DMW: 3 Pinoys injured in Kuwait building fire, status of 5 other missing OFWs being verified
At least 11 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were affected by a fire that broke out in a building in Kuwait, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Thursday, June 13.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said he already instructed the Migrant Workers Office-Kuwait to continue monitoring the status of the affected OFWs, particularly the three Filipinos who were hospitalized and five others whose status are yet to be known.
The fire, which started 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 12 (9:30 a.m. Manila Time) occurred in Mangaf, a coastal city south of Kuwait City. The building houses foreign workers.
As of late Wednesday night, the Kuwait's Interior Ministry reported at least 49 people were killed, with scores injured.
“The MWO-Kuwait says three of the eleven are safe and accounted for while another three are in hospital (two under intensive care) recovering from injuries. The status of five other OFWs is still pending confirmation from hospital authorities,” said Cacdac.
He said the MWO-Kuwait was already directed to keep in touch with hospital authorities until they can fully ascertain the status of the five unaccounted OFWs.
Cacdac likewise directed MWO-Kuwait and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Welfare Office in Kuwait to see to the immediate needs of the six other OFWs.
“The MWO-Kuwait, in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, will continue monitoring the situation and updating the DMW Head Office as necessary,” said Cacdac.