look news india
Kuwait City, June 13 (HS). 49 people died and more than 50 were injured in a massive fire in a multi-storey building housing foreign workers in southern Kuwait. According to information, 40 of the dead are Indians. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of the deceased on this tragic incident in Kuwait and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. Along with this, an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh has been announced to the families of the deceased Indian citizens from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. In view of this terrible accident, shortly after the incident, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that on the instructions of PM Modi, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is being immediately sent to Kuwait, so that he can help in establishing coordination between the people affected by the fire and the local administration.
According to officials, most of the people died due to suffocation from smoke while they were asleep. They said that many people were rescued. They said that the fire broke out in the kitchen of the six-storey building in Mangaf area of Kuwaiti's southern Ahmadi governorate. They said that about 200 workers of the same company lived in the building.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the death toll from the fire has reached 49, Kuwait Times reported. The ministry said personnel from the Criminal Evidence Department are currently working on identifying the dead at the scene and determining the cause of the fire. It said strict measures would be taken against building owners who violate the law.
“Unfortunately, we received a report of a fire in the Mangaf area at exactly 6 a.m. (8:30 a.m. IST),” Major General Eid al-Owaihan, head of the Interior Ministry's General Criminal Evidence Department, said. The dead included Indian nationals, mostly from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other northern Indian states, aged between 20 and 50, he was quoted as saying by the English daily Arab Times.
Five firefighters were injured during the rescue operation, sources said. “In connection with the tragic fire accident that hit Indian workers today, the Embassy has issued an emergency helpline number 965-65505246. All concerned are requested to connect to this helpline for information,” the Indian Embassy in Kuwait said in a post on Twitter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter, “The fire in Kuwait City is tragic. My condolences are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I wish the injured a speedy recovery. The Indian Embassy in Kuwait is closely monitoring the situation and working with the authorities to assist those affected there.”
On the instructions of the PM, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh will leave for Kuwait to monitor the relief of Indians injured in the fire and assist in the speedy repatriation of the bodies of those killed. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, “The news of the fire incident in Kuwait City is deeply shocking. More than 40 people have been reported dead and more than 50 people have been hospitalized. Our ambassador has gone to the camp. Awaiting further information.”
Jaishankar said on Twitter, “I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. I wish the injured a speedy and full recovery. The Indian Embassy will provide full assistance to all concerned parties in this regard.” Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Adarsh Swaika visited several hospitals where the injured have been admitted.
“Ambassador Adarsh Swaika visited Al-Adan Hospital where over 30 Indian workers injured in today's fire incident have been admitted. He met several patients and assured them of full assistance from the Embassy,” the Indian Embassy said on X.
Kuwait's Interior Minister Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah ordered an investigation into the fire and issued orders to arrest the owner and watchman of the Al-Mangaf building.