At least 61 people have died after a huge fire ripped through a shopping mall in Iraq, with a survivor saying the inferno began after an air conditioning unit exploded.

Officials have launched an investigation into the blaze at the newly-opened six-storey Corniche Hypermarket Mall in the city of Kut, where men, women and children were said to be shopping last night.

The blaze reportedly began on the first floor of the building before tearing through the entire block, with horrifying video showing the block engulfed by flames and smoke.

Harrowing footage circulating on social media appears to show people on the roof as the flames rose up the building. It is unclear whether they were rescued.

Firefighters rescued a number of people from the building, local media reports. Ambulances were still taking casualties to hospital until 4am local time.

Chilling pictures of the aftermath this morning show the building completely blackened and burned out, with firefighters still at the scene.

Searches were continuing for the missing in the building’s wreckage this morning.

A medical source said there are ‘many unidentified bodies,’ with the dead said to include men, women and children.

Iraq’s interior ministry said in a statement: ‘The tragic fire claimed the lives of 61 innocent citizens, most of whom suffocated in bathrooms, and among them 14 charred bodies yet to be identified.