45 Indians' remains, three Filipinos' bodies have been identified, and one body is still unknown. The Emir of Kuwait orders military aircraft to help repatriate dead bodies and financial aid for family members; The foreign minister promises to "fix responsibility."
On June 13, 2024, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh visits an Indian patient who was hurt in a fire the day before at the Jaber hospital in Kuwait. Image: PTI/X/@indembkwt
Following a meeting with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya in Kuwait city on Thursday, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that Kuwaiti authorities had assured India of their "full support, including for medical care, early repatriation of mortal remains, and investigation of the incident" in the wake of the building fire in Kuwait that claimed the lives of at least 45 Indians on Wednesday.
Meeting with Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kuwait and concurrently the Minister of Defence and Interior, as well as other high-ranking Kuwaiti officials, Mr. Singh expressed India's appreciation for their assistance. He also went to the hospitals run by Mubarak Al Kabeer and other establishments that treat injured Indians.
Returning dead bodies to their homeland
The Arab Times of Kuwait reports that Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah said that 48 bodies—45 Indian and 3 Filipino—have been identified by the authorities. He also said that work is still being done to identify the identity of the one body that is still missing. Another fifty or more people were hurt. An Indian Air Force plane is waiting to transport the Indians' mortal remains back to their homeland while Kuwaitis are testing the bodies for DNA. In order to aid in the repatriation of the Indians' lifeless remains, Kuwait has also ordered the preparation of a military aircraft.
Financial support for the relatives of the deceased has been ordered by Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al Jaber Al-Sabah; however, the precise amount to be given out has not yet been disclosed.
"Accountability will be established."
Hours after a fatal fire consumed a multistory building housing 196 migrants in the Al Ahmadi governorate in southern Kuwait, bringing attention to the subpar living conditions of Indian workers in the Gulf, Mr. Singh and Joint Secretary Aseem R. Mahajan arrived in Kuwait on Thursday. Soon after, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister assured S. Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs, that the matter would be looked into and that "responsibility will be fixed."
"Enjoyed the prompt return of the deceased's mortal remains to their families." Regarding his phone chat with Mr. Al-Yahya, Mr. Jaishankar had stated, "He stressed that those injured were receiving the necessary medical attention."
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait stated on social media that the "MoS conveyed his appreciation for the cooperation being extended by all concerned authorities of Kuwait." The Kuwaiti Minister gave an assurance that they are "doing everything necessary to determine the circumstances and causes of the horrific incident and that justice will take its course with transparency and integrity," according to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
Potential gas spill
The event is being investigated by Kuwait's public prosecutor; some reports suggest that a gas leak from the ground floor of the structure ignited the fire. Colonel Sayed Al-Mousawi, head of investigations for the Kuwait Fire Department, reported that his team's examination revealed that the black smoke was created by flammable materials used as room and apartment walls.
According to the Arab Times, Sheikh Fahad is in charge of an inspection programme for properties that are not legal in various parts of Kuwait. While examining the fire scene, the Deputy Prime Minister informed reporters, "As of Thursday, the Municipality and its teams will respond to all violations at all apartment buildings without prior warning." He said that the building's owner will remain under arrest while the reasons of the incident are being investigated.
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