On Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, a residential building was caught in a violent inferno in the southern Ahmadi Governorate of Kuwait, causing widespread sorrow and raising concerns over the safety of labour migrants in the country. 49 people were killed by this fire, and even greater numbers were wounded.
Reportedly, a fire began in the kitchen of a six-story building in Mangaf city. Nearly 200 foreign workers employed by one company lived there. At the time of the tragedy, thick smoke surrounded most of the workers residing in the building, who were actually fast asleep thereby leading to a disaster where it unfolded hastily. It is believed that most people died due to inhaling smoke too fast.
The inferno was fought by firefighters for many hours until it was contained. Survivors were taken out of the still-smouldering debris by search and rescue teams who took part tirelessly. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs indicated that as many as 40-41 dead persons may have been Indian citizens.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. However, concerns have been raised about potential safety code violations. Migrant worker rights groups have long pointed out the prevalence of overcrowded and poorly maintained housing in the region, raising serious questions about the living conditions faced by these essential contributors to the economy.
The loss of life that happened there brought about an urge for more serious rules concerning where the employees stay in Kuwait. Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister has shown great sympathy towards the bereaved and promised that individuals will be compensated in case they were relatives of the deceased. Even the Indian Embassy in Kuwait has gone ahead to create hotlines in order to help people affected by the fire which occurred.
The havoc’s full extent and death toll have not been fully ascertained yet. This incident brings us back to the fact that the safety of migrant workers should be taken as a priority. Such people usually play vital roles in their host nations’ economies and their well-being deserves to be a top concern. The fire has caused people to discuss improving the current residing facilities by enforcing safety regulations and ensuring swift investigation to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
