Jharkhand man said goodbye to family 18 days ago, killed in Kuwait fire

Ranchi:

When Md Ali Hussain said goodbye to his family before leaving for Kuwait 18 days ago, little did they know that it would be the last time they would see him. A cloud of sadness descended on Hussain’s residence in Ranchi’s Hindpiri locality as his family members woke up to the news of his death in a deadly fire in the West Asian country.

The youngest among three brothers, 24-year-old Hussain went to Kuwait from Ranchi to support his family, said his father Mubarak Hussain (57).

“This was the first time he left the country. He told us that he got a job as a salesman there. We never expected such a devastating incident to occur in a matter of 18 days,” Mubarak told PTI, as tears rolled down his face.

Mubarak said he received news about Hussain’s death from one of his son’s colleagues in Kuwait on Thursday morning. But Mubarak did not dare tell his wife the devastating news until evening.

“My son was pursuing a certified management accountant (CMA) course after graduating. One day, he suddenly said he was going to Kuwait,” said Mubarak, who runs a small vehicle tire business in Ranchi.

“My only wish for the Government of India is to take steps to bring Hussain’s body back to Ranchi,” Mubarak said.

According to Kuwaiti authorities, a fire broke out in a building in the southern city of Mangaf in which 49 foreign workers, including around 40 Indians, died, while 50 others were injured in Wednesday’s fire in a seven-story building. floors. .

Most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, Kuwaiti media reported, adding that the fire started in a kitchen.

Construction company NBTC Group has rented the building to accommodate more than 195 workers, most of them Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states, Kuwaiti media reported.

(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)