Photo Credit: Reuters
A blazing fire at a residential building in the Kuwaiti city of Mangaf has claimed the lives of at least 49 people and injured others.
Video shared on social media showed flames engulfing the lower part of the building and thick black smoke billowing from the upper floors.
Many of the casualties are said to be foreign workers who lived there, including a number of Indian nationals.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his condolences to the victims and their families.
"The fire mishap in Kuwait City is saddening," he said on X.
He said the Indian embassy was monitoring the situation and working with the authorities on the ground.
Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf al-Sabah accused property owners of greed and said violations of building standards had led to the tragedy.
"Unfortunately the greed of the property owners is what led to this," Sheikh al-Sabah, who is also acting interior minister, said.
Interior Ministry spokesman Maj-Gen Eid al-Oweihan told state TV that the fire was reported at 06:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Wednesday. It was now under control.
Local media reports say the building housed 196 workers and there are suggestions that it may have been overcrowded.
A senior police officer told state TV that there were a "large number" of people in the building at the time of the fire.
"Dozens were rescued, but unfortunately there were many deaths as a result of inhaling smoke from the fire," he said, adding that warnings were often issued about overcrowding in this type of accommodation.
No details have so far been given officially about the workers' countries of origin or the nature of their employment.
But rescue worker Shamsudheen Kanneth said that of the 49 dead, 30 had been identified, most of whom were Indian nationals.
There were also Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Filipinos and Nepalis among them.
However, some of the bodies had been burned beyond recognition, Mr Kanneth added, and DNA tests would be required.
