ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least three people were killed and two others injured after a fire broke out at a house in Sulaimani province’s Hajiawa subdistrict on Thursday afternoon, said the civil defense authorities. The cause of the fire remains unclear.
Head of Raparin Civil Defense Directorate Hussein Abdullah told Rudaw that the fire took place at a women’s tailor shop. He said the fire may have been triggered by the explosion of a gas cylinder.
A nearby house has also been affected by the fire.
Rudaw has learned that most of the victims are women, including a minor.
According to Abdullah, the fire started on the roof of the house before spreading to the tailor shop. The shop was built with sandwich-panel materials, which collapsed onto those inside.
Taha Mohammed, spokesperson for Raparin Health Directorate, told Rudaw that the victims included a woman aged between 30 and 35, a 12-year-old girl, and a five-year-old child.
Mohammed added that two of the injured are being treated at Hajiawa Hospital, while the third is at Rania Hospital.
"The condition of the injured is stable, and they are under medical supervision," he said.
The force of the explosion also damaged two neighboring houses.
Updated at 8:43 pm
