Kuwaiti authorities have detained two individuals in connection with a fire, attributing the blaze to a short circuit

The building where the fire broke out had been leased by the NBTC group, an engineering and construction company partly owned by an Indian national, to accommodate 196 workers.

The tragic fire in Kuwait that claimed the lives of 49 people, mostly Indian workers, is being called the worst building fire in the country's history, prompting authorities to crack down on housing violations. Among the victims were 45 Indians who perished when the fire swept through a seven-story building in Mangaf, southern Kuwait, which housed foreign workers. Health Minister Ahmad Al-Awadhi reported that 56 injured individuals were transported to local hospitals.

This incident, noted as the most devastating building fire in Kuwait's history, has sparked demands for stricter enforcement against landlords and companies that compromise safety by housing large numbers of foreign workers in dangerous conditions to reduce costs, as reported by the Kuwait Times.

The fire ranks as the second deadliest in Kuwait’s history. In August 2009, a woman, furious over her husband's second marriage, set a wedding tent ablaze, resulting in 56 deaths.

Kuwait's Fire Force determined that the recent blaze was caused by an electrical short circuit, as reported by the state-run KUNA news agency. The public prosecutor has arrested a Kuwaiti citizen and an expatriate on charges of "erroneous killing" related to the fire. They are facing several charges, including "killing and injury by error due to negligence of security and safety precautions against fires," according to a statement from the public prosecutor’s office on X.

A special team inspected the fire scene and visited hospitals to interview the injured. Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s first deputy prime minister and interior minister, is personally leading the campaign to inspect buildings housing foreign workers. Inspections began on Thursday, with a promise of stringent action against all violations.

Al-Sabah announced that the Public Authority of Manpower will address the overcrowding of expatriate workers and the failure to meet safety standards. The building’s owner will remain in custody until the investigation is concluded.

The building where the fire occurred had been leased by the NBTC group, an engineering and construction firm partly owned by an Indian national, to house 196 workers, primarily from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and northern India. Most of the deceased and injured were from Kerala.

The fire started shortly after 4 a.m., while most residents were asleep, generating thick smoke that suffocated many victims, according to the Kuwait Times, citing interior ministry and fire department officials. Col. Sayed Al-Mousawi, head of investigations at the fire department, revealed that an inflammable material used as partitions within the building contributed to the dense black smoke. Many victims suffocated while attempting to escape through smoke-filled stairwells, and access to the rooftop was blocked by a locked door.

Al-Mousawi mentioned that firefighters faced numerous violations that impeded their efforts. An Egyptian national recounted from his hospital bed that it took him two hours to escape the burning building with the help of firefighters and that he saw several charred bodies.