Kuwait Fire Tragedy: 40 Indians Killed, 50 Injured In Building Fire Housing 195 Workers

UPDATES:

Emir of Kuwait expresses his sincere sorrow and deep sympathy. In a condolence message to the families of the victims of the Mangaf fire incident, the Emir expressed his profound sorrow and deep sympathy, also wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. The Emir instructed officials to investigate the causes of the fire and hold those responsible accountable, according to the official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

UPDATES:

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan reached out to Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar, requesting the Centre’s involvement in the Kuwait fire incident. He indicated that Malayalees may have been among the victims of the tragic event.

PM Modi expressed his condolences to the families of people killed in the Kuwait fire tragedy. On X, he wrote, “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.”

Amid the massive fire accident in Kuwait, over 40 people lost their lives and 50 people were hospitalized on Wednesday. Informing that five Indians were also among the ones who were killed.  Reports state that several Indian nationals are feared to be among the casualties of the tragic fire engulfing the massive building.

According to reports, the fire started early morning in the lower kitchen that rapidly began to spread engulfing several individuals. A report by Onmanorama shared that among the five Indians who died in the blaze were the individuals from Kerala. More details are awaited on the rest of the casualties.

Union Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr S Jaishankar extended his condolences to the families of the deceased. On X, he wrote, “Deeply shocked by the news of the fire incident in Kuwait city. There are reportedly over 40 deaths and over 50 have been hospitalized. Our Ambassador has gone to the camp. We are awaiting further information. Our Embassy will render the fullest assistance to all concerned in this regard.”

The NBTC group, led by Malayali businessman KG Abraham, owns the building that housed around 195 laborers, including individuals from Kerala and Tamil. Following the incident, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait established an emergency helpline number (965-65505246) for updates and assistance.

Concurrently, reports from KUNA indicated that the fire has been controlled, with investigations underway to determine the cause.

A senior police commander noted that the building accommodated a significant number of workers, with many being rescued. Tragically, fatalities resulted from smoke inhalation.

While cautioning against overcrowded living conditions for workers, the commander refrained from providing specific details regarding their employment or nationality.

ALSO READ: New Report Suggests UK, Schengen Countries Are Minting Millions From Rejected Visa Applications