The bodies of 45 Indians Workers Killed in a fire at a labor housing facility in Kuwait were repatriated to India on Friday, as grieving relatives and experts called on New Delhi to enhance measures to safeguard the lives of overseas workers who contribute to remittances back home.
The fire, likely caused by an electrical short circuit, occurred on Wednesday in the housing facility in Mangaf, a coastal city south of Kuwait City, claiming the lives of 49 people, including the Indian workers. Thirty-three others are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals.
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Television broadcasts showed mourning families awaiting the arrival of their loved ones’ bodies at the airport. Upon arrival, the coffins, each adorned with photographs of the deceased, were placed on separate tables in the airport’s cargo complex.
Families, friends, ministers, and officials paid their respects, while police provided them with a guard of honor.
Among the deceased, 23 were from the southern Indian state of Kerala. Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, described the accident as “a national tragedy,” emphasizing the significant loss to the state.
Millions of foreign workers, forming the majority of the labor force in Kuwait and some other Gulf nations, often reside in overcrowded accommodations.
Kuwaiti prosecutors have ordered one citizen and several residents to be detained over allegations of manslaughter due to safety negligence at the building.
India’s foreign ministry revealed that 176 workers resided in the facility.
The fire also claimed the lives of three Filipino workers, with two more in critical condition at hospitals, as reported by the Philippine migrant workers ministry.
The nature of the workers’ employment was not disclosed by local authorities, although Kuwait, like other Gulf states, heavily relies on foreign labor, particularly in industries such as construction.
According to data shared by the Indian foreign ministry with parliament in 2023, approximately 13 million Indians work abroad, with over 60% of them in Gulf nations. Kuwait ranks as the third highest destination, hosting nearly 850,000 Indian workers.
While the Indian foreign ministry asserts having a “robust mechanism” to monitor working conditions abroad, commentators argue that more needs to be done.
The Kuwait fire serves as a reminder of the poor working conditions faced by a significant and often overlooked segment of the Indian diaspora.
