The fire incident in Kuwait on Wednesday (June 12) tragically claimed 49 lives, with 42 of the victims being Indian nationals. More than 50 people were also injured in the blaze. Harikrishnan Namboothiri, CEO of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA), confirmed that at least 24 of the deceased Indians were from Kerala.
In response to the tragedy, the Kerala cabinet held a special meeting on Thursday, June 13, during which the Kerala government announced financial assistance for the victims’ families. The government will provide ₹5 lakh to the families of those who died in the fire at the Al-Mangaf building in Kuwait’s city of Magnaf. Additionally, ₹1 lakh will be given to those injured in the incident.
State Health Minister Veena George and State Mission Director (NHM) Jeevan Babu will travel to Kuwait urgently to oversee medical operations and aid in the recovery of the bodies. The state government has also established a global contact centre and help desk at NORKA in Kuwait to assist those affected.
“The help desk and global contact centre are operating around the clock, and the state government will fully support the interventions being carried out by the Indian government in Kuwait,” stated the Kerala Cabinet.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that Yusuf Ali will donate Rs 5 lakh, and Ravi Pillai will donate Rs 2 lakh to the families of those who lost their lives. The monetary assistance, facilitated through NORKA, now totals Rs 12 lakh per family.
Efforts are being led by NORKA, with the support of expatriates, to provide comprehensive assistance to those impacted by the disaster. Kerala’s representative in Delhi, Professor K V Thomas, is in constant contact with the Ministry of External Affairs to coordinate efforts.
On June 13, MoS K V Singh visited Kuwait to check on the six injured Indians who were admitted to Jaber Hospital following the fire. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait confirmed that these individuals are safe and receiving proper care.
On the directions of PM @narendramodi ji, MoS @KVSinghMPGonda arrived in Kuwait and immediately rushed to Jaber hospital to ascertain well being of injured Indians in the fire incident yesterday. He met the 6 injured admitted at the hospital. All of them are safe. pic.twitter.com/p7DrKItfIM
— India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) June 13, 2024
The Tragedy Explained:
A fire broke out around 4:30 am on Wednesday in a building in Kuwait’s city of Magnaf, which housed numerous low-income migrants. The blaze originated in the kitchen on one of the lower floors while many people were still asleep. The fire rapidly spread through the upper floors, filling the entire building with smoke. Tragically, many people died of suffocation while attempting to descend the stairs, and they were unable to access the rooftop as the door was locked.
The incident resulted in the loss of 49 lives, with 42 of them being Indian nationals. Among them, at least 24 were from Kerala, 5 were from Tamil Nadu, and the rest were from the Northern states.
This incident has been described as one of the most fire mishaps in Kuwait’s history. Kuwait’s deputy prime minister and interior minister, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah, announced that Kuwaiti authorities will inspect the building and take action against all violations without prior notice.
The owner of the building where the fire occurred will be detained until the investigation is completed, according to the Deputy Prime Minister. The investigation, led by Col Sayed Al-Mousawi of Kuwait’s fire department, found that inflammable materials were used as partitions between apartments and rooms, leading to the thick black clouds of smoke. Kuwaiti officials have assured that anyone found responsible will be held accountable as the investigation continues.
ALSO READ:The Kuwait Building Fire Took Lives of Mostly Indians; Out of 49, 42 Were Indians