Following a fire on Wednesday morning in a building where more than 195 migrant workers lived in Mangakh district of Kuwait, around 40 Indian citizens were killed and more than 50 others were injured. The total number of victims of this fire was 49 people, 42 of whom were Indian nationals.
The rest are Pakistanis, Filipinos, Egyptians and Nepalese. According to officials, most of the Indian victims are from Kerala. Most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation and the fire started in the kitchen, Kuwaiti media reported.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the incident in a statement issued late on Wednesday evening. “About 40 Indians died and more than 50 were injured today in an unfortunate and tragic fire at a labor accommodation facility in the Mangaf area of Kuwait,” the MEA said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an emergency meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Minister VInay Kwatra and Principal Secretary to Prime Minister PK Mishra.
After this meeting, the PM announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh to the families of deceased Indian nationals from the PM Relief Fund.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health said the injured were admitted to several hospitals, with 21 of them sent to Al-Adan Hospital, six to Farwaniya Hospital, one to Al-Amiri Hospital and 11 to Mubarak Hospital.
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The MEA also shared a helpline number through which the family members of the affected can contact the embassy officials. “The embassy has set up a helpline +965-65505246 (WhatsApp and regular calls) so that the family members can get in touch,” it said.
The Indian embassy said it is in touch with Kuwaiti law enforcement agencies, fire service and health department to take necessary measures. Kuwaiti Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah ordered an investigation into the fire and issued instructions to detain the owner and manager of the Al-Mangaf building.
