Tragic Fire in Kuwait Claims Lives of 50, Including 3 OFWs
KUWAIT FIRE – In Kuwait, a foreign worker housing building was completely destroyed by fire, resulting in the deaths of three overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
Three overseas Filipino workers died in a blaze that engulfed a residence for foreign laborers in Kuwait, as confirmed by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) yesterday. According to OWWA chief Arnell Ignacio, the deceased were identified as Jesus Lopez, Edwin Petilla, and Jeffrey Catubay.
Meanwhile, Secretary Hans Cacdac of the Migrant Workers Department stated that the three OFWs were employed by a construction firm and succumbed to smoke inhalation. He also mentioned that two other OFWs are currently hospitalized in critical condition, while the remaining six are safe and unharmed.
Secretary Hans Cacdac instructed the Migrant Workers Office in Kuwait and the OWWA Welfare Office to collaborate with the Philippine embassy in Kuwait to facilitate the repatriation of the deceased workers’ bodies.
Cacdac personally contacted the families and relatives of the 11 OFWs.
He said, “We are in touch with the families of all the affected OFWs, including the families of those two in critical condition and the families of the three fatalities. Six of them are now safe and provided with their immediate needs.”
“We will provide all the necessary assistance and support to the OFWs and their families in this difficult time as directed by the President,” Cacdac added.
Yesterday, the Philippine embassy in Kuwait expressed its condolences to the State of Kuwait.
According to initial reports, the fire erupted around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday in Mangaf, a coastal city south of Kuwait. Kuwait’s Interior Ministry confirmed that at least 50 people perished and dozens more were injured in the fire.
Following investigations by forensic teams at the burnt-out structure, the interior ministry revised the death toll from an earlier figure of 35 to 49.
Health Minister Ahmed al-Awadhi was cited by the official Kuwait News Agency, stating that hospitals had admitted 56 individuals injured in the fire in Mangaf, an area densely populated with migrant laborers.
The building, visibly darkened by soot on its exterior, reportedly accommodated 196 workers, according to details provided to the interior minister by their employer.
A source from the fire department indicated that victims were overwhelmed by smoke inhalation after the fire ignited in the building’s kitchen area. Unverified images shared on social media depicted flames engulfing lower floors while thick black smoke billowed from upper-story windows.
Interior Minister Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef disclosed that the building’s owner had been detained due to potential negligence. He emphasized that any property found to contravene safety regulations would be promptly shut down.
“We will work to address the issue of labor overcrowding and neglect,” he said. “We will detain the owner of the property where the fire broke out until legal procedures are completed.”
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