Ministry suspends key officials, launches probe after Mangaf fire tragedy

• The Al-Ahmadi Municipality had previously intensified its monitoring campaigns on real estate and basements used for purposes other than their licensed ones.

On Wednesday, Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan, the Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs, announced the suspension of all leaders from the Al-Ahmadi Municipality branch. This action follows a fire incident that occurred this morning in a residential building in the Mangaf area. They have been referred for investigation.

Al-Mashaan indicated in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that she has directed the Director-General of the Municipality, Saud Al-Dabbous, to conduct an urgent investigation involving all these leaders regarding the residential building incident.

In a separate press statement, Al-Dabbous extended his sincere condolences to the families of the deceased. He confirmed the suspension of the Deputy Director-General for Hawalli and Al-Ahmadi Governorate Affairs, the acting director of the Al-Ahmadi Municipality Branch, the director of the Audit, Follow-up, and Engineering Department, and the head of the Violations Removal Department in Al-Ahmadi for the public interest.

He added that counterpart directors in other branches have been assigned to carry out their duties until the investigation into this tragic incident is completed. He noted that the municipality had previously intensified its monitoring campaigns on real estate and basements used for purposes other than their licensed ones.

He stated that a previous decision had been issued, directing the heads of relevant sectors to form immediate monitoring campaign teams from the auditing and engineering follow-up departments, the emergency and rapid intervention teams, and the violations removal departments. These teams are to inspect real estate in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and the General Administration of Kuwait Fire Force and to take immediate action regarding any transgressions or violations.

At the conclusion of his statement, Al-Dabbous emphasized that no one is above the law and that the law will be applied to everyone to protect lives, property, and the public interest. (KUNA)