PM Al-Sudani refers Wasit Governor for probe over Kut fire

Shafaq News – Kut

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has ratified the final findings of the investigation into last week’s devastating hypermarket fire in Kut, which killed nearly 70 people, including women and children.

According to a statement from the PM’s media office, the investigation’s conclusions include referring the Governor of Wasit, Mohammed al-Mayahy, for legal inquiry in his capacity as head of the governorate’s Civil Defense Committee. Other members of the committee will also face investigation to determine responsibility and identify causes of negligence.

In response, Governor al-Mayahy issued a statement expressing his full readiness to appear before any investigative body, adding that he refuses “to engage in any political conflict at the expense of the blood of citizens.”

The blaze broke out on July 16 at a hypermarket in Kut, the capital of Wasit province. Days later, Iraq’s Integrity Commission arrested the city’s former municipal director on corruption charges tied to legal and administrative violations during the mall’s construction.