The fire was reported to authorities in Al-Ahmadi governorate at 4.30 am on 12 June and most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation.
The building where the fire accident occurred. (X)
Kuwaiti authorities have identified the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipino nationals killed in the tragic fire incident in a building housing foreign workers in the Gulf Kingdom, a top official said on Thursday, 13 June.
At least 49 foreign workers were killed and 50 others injured in the fire on 12 June at the seven-storey building where 196 migrant workers were staying in the southern city of Mangaf.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah, serving as the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, and Minister of Defence, said that authorities have identified 48 bodies, among which 45 are of Indians and three are of Filipino nationality, English language daily Arab Times reported.
The efforts are still underway to determine the identity of one remaining body, said the first Dy PM. Kuwaiti authorities are conducting DNA tests on the bodies of those killed in the devastating fire incident in southern Kuwait’s Mangaf area and an Indian Air Force aircraft is on standby to bring back the mortal remains of Indians killed in the incident, officials said in New Delhi.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who reached Kuwait to oversee assistance to Indians injured in the fire and to ensure early repatriation of mortal remains of those killed, met Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya who assured full support and vowed to promptly investigate the tragedy.
Singh also met some of the Indians injured in the massive fire and assured them all support from the Indian government. Meanwhile, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah is heading an overall inspection campaign on illegal properties in many areas of Kuwait on Thursday.
The minister, accompanied by the Minister of Public Works and Minister of Municipality Dr. Nora Al-Mashaan began their inspection campaign in Al-Mangaf, Al-Mahboula, Khaitan, and Jileeb Al-Shuyoukh, the paper said. The Interior Ministry, Kuwait Municipality, Kuwait Fire Force, Ministry of Electricity and Water and Public Authority for Manpower took part in the campaign.
The minister has warned that any building violation would be addressed without prior warning as of Thursday. “As of Thursday, the Municipality and its teams will respond to all violations at all apartment buildings without prior warning,” the minister told reporters while inspecting the fire site.
The owner of the affected building will be kept in custody until investigations into the causes of the fire are over, the minister added. Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah has issued directives for the distribution of financial assistance to the families of the deceased. Additionally, he has ordered the preparation of aircraft to repatriate the bodies of deceased Indians back to their homeland, it said.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s public prosecutor has launched an investigation into the incident. The probe aims to uncover the circumstances behind the incident and what might have triggered the deadly fire, the public prosecutor said.
The fire in Al-Mangaf building was reported to authorities in Al-Ahmadi governorate at 4.30 am on 12 June and most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, Kuwaiti media reported, adding the fire started in a kitchen. Construction firm NBTC group rented the building for the stay of more than 195 workers, most of them Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states, the Kuwaiti media said.
The NBTC group is partly owned by an Indian, officials said.
(Edited by Neena with PTI inputs)
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