Kuwait deputy PM orders probe into building fire that killed several Malayalis

Kuwait: In a tragic incident, a fire broke out in a six-storeyed building at Mangaf block in Kuwait's Ahmadi Governorate on Wednesday, killing 41 and injuring at least 40 others. According to reports, 10 Indians, including five Malayalis, were also killed in the fire. Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah visited the site and ordered a police inquiry into the matter. The minister has ordered stringent action against the building owner.

The fire originated from a kitchen in one of the lower floors within the labour camp at 4.30 am on Wednesday. According to sources, the fire quickly spread to all the rooms in the apartment. A few individuals, who leapt out of the apartment upon noticing the blaze, were killed. Others succumbed to burn injuries and asphyxiation after inhaling smoke. Several people, who were injured in the fire, have been admitted to Adan, Jaber and Mubarak hospitals, the state media reported.

The fire was reported to authorities at 6.00 am local time, Major General Eid Rashed Hamad said. "The building in which the fire occurred was used to house workers, and there was a large number of workers there. Dozens were rescued, but unfortunately, there were many deaths as a result of inhaling smoke from the fire," another senior police commander told state TV. "We always alert and warn against" cramming too many workers into housing accommodation, he added.

The building, which accommodates around 195 labourers from the nearby commercial area, housed people from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and north India. The building belongs to NBTC group. Employees at NBTC's supermarket also lived in the building. The fire has been contained, but reports indicate that several individuals remain trapped within the building. Watch video here.