Kuwait fire: UAE businessman promises compensation for families of victims from Kerala

UAE-based businessman M.A. Yusuff Ali has promised a cash compensation to the families of some of those killed in the building fire in Kuwait. The managing director of Lulu group of companies promised a compensation of approximately Dh22,000 to the families of the victims who hailed from the southern Indian state of Kerala.

On Wednesday a fire erupted in a building housing foreign workers, killing at least 49 people. Around 40 Indians died in the blaze in Mangaf city, while more than 50 were injured, according to India's foreign ministry. Most of the Indian victims were from Kerala.

Yusuff Ali informed his intention to give the compensation to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The distribution of funds will be done through the institute Norka Roots, an entity by the government of Kerala to ensure the welfare of non-resident Keralites.

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“[The fund release] will be done through Norka-Roots as he is the Vice Chairman of it,” said a source close to the matter, speaking to Khaleej Times. “This is to ensure that the money will reach the right people in their homes.”

Another Dubai-based businessman Ravi Pillai has also offered a compensation of approximately Dh9,000 to the families of the deceased through the same entity.

Efforts taken

Kuwait has also announced financial compensation for all the deceased and stated that the victims' bodies would be transferred back to their homelands on Kuwaiti military airplanes.

On Thursday, the government of Kerala also announced a Dh22,000 compensation for families. The state’s health minister and another senior leader will immediately travel to Kuwait to coordinate efforts to secure treatment for those injured in the mishap as well as to oversee the repatriation of the bodies of the deceased.

• UAE offers condolences to Kuwait over deaths in fire