45 Indians victims of Kuwait building fire
| Date :14-Jun-2024 |
DUBAI/KUWAIT CITY,
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. 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. At least 49 foreign workers were killed and 50 others injured in the fire on Wednesday 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 Deputy Prime Minister.
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 on Thursday. Singh also met some of the Indians injured in the massive fire and assured them all support from the Indian Government. “On the directions of PM @narendramodi ji, MoS @KVSinghMPGonda arrived in Kuwait and immediately rushed to Jaber Hospital to ascertain well-being of injured Indians in the fire incident yesterday. He met the 6 injured admitted at the hospital. All of them are safe,” the Indian mission posted on X. He visited Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital in Kuwait where 7 injured Indians have been admitted. “MoS ascertained their well-being & assured them of all support from GoI. He also appreciated hospital authorities, doctors and nurses for taking good care of the Indians,” the mission said.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah is heading an overall inspection campaign on illegal properties in many areas in 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.