In a tragic incident, a massive fire ripped through a building housing foreign workers in Kuwait’s southern Mangaf area on Wednesday, leaving at least 40 Indians dead and scores injured. The Kuwait Ministry of Interior announced that the death toll from the blaze at the Al-Mangaf building has reached 49. Authorities have launched an investigation to uncover the circumstances that triggered the deadly inferno.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh rushed to Kuwait immediately after the incident. He visited Jaber Hospital and Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital, where injured Indian nationals are admitted, to ascertain their well-being and assure them of all support from the Government of India. Singh met the injured Indians at both hospitals and expressed gratitude to the medical staff for taking good care of them. The Foreign Ministry of Kuwait has affirmed its commitment to providing the highest healthcare services to those injured in the tragic blaze.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya and Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi visited Al-Adan Hospital to see the injured people in the tragic fire that broke out at a workers’ building in Al-Mangaf, south of Kuwait City on Wednesday. In a press statement, the Foreign Ministry confirmed the government’s commitment to providing the highest healthcare services for the injured people and wished them a speedy recovery. Interior Undersecretary General Sheikh Salem Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on also visited Mubarak Hospital to check on the condition of persons injured.
Visiting the fire site, Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah pointed fingers at “the greed of real estate owners” for such incidents, though it remains unclear if any violations occurred at the Al-Mangaf building. With a large number of victims hailing from the Indian state of Kerala, the state government said 15 Keralites were confirmed dead, and seven were severely injured based on official information. However, unofficial counts suggest the number of deceased Keralites could be as high as 24.
Following the tragedy, the Kerala government’s NoRKA-Roots (Non-Resident Keralites’ Affairs) department has set up a helpdesk, providing 24-hour toll-free numbers for non-resident Keralites to reach out. Additionally, the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils has launched dedicated helpline numbers. The devastating fire, which has sent shockwaves across India, underscores the risks faced by the vast population of Indian migrant workers in the region and has prompted calls for improved safety measures and living conditions.
