A devastating fire in a residential building housing workers in Mangaf, in southern Kuwait, early on Wednesday, killed at least 41 people as per reports so far, including several Indians, and injuring more than 50.
Minister for External Affairs, Dr S. Jaishankar, expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.
The incident, reported to authorities at 6 a.m. local time, is now under investigation, as per Kuwait government.
The fire originated in a kitchen in the six-storey building, which housed nearly 160 workers of the same company, a report in Xinhua news agency said.
Major General Eid Rashed Hamad confirmed the timeline of the incident, while the Kuwaiti health ministry stated that around 43 people were hospitalised, with four of them succumbing to their injuries.
On X, Jaishankar wrote, “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. Our Embassy will render the fullest assistance to all concerned in this regard.”
The Indian ambassador to Kuwait visited Al-Adan hospital, where over 30 injured Indian workers were currently receiving treatment. Hospital authorities have reported that almost all of the injured are stable.
In response to the tragedy, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait has made an emergency helpline number available for Indian workers affected by the fire. The number, +965-65505246, is provided for updates and assistance.
The embassy has reiterated its commitment to providing all possible support to those affected by the incident.
The Kuwait Ministry of Health posted on X: “The Mangaf building fire is a “true disaster” and the result of the greed and ambition of company owners and building owners.”
Kuwait MoI vowed resolute response to building violations: “I ordered the detention of the company owner, the building owner, and its guard until the investigation is completed.
“A deadline until tomorrow morning for owners of violating properties to remove the violations.”
The victims were injured, burned, and suffocated as a result of the massive fire in the six-storey workers’ housing building in the Al-Mangaf area, and firefighters were able to control it before it spread to neighbouring buildings, local news portal Al Anba said in its report.
The report quoted Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior’s source saying that most of the casualties died due to suffocation due to rising smoke from the fire that broke out on the ground floor and spread throughout the building, and they were unable to exit the emergency corridors.
The source confirmed that a team of fire experts were searching the rubble for more bodies and to find out the causes of the outbreak of the fire.
The injured were transferred to a number of hospitals, including Al-Adan and Al-Jahra Hospital.
First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef said the owner of the property where the fire occurred will be detained for investigation.
Al-Yousef said: “The fire that broke out this morning in a building in the Al-Mangaf area, which killed 41 people, is a real disaster.”
