Fire at Kuwait Building Kills 41 Foreign Workers

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—A tragic fire broke out in a building housing foreign workers in Kuwait early Wednesday, resulting in the loss of at least 41 lives. Authorities suspect that the blaze was caused by violations of building codes.

During a visit to the site, Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah confirmed the death toll and ordered the arrest of the building’s owner, as reported by local media.

“We will address the issue of labor overcrowding,” he stated. “I’m now going to assess the violations that occurred here and will take action against the property owner.”

Reports from local media indicated that numerous workers were residing in the building in the southern Mangaf district, but did not specify their nationality.

Col. Sayed Hassan al-Mousawi, head of the firefighters’ Accident Investigation Department, mentioned that there were numerous casualties and the final death toll could be higher.

India’s ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Swaika, disclosed that over 30 Indian workers injured in the fire were admitted to a hospital. He did not confirm if any Indian nationals had lost their lives.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the victims and stated that the Indian Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and collaborating with authorities to aid those affected.

“The fire tragedy in Kuwait City is heartbreaking. My thoughts are with all the families who have suffered losses. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured,” Mr. Modi shared on X.

Kuwait, like other Persian Gulf nations, has a significant migrant worker community that surpasses the local population in numbers. With a population of around 4.2 million, slightly smaller than New Jersey, Kuwait possesses the world’s sixth-largest confirmed oil reserves.

In 2022, a fire at an oil refinery in Kuwait claimed the lives of four individuals.