Kuwait building fire: 40 Indians dead; worried Telangana families reach out

Hyderabad: A devastating fire in Mangaf in Kuwait has killed about 40 Indian workers and more than 50 have been injured, according to initial reports.

A gas cylinder exploded leading to the fire in the building at 4 am on Wednesday morning.

A total of 196 Indians were living in the building, doing physical labour jobs in Kuwait and were from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. This incident is a stark reminder of the appalling conditions in which Indian labourers live in the Middle East.

Telangana workers call family

The videos and news of the fire caused panic in Telangana which has a considerable population of families of migrant workers. Upon hearing the news, the families called their loved ones to check on them.

So far, some workers from Telangana have informed the public that they are safe and have asked their family members not to worry. All the workers live in multiple buildings in compounds in that area.

Workers tried to jump from the building

Ahmed from Kamareddy said, “The injured have been admitted at four hospitals in Kuwait. Most of the injured tried to climb down from the building. Some of them even jumped down and have been badly injured.”

The fire engulfed one building and thick black smoke is seen emitting out still.

Shaik Basha said, “The fire started at 4 am. There was a gas cylinder which exploded. Many have died due to the thick black smoke that engulfed the building.”

Shocked, said Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, “It’s a deep shock as over 40 Indian people have died in Kuwait fire. There are more than 50 hospitalised,” Jaishankar said on X.

The Indian Ambassador to Kuwait has gone to the camp where the fire occurred.

Congress leader KC Venugopal also said that he is deeply pained by the news of 40+ Indians losing their lives due to a fire in a labour camp in Kuwait. "My sincere condolences to the families of the departed souls. I urge the Ministry of External Affairs to urgently assist those injured in this accident and ensure handsome compensation to all victims and their families," he said.

"The Government, in collaboration with their respective counterparts, must ensure complete safety of our citizens - including proper housing facilities, with adequate safety precautions and amenities, to ensure they live a life of dignity," he added.

Helpline number

The Indian Embassy has put in place an emergency helpline number +965-65505246 and all concerned are requested to connect over this helpline for updates.