Kuwait Emir Orders Accountability for Mangaf Residential Building Fire

Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah (C-R) visits the site of a residential building after a fire broke out in Mangaf area, southern Ahmadi governorate, Kuwait, 12 June 2024. EPA/NOUFAL IBRAHIM

Kuwait’s Emir, Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, has directed authorities to hold accountable those responsible for a fire in Mangaf that broke out early Wednesday morning.
The blaze engulfed a residential building housing approximately 150 foreign workers, resulting in the deaths of around 49 people and injuring dozens more. Many of the injured are still receiving treatment in various Ministry of Health hospitals.
Emir Sheikh Mishal sent condolences to the victims' families, expressing his “deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the victims of the unfortunate fire incident, which resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries.”
According to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the Emir has instructed officials to “immediately investigate the causes of the fire and hold those responsible accountable to prevent such tragic incidents from occurring in the future.”
The fire broke out in a six-story building in the Mangaf area, home to numerous foreign workers. Overcrowding in the building, poor storage of belongings and equipment, and the presence of several gas cylinders contributed to the high casualty rate.
Mohammed al-Gharib, director of public relations at the General Fire Force, said in a statement that the fire broke out in a six-story residential building densely populated with labor workers.
The majority of fatalities were attributed to smoke inhalation during sleep, while many of the residents were evacuated from the building, added al-Gharib.
First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yusuf al-Sabah ordered the detention of individuals involved, including the building owner, until the forensic evidence team completes investigation.
Sheikh Fahad further stated that he issued orders to Kuwait Municipality and the Public Authority for Manpower to take action immediately and address similar violations where large numbers of workers are crammed into one residential building and ensure all safety requirements are in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“We responded to the scene, and the fire brigade managed to control the blaze,” Eid al-Owaihan, director of the Interior Ministry's criminal division, was quoted as saying by Kuwait TV, adding that “the forensic evidence team had begun their examination of the site.”
Al-Owaihan said that some of the injured individuals were transferred to various hospitals, and efforts to identify the victims were still underway.