Kuwait fire: Eight, including three Indians, detained

KUWAIT CITY: Eight people, including Indians, are in custody in connection with the fire that killed 50 people, including 46 Indians, in the Ahmadi Governorate of Kuwait. It is reported that three Indians, four Egyptians and one Kuwaiti national have been detained.

The Arab Times reported that those detained were ordered to be held for two weeks. However, their name or other information has not been released. Charges of manslaughter and negligence have been made against them. According to the order of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, it was announced that the families of the deceased will be compensated 15000 dollars (Rs 12.5 lakh) each. The money will be transferred to the embassies of respective countries. Out of the 50 dead, 46 were Indians and the other three were Filipinos. The nationality of one deceased person has not been confirmed.

Kuwait's public prosecutor has started an investigation into the incident. The probe aims to uncover the circumstances behind the incident, and what might have triggered the deadly fire, the public prosecutor said on X.

The cause of the massive fire that broke out in a six-storey building in Mangaf city on July 12 was earlier found to be an electrical short circuit in the ground floor guard room. 196 workers lived in the building. Most of them are Indians.