Pope Leo Offers Prayers and Condolences After Deadly Fire in Iraq

Kut, Iraq, July 19, 2025— Pope Leo, on Friday, offered prayers and condolences to those who were injured and the families of those who died in the devastating fire that broke out on Tuesday at a shopping centre in the Iraqi city of Kut.

In a telegram signed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy Father expressed his “spiritual solidarity” with all those affected by the tragedy. He commended the souls of the deceased to “the loving mercy of the Almighty and offered his prayers for emergency personnel working on-site. The Pope also invoked divine blessings of “strength, consolation, and peace” on all those impacted by the incident.

At least 69 people were killed in the fire that broke out at a shopping centre in the Iraqi city of Kut, located in Wasit Province in eastern Iraq. Eleven others remain missing. The mall, which had opened just five days earlier, housed a hypermarket and a restaurant where people were shopping and dining at the time of the incident. Civil defence teams rescued 45 people from inside the building.

The governor of Wasit province called the fire “a tragedy and a calamity” and declared a three-day mourning period across the province. Authorities confirmed that a full investigation into the incident is underway, with preliminary results expected within 48 hours. Legal proceedings have already been initiated against the owner of the building and the mall.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been confirmed, and rescue operations are ongoing as officials continue to search for the missing.

Pope Leo Offers Prayers and Condolences After Deadly Fire in Iraq

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