ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Civil Defense Directorate said on Friday it has shut down about 10,000 commercial and industrial buildings this year for failing to meet fire and safety standards, warning that none will be allowed to reopen without full compliance.

Nawas Sabah Shaker, head of media and public relations at the Civil Defense Directorate, said authorities continue to inspect buildings and facilities across the country to ensure they meet safety requirements.

He said civil defense teams identified thousands of shops, factories, and other projects that violated safety rules and ordered their closure under Civil Defense Law No. 44 of 2013.

“These measures aim to reduce fire incidents by addressing their main causes,” Shaker said, adding that closed facilities will remain shut until all safety conditions are met.

According to the directorate, required measures include installing early warning and fire detection systems and wet and dry fire suppression systems, ensuring safe emergency exits, removing structural violations, and correcting hazards linked to the use of sandwich panels and aluminum composite cladding.

Iraq frequently faces fires due to weak enforcement of safety and environmental rules, particularly during extreme summer heat. Authorities said in early December that fire incidents fell by 58 percent this year after stricter inspections and legal action against violators.

In July, 61 people were killed after a massive fire tore through a newly opened hypermarket in Kut, the capital of Iraq’s Wasit province.  

Authorities later confirmed that the building had been operating without construction permits, safety approvals, or an investment license. It was one of Iraq’s deadliest civil disasters in recent years.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani launched in September a new safety regulation handbook aimed at promoting health and safety across the Region, stressing that strict adherence to safety guidelines is essential to preventing accidents.

He highlighted the success of traffic safety measures, including point-to-point speed cameras introduced in 2023, which have reduced traffic incidents by up to 50 percent and serious injuries and deaths by more than 60 percent in areas where they are fully implemented.

Barzani said the handbook supports broader government efforts to improve public safety, noting that prevention, through following safety instructions, remains more effective than relying solely on emergency response and rescue capabilities.