, July 18 -- A devastating fire tore through a newly opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut on Wednesday night, killing at least 61 people, including children, and injuring many others, according to officials.

The Interior Ministry said civil defense teams managed to rescue more than 45 individuals trapped inside the five-story Corniche Hypermarket Mall, which had opened just a week earlier. However, several people are still missing, state media reported.

The blaze, which began on the mall's second floor in a section selling perfumes and cosmetics, spread rapidly. Most victims reportedly died from suffocation, while 14 charred bodies remain unidentified.

Local residents and officials blamed the tragedy on inadequate fire...