Kuwait fire tragedy: One more Indian succumbs to injuries; death toll 46

DUBAI/KUWAIT CITY/Kochi,

THE death toll of Indians killed in the massive fire in Kuwait has risen to 46 with one more person succumbing to injuries as authorities said that an electrical short circuit in the room of the guard on the ground floor of the building caused the blaze that killed 50 people. Most deaths were due to smoke inhalation while residents in the six-storey building were sleeping when the fire broke out early Wednesday in Kuwait’s southern Ahmadi Governorate. The building was home to 196 migrant workers, mostly Indians. “One of the injured died” overnight, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya told reporters, raising the death toll of Indians to 46. Three other deceased are Filipinos and the identity of one of the victims has not been established, the Kuwait Times newspaper reported on Friday. Meanwhile, an Indian Air Force (IAF) flight carrying the mortal remains of 45 Indians who died in the tragic fire incident in Kuwait two days ago, landed at the international airport here at around 10.30 am. Of the 45 mortal remains carried by the IAF C130J aircraft, 31 were received at the airport here.

The 31 bodies include 23 Keralites, 7 Tamilians and one person from Karnataka, officials said. Vijayan, speaking to reporters at the airport, said that ‘pravasis’ (expatriates) were the lifeline of Kerala and the deaths of so many Indian expatriates in the fire was a “huge disaster for the country”. The CM also said that the incident was also a huge disaster for the expatriate community. Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum Suresh Gopi, who was at the airport to receive the mortal remains, said that ‘pravasis’ are held in high regard by the state and Centre for the hard work they put in while working abroad. “The tragedy is very painful,” he said. The CM paid tribute to the deceased by placing wreaths on their coffins, while Gopi laid red roses to pay his last respects. Union MoS for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who accompanied the mortal remains on the IAF flight, and Tamil Nadu Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Gingee K S Masthan also paid tributes to the deceased at the Cochin airport. A guard of honour was given by the police to the deceased.

The remaining 14 bodies were sent to Delhi in the same aircraft as a domestic flight from Kochi, airport authorities in Kerala said. After the plane arrived in the national capital, newly elected MPs Yogender Chandolia and Kamaljeet Sehrawat stood on the tarmac with folded hands as the caskets were lowered from the aircraft. The investigation team of Fire Department said on Thursday that the fire was caused by an electric short circuit in the room of the building guard and spread to other places. The guard’s room is located on the ground floor. Citing security sources, the paper said that there were 179 workers inside the building when the fire broke out, while 17 were outside. Of the 196 residents, 175 are Indians, 11 are Filipinos and the rest are from Thailand, Pakistan and Egypt. According to an official, many of the victims suffocated while trying to run down the stairs because they were filled with smoke. He added that the victims could not go to the rooftop because the door was locked.