ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Federal Integrity Commission announced the arrest of three municipal officials in Kut on Saturday, following a deadly fire at an illegally built shopping center that killed at least 77 people earlier this week.

The arrests include the head of the Encroachments Division, the former roads and bridges director who also served as technical deputy in the municipality, and the head of urban planning. The commission said the suspects were detained over negligence and violations tied to the construction of the Corniche Hypermarket, which opened just two days before the blaze.

One of the officials attempted to flee to Baghdad but was apprehended with assistance from the National Security Service, according to the commission.

The five-story mall in Wasit province’s capital caught fire early Thursday morning, in one of the country’s deadliest civil disasters in years. Authorities later confirmed that the building had been operating without construction permits, safety approvals, or an investment license.

“The investor bears full responsibility for the accident,” said Wasit Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi, adding that the project had been fraudulently transformed from a licensed restaurant into a full-scale hypermarket.

The Wasit provincial council has since voted to dismiss the heads of the Kut Municipality and Occupational Safety Directorate, pending further investigation. Governor Miyahi promised legal accountability for all negligent parties and said the results of the inquiry would be made public within a week.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani also weighed in, calling the incident “a form of murder and corruption,” and ordered compensation of 10 million Iraqi dinars (about $7,600) for each victim’s family.

Messages of solidarity have poured in from across the region and beyond, including from the United Nations, the US Embassy in Baghdad, and neighboring Iran.

Fires remain a persistent threat in Iraq, especially during the summer. Official figures show over 21,000 fire incidents occurred in 2023, with more than 5,500 reported in just the first half of 2024, often due to poor construction standards and safety oversight.