Kuwait Inferno: Survivor from Telangana recalls agonizing experience

Hyderabad: Kotte Gangaiah (49), a native Mancherial district, who survived the Kuwait inferno related the harrowing experience when the building they were living in the foreign country caught fire. At present, he is undergoing treatment in a hospital.

A native of Kommugudem in Luxettipet in Mancherial district, Gangaiahhas been working as a helper in Highway Super Market in Kuwait for the last 12 years. The management of the Super Market provided labour accommodation to the staff in a residential building at Al-Mangaf in Kuwait.

Gangaiah said that he stays along with another Telugu man and two Keralites in a room in Kuwait. "On June 13, one of the Keralites had to attend duty and took bath at 4.15 am. The remaining three of us woke up suddenly after he raised an alarm and began screaming. We rushed out of the room and on seeing the black smoke, three of my roommates panicked and jumped down the building. Their legs were broken and are currently undergoing treatment in hospital," he said.

"However, I did not dare to jump down the building. I switched on the torch on my mobile and examined the surroundings. Due to black smoke, nothing was visible but somehow, I managed to go to the wall and slowly went to the window even when my eyes kept burning. I caught hold of a cable wire there and jumped on to the roof sheet in the first floor." Then he came down with the ladder erected by those living in the next building.

Doctors at the Kuwait hospital are providing necessary medical care to Gangaiah as he suffered some minor injuries. Having experienced some tense moments, his blood pressure has increased but there is nothing to worry. His health is stable, the doctors added.

Gangaiah said that two other persons belonging to Nerella in Sircilla district and Dubbak of Medak district got down the building with the help of a cloth soon after witnessing thick smoke. The duo were sent to hospital for primary medical care and treated as outpatients, he informed.

Meanwhile, it is being said that short circuit in the building led to the fire mishap in Kuwait.  

The families of the injured urged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to initiate steps to bring home their family members from Kuwait.