Kuwait Fire : MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh to visit injured, accident spot today

At least 49 people, including 42 Indians, died and many others were injured on Wednesday in a fire in a building in southern Kuwait that housed foreign workers.

Local authorities detained the building’s owner to investigate possible negligence. A fire broke out at 4:30 am in the Al-Mangaf building, a residence for workers, in Al-Ahmadi governorate, Kuwait.

Most victims died from smoke inhalation while sleeping. Kuwait’s interior ministry reported 49 deaths.

Sources revealed 42 Indians were among the dead, with others from Egypt, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines. The victims were aged between 20 and 50 years. Most of the Indians who died or were injured were from Kerala.

India’s ambassador visited hospitals where injured workers were being treated.

Low-paid workers in the Gulf often live in crowded conditions. Authorities did not say what jobs the workers had, but like other Gulf states, Kuwait depends heavily on foreign labor for industries like construction, with many workers coming from South and Southeast Asia.

Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah ordered an immediate investigation into the fire’s cause and promised to hold any responsible officials accountable.

The interior ministry reported that the death toll had risen to 49 and was investigating, searching the site for victims, and identifying those who had died, according to state media.

A senior police commander told state television that many people had died from smoke inhalation, and dozens were rescued. He mentioned that the building housed many workers and that authorities had warned against overcrowding but did not specify if regulations were violated.