3 OFWs die in Kuwait fire — DMW

MANILA, Philippines — Three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) residing in the residential building engulfed by fire south of Kuwait City have died, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.

DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac made the annoucement with the members of the press on Thursday noon (Philippine time). 

Cacdac also said that two OFWs are in critical condition in the hospital.

“We are in touch with the families of the all affected OFWs,” Cacdac said. 

Earlier, Cacdac said that there were 11 OFWs affected by the fire which broke out at around 4:30 a.m. 

“We are coordinating with the company involved and they've been very cooperative. The Kuwaiti government is also cooperative and coordinating with us," Cacdac earlier said. 

In a report of Agence France-Presse, the health ministry of Kuwait said the blaze, which broke out at around dawn, also left dozens injured.

Unverified images posted on social media showed flames consuming the lower floors while black smoke billowed from the upper-story windows.

The interior ministry of Kuwait updated the death toll to 49, up from the previously reported 35, after forensic teams examined the charred building.

According to official Kuwait News Agency, Health Minister Ahmed al-Awadhi said that hospitals had treated 56 people injured in the fire in the Mangaf area, a region densely populated with migrant laborers.

Based on the employer's information provided to the interior minister, the building, now blackened with soot, housed 196 workers.

Fire department sources indicated that the victims succumbed to smoke inhalation resulting from the fire that started at the base of the building. — with reports from Agence France-Presse