Shafaq News / The Iraqi Civil Defense reported on Thursday that a massive fire erupted in palm groves in Karbala Governorate, prompting the evacuation of more than three thousand citizens.

The civil defense said in a statement received by Shafaq News agency, "The fire engulfed a large area of ​​Ayn Al-Tamr groves, estimated at 250 dunums".

The statement added that, "the civil defense teams made strenuous efforts for eight consecutive hours until additional firefighting teams from the governorates of Najaf and Babel were recruited to evacuate 3,000 residents from the area, after the fire was contained; sparing 600 residential unit".

  "the wind accelerated the spread of the fire in the groves, which posed a difficulty in the beginning", as by the statement, "Currently the fire is suppressed by the civil defense teams, under the supervision of Brigadier Taher Hamid Mohsen, director of civil defense in the holy city of Karbala, and the governor of Karbala; without registering human casualties".

The statement indicated that, "an investigation will be carried out to identify the causes of the fire".