Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq has recorded more than 55,000 fires across the country—excluding the Kurdistan Region—since 2022, official data shows, leaving hundreds dead and causing extensive economic losses.

Among the deadliest incidents were the 2021 hospital fires at Ibn al-Khatib in Baghdad and al-Hussein in Nasiriyah, which claimed over 150 lives. In 2023, more than 100 people were killed when a wedding hall went up in flames in al-Hamdaniyah, near Mosul. That same year, a sulfur plant fire in Qayyarah burned for weeks, releasing some 21,000 tons of sulfur dioxide daily.

Most recently, a 2025 fire at a five-story hypermarket in Kut left up to 77 dead, 43 injured, and 11 missing.

Civil Defense attributes most fires to faulty electrical systems, flammable construction materials such as sandwich panels, celebratory fireworks, and—at times—arson tied to tribal disputes. Many of these disasters were worsened by the lack of basic safety features like alarms, sprinklers, or emergency exits, often overlooked by regulatory authorities.

To curb further disasters, Civil Defense has issued safety directives banning flammable building materials, mandating evacuation drills, and enforcing penalties on violators.

Speaking to Shafaq News, lawmakers such as MP Ali al-Bandawi echoed the concern, calling for aggressive inspections and the closure of non-compliant buildings. MP Suzanne Mansour urged greater oversight of investment projects, while economist Manar al-Obaidi warned that repeated fires are scaring off investors and undermining local economies—leading to both direct damage and long-term losses.

Demands for legal reform are also growing. Human rights advocate Fadel al-Gharawi called the frequency of fires a “threat to human security,” further urging Parliament to pass legislation that mandate stricter safety standards and criminal penalties for violations.