At least 41 people have died in a fire that broke out at a building housing employees in the Kuwaiti city of Mangaf early on Wednesday, according to Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah, deputy prime minister of the nation, who visited the scene.
The deputy prime minister said that greed and other infractions committed by real estate owners were factors in the occurrence. Sheikh Fahad, who also serves as head of the defense and interior ministries, said, “Unfortunately, these matters are caused by the greed of real estate owners.”
The incident was reported to the authorities at 6 a.m. local time, according to Major General Eid Rashed Hamad.
“Workers were housed in the building where the fire occurred, and there were a lot of workers there. Although several people died from smoke inhalation from the fire, dozens were saved, a senior police commander regrettably told state television.
Without mentioning the nature of the jobs or the workers’ country of origin, he stated, “We always alert and warn against” packing too many workers into housing units.
Authorities reported that the fire had been contained and that they were looking into what started it.
