A tragic fire incident in Kuwait's Mangaf area on June 12, 2024, claimed the lives of many people, mostly Indian nationals. The deadly blaze is reported to have started in a kitchen within the building. There are conflicting reports in both Indian as well as Middle East media on the number of casualities and injuries. 

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait swiftly responded to the crisis. They closely monitored the situation and coordinated with local authorities to provide assistance to the affected individuals.

Maj Gen Eid Al-Owaihan, the Director General of the forensic department, stated that the majority of the deceased were Indian nationals, aged between 20 and 50 years, reported by Arab Times.

Majority of the deceased and injured are Indians working for NBTC group. Most died due to smoke inhalation as the building was densely populated. The building housed over 195 labourers, mostly from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and also from north Indian states and the entire building was rented by the NBTC group.

Following the incident, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed profound sadness over the tragedy, extending heartfelt condolences and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.

Kuwait’s Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah has stated that the owner of the Mangaf building will be apprehended. Meanwhile the building guard and company official have been detained. He also directed the Kuwait Municipality and the Public Authority for Manpower to address similar violations where large numbers of workers are housed in one residential building. This initiative aims to ensure all safety requirements are in place to prevent future incidents.

Source: Click Here