for treating the injured.

In response, al-Barzanji discussed the casualty toll from the Soran fire incident, the nature and causes of death, the condition of the injured in the hospital, the actions taken, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Fourteen students tragically lost their lives yesterday evening as a fire broke out in a dorm in the Soran Independent District.

Yesterday, KRI’s President Nechirvan Barzani ordered an investigation into the fire incident that occurred in a building within the Soran Independent District. He also expressed condolences to the victims' families and wished a swift recovery to the wounded.