Kuwait Fire Force saves 135 in Mangaf blaze, vows focus on safety
• Firefighters rescued 135 people from the Mangaf fire, including 35 using fire ladders.
• The fire department responded to the fire within five minutes of receiving the call. The fire was extinguished in less than ten minutes.
• In 2023, the fire department issued 22,151 violation notices to property owners for non-compliance with fire safety regulations.
A fire ripped through a building in Mangaf, Kuwait, tragically claiming the lives of 49 people.
The Kuwait Fire Force responded swiftly to the blaze, arriving at the scene within just five minutes of receiving the emergency call. Firefighters battled the inferno for less than ten minutes before successfully extinguishing it. Their prompt action proved crucial in rescuing a total of 135 people from the burning building, with 35 individuals being rescued using fire ladders.
In a separate statement, Brigadier General Muhammad Al-Gharib, Director of the Public Relations and Media Department and official spokesperson for the Fire Force, highlighted the department’s ongoing commitment to fire safety. General Al-Gharib revealed that throughout 2023, fire inspection teams issued a significant number of violation notices – 22,151 in total – to property owners across Kuwait who were found to be non-compliant with fire safety regulations.
Furthermore, he detailed that 5,598 violation notices instructed property owners to rectify the safety hazards identified before facing potential administrative closure of their facilities or buildings.
According to Al-Rai newspaper, in the most serious cases, 585 buildings and facilities were ordered to close due to non-compliance with fire safety regulations. General Al-Gharib concluded by emphasizing the Fire Force’s commitment to strengthening its efforts.
He announced that Acting Director General, Major General Khalid Abdullah Fahd, has directed an increase in the number of fire inspectors in the coming two years. This move is designed to address the growing number of buildings, facilities, and commercial complexes across Kuwait, ensuring a continued focus on fire safety and prevention.
