Vijayan wrote to external affairs minister S Jaishankar, seeking the central government’s intervention in the matter.
In his letter, he mentioned that reports indicated a fire had broken out in a camp known as NBTC camp in Mangaf, Kuwait, resulting in the loss of lives of many Indians, including some from Kerala. He also noted that according to the reports, numerous individuals had suffered serious injuries in this “unfortunate incident”.
The chief minister requested Jaishankar to “give necessary directions to the Indian Embassy to coordinate relief and rescue operations by getting in touch with the government of Kuwait.”
Central government officials confirmed that over 40 people, primarily Indians, were killed in the devastating fire that engulfed a building housing labourers in southern Kuwait.
The fire in the Al-Mangaf building was reported to authorities in Al-Ahmadi governorate at 4.30 am, and most of the deaths were attributed to smoke inhalation, as reported by Kuwaiti media.
The building was rented by construction firm NBTC group to accommodate more than 195 workers, the majority of whom were Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and northern states, according to Kuwaiti media reports.