Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening chaired a meeting to discuss the Kuwait fire incident, in which 49 people, including at least 40 Indians, lost their lives.
It was decided to provide an ex-gratia relief of ₹two lakh from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to kin of each Indian victim.
More than 50 people sustained injuries in the incident, which took place early morning (local time) when the blaze broke out in one of the lower floors of the residential apartment in the Mangaf area of Kuwait's southern Ahmadi Governate.
According to officials, most deaths were due to smoke inhalation while the residents were asleep; however, the officials added that a ‘significant number’ of occupants were evacuated.
Also Read | Kuwait fire: Blaze broke out on lower floor, spread through building – What we know so far
{{/usCountry}}According to officials, most deaths were due to smoke inhalation while the residents were asleep; however, the officials added that a ‘significant number’ of occupants were evacuated.
Also Read | Kuwait fire: Blaze broke out on lower floor, spread through building – What we know so far
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, speaking to media after the meeting, Union minister Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is being sent to Kuwait to oversee relief operations, said that the identification of the victims is going on.
“We stand with the victims…we express our sympathy for them. We met PM Modi and tomorrow morning, we are traveliing to Kuwait. We will take stock of the situation and meet those admitted to hospitals. The maximum number of people are from Kerala and south India,” Singh, the newly sworn-in Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, said.
According to Onmanorama, a Kerala-based news portal, as many as 11 people from the state are among Indian victims of the tragedy.
The multi-storey building, which housed foreign workers, mostly Indians, is believed to be rented by the NBTC Group, owned by a Malayali businessman, KG Abraham.
Earlier in the day, Adarsh Swaika, the Indian envoy to Kuwait, visited the site, and the embassy has released an emergency helpline number: +965 65505246.
“All concerned are requested to connect over this helpline for updates. We remain committed to render all possible assistance,” the embassy informed in a post on X (formerly Twitter).