Iraq fires at markets and warehouses cost billions of dinars, security expert says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Fires at markets, warehouses and commercial facilities across Iraq continue to occur at near-regular intervals, with most incidents closed off as short circuits or safety negligence, security expert Mazin al-Azzawi said. He noted that the number of recorded fires in 2026 is lower than in previous years and linked the decline to updated general safety procedures. Al-Azzawi said many companies, warehouses, markets and shopping centers fail to enforce safety rules seriously, noting that compliance costs are low compared with the hundreds of millions or even billions of dinars in value those facilities represent. He stressed that a significant share of fire losses is tied to safety procedures, and called for binding rules across all facilities and heavier penalties for violators. Roughly half of the fires stem from electrical leakage caused by grid fluctuations and overloads, a risk he described as serious. Al-Azzawi added that staff should be trained to use firefighting equipment, and said responsibility for safety rests not only with Civil Defense but also with business owners and citizens.