Kuwait Fire Accident: Indians From Kerala, Tamil Nadu Among Victims

The majority of those who died due to a blaze at a building in Kuwait that claimed nearly 50 lives were Indian nationals from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and north Indian states, local authorities said on Wednesday. The information was shared by the Director General of the Forensic Department Major General Eid Al-Owaihan.

The Ambassador Adarsh Swaika visited the Al-Adan, Mubarak Al-Kabeer and Farwaniya hospitals where Indian workers injured in the fire incident have been admitted. He met a number of patients and assured them of full assistance from the Embassy.

The Embassy said it is in constant touch with Kuwaiti law enforcement, fire service and health authorities for necessary action and emergency medical healthcare.

The fire started in a kitchen in the six-storey building in Mangaf area in Kuwait's southern Ahmadi Governorate in the early hours of Wednesday, PTI reported citing officials.

The building reportedly had nearly 160 people living in it, many of whom were Indians, who are workers of the same company.

The Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh will visit Kuwait to oversee assistance to those injured in the fire tragedy and to coordinate with local authorities for early repatriation of mortal remains of those who have died in this unfortunate incident, the government said.

PM Narendra Modi expressed grief over the Kuwait fire tragedy and said the Indian Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and working with the authorities there to assist the affected.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also expressed condolence on the deaths and wished for early and full recovery of the injured. "Our Embassy will render the fullest assistance to all concerned in this regard," he said.

The Tamil Nadu government said it is being ascertained if Tamils were among those killed in Kuwait fire. If Tamils were among injured, necessary medical assistance should be provided by getting information on them, Chief Minister MK Stalin directed the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non Resident Tamils.

The Embassy has issued a helpline number +965-65505246 and has requested concerned Indian nationals to connect over this line for updates.

Meanwhile, Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah ordered authorities to probe the incident.

Orders have been issued to local municipal authorities to launch immediate action to address similar violations, where large number 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.

Indians constitute 21%, or about 1 million, of the total population of Kuwait and account for 30% of its workforce, which is approximately 9 lakh.

(With text inputs from PTI)