New Delhi/Dubai/Kuwait City: At least 41 Indian workers were killed and over 50 others injured when the building in which they were staying, referred to as a “camp”, caught fire at Mangaf in Kuwait City early on Wednesday morning. After this horrific incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed minister of state for external affairs Kirtivardhan Singh to rush to the Gulf nation immediately to “oversee assistance to those injured in the fire tragedy and to coordinate with the local authorities” there for early repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased.
A massive fire engulfed a multi-storey building in Kuwait housing foreign workers, mostly Indians, early Wednesday. Most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation while the residents were sleeping, and a significant number of occupants were evacuated, reports said.
The fire started in a kitchen in the six-storey building in the Mangaf area in Kuwait's southern Ahmadi governorate, officials said, adding that the building reportedly had nearly 200 people living in it, who are workers of the same company.
The director-general of the forensic department, Maj. Gen. Eid Al-Owaihan, said the majority of the deceased were Indian nationals from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and north Indian states. Their ages ranged between 20 and 50 years. The building is rented by the NBTC group.
India’s ambassador to Kuwait Adarsh Swaika visited the Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Farwaniya and Al-Adan hospitals to meet the injured and assured full assistance of the embassy to the patients. He also visited the fire accident spot in Mangaf to ascertain the situation.
The Indian embassy said in a post on X: “In connection with the tragic fire accident involving Indian workers today, the embassy has put in place an emergency helpline number: +965-65505246. All concerned are requested to connect over this helpline for updates.”
Indians constitute 21 per cent (1 million) of the total population of Kuwait and 30 per cent of its workforce (approximately 9 lakhs).
“The fire mishap in Kuwait City is saddening. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. The Indian embassy in Kuwait is closely monitoring the situation and working with the authorities there to assist the affected,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.
“Deeply shocked by the news of the fire incident in Kuwait City. There are reportedly over 40 deaths and over 50 have been hospitalised. Our ambassador has gone to the camp. We are awaiting further information,” external affairs minister S. Jaishankar wrote on X.
The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah, on Wednesday ordered the authorities to probe the massive fire and vowed to hold accountable those responsible for the tragedy.
Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah condoled the deaths and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah, serving as the first deputy prime minister, minister of interior and minister of defence, has ordered the police to arrest the owner of the Mangaf building, where the fatal blaze occurred, the building's janitor, as well as the owner of the company responsible for the workers pending the end of the criminal evidence personnel’s examination of the scene, the Kuwait Times reported.
“What happened today is a result of the greed of the company and building owners,” the minister said as he visited the fire scene.
He said that he gave orders to Kuwait Municipality and the Public Authority for Manpower to launch immediate action to address similar violations where large numbers of workers are crammed into one residential building, and make sure that all safety requirements are in place in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Engineer Saud Al-Dabbous, the director-general of Kuwait Municipality, has suspended several key officials. “These suspensions were enacted in the interest of public safety, pending the completion of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident,” the paper said.
Eyewitnesses said the sight of flames engulfing the building instilled fear among onlookers.
Officials in New Delhi said, meanwhile, that the authorities in Kuwait are expected to carry out a full investigation into the causes of the fire. Some media reports suggested that key fire safety norms may not have been followed in the building, leading to the tragedy.
