ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – A fire at a residential complex in Erbil has trapped several people in an apartment building, with firefighters dispatched to bring the blaze under control.

The blaze originated from the first floor, a Mamostayan City resident told The New Region, with the fire making its way toward the higher floors.

Several families have been trapped in the building, The New Region has learned. Firefighting teams are on site to bring the fire under control.

Footage seen by The New Region showed fire raging from at least two storeys, with black thick smoke billowing from the top of the apartment.

The cause of the incident and the full extend of damage caused by the blaze has yet to be determined.

Iraq and the Kurdistan Region frequently face fires due to weak enforcement of safety and environmental rules, particularly during extreme summer heat.

More than 150 fires were recorded in Erbil province in the first half of the year, Erbil civil defense spokesperson Shakhawan Saeed told The New Region in mid-June.