A special Indian Air Force ( IAF ) aircraft landed in Kochi on Friday carrying the cadastral remains of 45 Indians who perished in a building fire in Kuwait. Among the dying, 23 were identified as Keralites, while the remaining 18 were from Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Among those present at the airports were Union Minister Suresh Gopi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The flight’s passenger, Union minister of state Singh VK Singh, was carrying the victims ‘ cadastral remains.
What led to the building’s hearth?
The fire, which is believed to have originated in a restaurant, engulfed the building housing about 195 migrant workers, generally Indians employed by the NBTC Group, at around 4: 30 am.
The majority of the casualties were brought on by dust inhalation. Five government hospitals in Kuwait are presently treating more than 30 patients, with seven reporting critical conditions and five receiving ventilator support.
Some patients died after jumping from the burning building, while another succumbed to smoke inhalation. 92 individuals managed to escape unharmed.
In addition to the Indian immigrants, the blaze also claimed the lives of Pakistani, Filipino, Iranian, and Nepali employees. The drama has been attributed to alleged neglect by the property’s users.
Kuwait’s Fire Force has determined that an electric little loop was the cause of the fire, based on a field investigation, as reported by the express- work KUNA news agency. A Kuwaiti regional and an emigrant have been detained by the public prosecutor on suspicion of “erroneous killing” in connection with the fire incident.
The NBTC Group, which is partly owned by an Indian, rented the building to building the staff. Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al- Sabah, has blamed the incident on breaches of safety standards and the ambition of authentic farm owners. He has even ordered the arrest of the property’s user and receptionist for further investigation.
President’s response
A press conference on the state of the position was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. He expressed his profound regret over the affair, offered apologies to the deceased’s people, and made a statement about an ex-gratia reduction of Rs 2 million for the families of the deceased Indian nationals from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
” The flames incident in Kuwait City is saddening. All those who lost close and dear people are in my feelings. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest”, PM Modi said on X ( formerly Twitter ).
India Shares Tragic Update on Indians Killed in the Kuwait Fire | Jaishankar Buttons Kuwaiti FM
S. Jaishankar, the head of external affairs, spoke with Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, his rival in Kuwait, highlighting the need to repatriate the deceased’s man remains and ensure the injured receive the necessary health care. Jaishankar highlighted Kuwait’s devotion to a detailed investigation to determine responsibilities.
