THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/ KUWAIT CITY: 49 lives lost in the fire. 26 Malayalees who came to the Arab world in search of a new life. Victims from eight districts between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod. Kerala is reeling from the tragedy that happened in Kuwait. A man who was preparing to come home for his marriage, those who worked hard to build the house they always dreamed of... the dreams of those who were burned to death were like this.
Among the dead, 46 were Indians and 3 were Filipinos. IAF's C-130J aircraft have been deployed to bring the dead bodies back to India. The state government has announced that the bodies will be brought to Nedumbassery tomorrow morning. 25 ambulances have been kept ready to take the dead bodies home. The chief minister and ministers will receive the dead bodies. Minister Veena George said that the bodies of 22 people are being delivered today.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh is in Kuwait. A special cabinet meeting held today had decided to send Health Minister Veena George and NHM Director Dr Jeevan Babu to Kuwait. Both of them waited for a long time at Nedumbassery but quit their journey as they did not get central permission.
Other Indians identified are from the states of Tamil Nadu (7), Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh (3 each), Odisha, Bihar, Bengal, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Haryana and Punjab (1 each). 56 injured people are in various hospitals in Kuwait, seven are in critical condition.
Building and company owners to remain in custody
The fire broke out at 4:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday in the six-storey flat where the employees of the NBTC company lived in Mangaf, southern Kuwait. 195 people were in the building. The arrested building and company owners will remain in custody pending the completion of the Kuwait Public Prosecutor's investigation. The initial conclusion is that the cause of the fire is a short circuit. Administrators of the Ahmadi Municipal Branch were suspended.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Union Ministry of Labor visited the NORKA office in Thiruvananthapuram and collected the information of those who went to Kuwait on work visas.
Malayalees who have been identified
Muralidharan (Vazhamuttom), Akash Sasidharan (Pandalam), Sajuvarghese (Attachakkal), Thomas C. Oommen (Thiruvalla), Sibin T. Abraham (Keezhvaipur), Mathew George (Niranam)
Shamir (Sooranad), Lucas Sabu (Velichikkala), Sajan George (Punalur), Sumesh Pillai (Perinad)
Stephin Abraham Sabu (Pampady), Srihari Pradeep (Changanassery), Shibu Varghese (Pallikkachira)
Kelu Ponmaleri (Thrikaripur) and Ranjith Kundadukkam (Cherkala)
Nooh (Tirur), Bahuleyan (Pulamanthol)
Vishwas Krishnan (Dharmadam), Nidin (Vayakkara), Anish Kumar (Kadalayi)
Arun Babu (Uzhamalackal) and Sreejesh Nair (Edava)
Benoy Thomas (Chittatukara)
Mathew Thomas (Chengannur)