Iraqi authorities have arrested six officials and suspended several public employees following a devastating fire at a shopping mall in Kut that claimed at least 61 lives earlier this week.

The blaze, which erupted late Wednesday at the newly opened Corniche Hypermarket Mall, has renewed scrutiny over the country’s lax enforcement of safety standards.

In a statement on Saturday, Iraq’s interior ministry cited "clear negligence" by local authorities and staff in Kut, a city located roughly 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad.

Among those detained are three local officials, including the head of the city’s civil defense unit. Seventeen other employees have been suspended as investigations continue.

The Commission of Integrity, Iraq’s top anti-corruption body, announced that three additional officials were arrested, including the head of Kut’s municipal violations department. Officials noted that the investigation is still ongoing and that the number of detainees could rise.

The exact cause of the fire remains unclear. However, eyewitnesses said the blaze may have been triggered by an exploding air conditioner on the mall’s second floor, which quickly engulfed the five-story complex in flames.

The tragedy has once again highlighted Iraq’s vulnerability to deadly accidents, particularly during the scorching summer months when temperatures can soar to 50°C (122°F).

Years of conflict and chronic mismanagement have left the country’s infrastructure in a fragile state, with safety protocols frequently overlooked.

Survivors and grieving families told AFP they lost loved ones some entire families who had visited the mall just days after it opened to the public.

The government has pledged accountability, but public anger is mounting over repeated disasters linked to official neglect.