24 of 40 Indians who died in Kuwait fire tragedy from Kerala
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New Delhi: The fire tragedy in Kuwait has killed 40 Indians, leaving Kerala in shock after 24 of those died are found to be from the southern state.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh arrived in Kuwait today and met those injured in the tragedy.
Meanwhile, Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George will head to Kuwait to coordinate treatment of those injured and facilitate the transport of the bodies, NDTV reported citing PTI.
Just as the families of Kerala workers are on pins and needles, the Kerala government has announced ₹ 5 lakh each for the families of workers who died in the fire.
Believed to have started in a kitchen, the fire engulfed the seven-storey building that housed 195 migrant workers in Mangaf in the Ahmadi Governorate on Wednesday, killing 49 of them.
Most of the all-male residents were asleep when the fire began spreading just around 4 am, with thick smoke suffocating many victims, NDTV reported citing officials of the Gulf country.
Meanwhile, the accident triggered calls for action against those who violated laws to house large numbers of foreign workers in extremely unsafe conditions to cut costs.
One of the victims of the tragedy, Renjith from northern Kerala was to return to his village for a vacation in July when death snatched him away.
He had gone to the Gulf country just over a year ago after housewarming of his news house.
"He built a house and the housewarming was held a year and a half ago... but this tragedy struck," a neighbour was quoted as saying.
Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Wednesday expressed sorrow and deep sympathy for the families of those died and ordered probe into accident, the report said citing the official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).