June 13th 2024.
In the bustling cities of Dubai and Kuwait City, a tragic event has left the Indian mission in Kuwait scrambling for answers. A building in the southern city of Mangaf, housing 195 migrant workers, caught fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The blaze, which started in a kitchen, claimed the lives of 49 foreign workers, including around 40 Indians, and injured 50 others. As officials in Kuwait begin their investigation into the cause of the fire, the Indian embassy is working closely with the Kuwaiti authorities to gather all the necessary details.
The fire, which spread rapidly through the seven-story building, has sparked outrage and calls for action against landlords and company owners who disregard the safety of their tenants in order to save costs. The Indian government has expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and is closely monitoring the situation. The Indian embassy has set up a helpline for family members to get updates on their loved ones, and the Ambassador of India in Kuwait, Adarsh Swaika, has visited the location of the incident and the hospitals where the injured are receiving treatment.
In the wake of this tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh to travel to Kuwait and assist with the repatriation of the victims' remains and provide medical assistance to the injured. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also spoken to his Kuwaiti counterpart, Abdullah Al-Yahya, and has been assured of the Kuwaiti government's full cooperation in investigating the incident and holding those responsible accountable.
The Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and has ordered an immediate investigation into the cause of the fire. The Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Kuwait have also sent messages of sympathy to the victims' relatives. The public prosecution has launched its own investigation into the incident and has praised the swift response of the state.
Meanwhile, Deputy Premier and Defence and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah has ordered the arrest of the Kuwaiti landlord and the Egyptian guard of the building. He has also warned officials not to release them without his permission. The minister has declared that starting from Thursday, teams from the municipality will be inspecting all buildings and have the authority to remove any violations without warning. He has also announced plans to address the issue of overcrowding and failure to comply with safety conditions for expat workers in buildings.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but reports from local media suggest it may have been a gas leak from the building's ground floor. The head of investigations at the Kuwait Fire Department has revealed that the team looking into the incident has found that inflammable materials were used as partitions between apartments and rooms, which contributed to the thick black smoke that engulfed the building. Many of the victims were unable to escape due to the smoke, and the rooftop door was locked, leaving them with no means of escape. As the investigation continues, the entire nation mourns the loss of innocent lives and hopes for a swift resolution to this devastating tragedy.
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