Fire at Baghdad school extinguished; no casualties reported

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A fire broke out at a school in the Zafaraniyah district in southeastern Baghdad and was brought under control by civil defense teams, Iraq's Civil Defense Directorate said. The fire occurred at Nur Baghdad, a mixed-gender school, and spread through a section of the building clad with aluminum composite panels that did not meet safety requirements. Civil defense crews responded quickly and contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to surrounding areas, the directorate said. No deaths or injuries were reported. Firefighters completed cooling operations and security measures at the scene were reinforced, according to the directorate. An investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched.