Fire at a shopping center in Iran kills 8 people and injures dozens

A fire at a shopping center west of Tehran killed at least 11 people and injured dozens, according to the latest Iranian media reports.

The blaze broke out on Tuesday, May 5, at the Arghavan commercial complex in Andisheh, a city west of Tehran. Initial reports cited by the Associated Press said eight people were killed and 40 were injured. Later reporting from Iranian state media, carried by Xinhua and Euronews, said the death toll rose to 11 and that 41 people were hurt.

Authorities said the fire spread quickly through the building. Iranian media reports suggested that flammable facade materials may have helped the blaze move through the structure.

The cause of the fire has not been confirmed. Iranian prosecutors have opened an investigation and, according to reporting cited in the research, issued an arrest warrant for the building’s constructor.

The differing casualty figures reflect how quickly the toll has changed as officials continue to assess the damage and search for the cause. The latest reports indicate the disaster has become one of the deadliest commercial-building fires reported in Iran this year.