Kuwait Fire: IAF Plane To Bring Back Bodies Of Indians, Many Of Them Charred

Photos: @AdityaRajKaul

New Delhi: The death toll of Indians in the Kuwait fire went up to at least 42 on Wednesday. A massive blaze engulfed a building housing foreign workers. The tragedy prompted India to dispatch a high-level team to the Gulf country to coordinate with local authorities for the repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased.

Some residents died in their sleep and others resorted to desperate measures like jumping from the first floor to escape the blaze. A senior Kuwait journalist told CNN-News18 that the intense heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, is believed to have contributed to the tragedy, prompting regular government warnings. The Kuwaiti media said that construction firm NBTC group rented the building for the stay of more than 195 workers, most of them Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states. The building, owned by the Indian company NBTC, housed mostly male workers living without families. Out of the total 49 foreign workers killed, around 42 victims were confirmed to be Indian nationals, with over 50 others sustaining injuries in the tragic incident in the Al-Mangaf building.

Before departing for Kuwait from Delhi Airport, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said that the majority of victims suffered severe burns, with some bodies charred beyond recognition. He said DNA testing procedures are currently underway to facilitate victim identification, adding that an Air Force aircraft is on standby for immediate deployment.