In a major tragedy, several Indians are feared to be among at least 41 people killed after a fire broke out in a building in Kuwait’s southern Mangaf district on Wednesday morning.
“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 (formerly Twitter).
Here’s what we know so far:
(1.) According to reports, the blaze broke out at 4:30 am (local time) in a kitchen on a lower floor and quickly spread through the residential apartment, leaving people trapped. The authorities were informed only at 6 am.
(2.) Nearly 160 people, workers of the same company, were living in the building, as per Kuwait Times. Meanwhile, Onmanorama, a Kerala-based website said that as many as five people from the state are among 10 Indians who lost their lives in the fire incident.
(3.) The website further claimed that the building, which housed workers from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and north India, belongs to the NBTC Group, owned by KG Abraham, a Malayali businessman. It added that the while the blaze has been doused, several individuals remain trapped.
(4.) Kuwait’s Interior Minister visited the scene and held the owners responsible. “What happened today is the result of the greed of the company and building owners. I have ordered immediate action to address similar violations where a large number of workers are crammed into one residential building,” said Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah.
(5.) The Indian embassy has released the following emergency helpline number: +965-65505246. Adarsh Swaika, the Indian envoy, also visited the site to ascertain the situation.
