More than 40 construction workers killed in fire in southern Kuwait

Sheikh Fahad Youssef Saud Al-Sabah, Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister, announced on Wednesday, June 13, that at least 41 construction workers were killed in a fire that broke out early that day in the city of Al-Mangaf in the south of the country. He, who simultaneously oversees the ministries of Interior and Defense, stated during his visit to the site of the incident: "Unfortunately, it is the greed of property owners that leads to such incidents." Eid Rashid Hamad, a senior police commander in Kuwait, also told Reuters that the fire was reported to authorities at 6 AM local time. According to another senior police commander, the building was used to house construction workers, and although dozens of workers were evacuated from the building, many of them died from smoke inhalation. This police officer told Kuwait's state television: "We have always warned against the overcrowding of workers in residential buildings." According to Kuwaiti officials, the fire has been contained, and investigations into its causes have begun.