one women and children were killed and dozens more injured when a fire ripped through a packed wedding party in Kuwait, triggering a panicked stampede, the fire department chief said Sunday. “It was a horrific scene with bodies and many shoes stuck to the ground at the only exit, they must have trampled over one another,” said Brig. Gen. Jassem Al-Mansouri, a day after the disaster. Al-Mansouri said that the fire in Al-Jahra, a tribal area about 50 km (30 miles) west of the capital, broke out at 9.20 P.M. (1820 GMT) Saturday. It was the worst he has seen in his almost four decades of service in Kuwait, he said. The cause of the blaze was still unclear, but local media said it could have been faulty electrical wiring, food heating equipment or coals used for burning incense. Dozens of firefighters battled to douse the flames which engulfed the large tent reserved for women and children. “The tent was burnt down within minutes and only the steel structures remained intact,” Al-Mansouri said. “There were between 150 and 180 women and children inside at the time.” Kuwaiti authorities said they were running DNA tests to identify the victims. “Most of the bodies were charred, many could not be immediately recognized. Forensic officials are working to identify the bodies,” Al-Mansuri said. He said four children were among the dead. An additional 57 women and children were injured, seven critically, he said, hinting that the death toll could rise further. Health Minister Hilal Al-Sayer told the KUNA news agency that 76 people with various degrees of burns had been taken to several hospitals in Kuwait, including to intensive care and specialized burn units. A medical source said Sunday that more than 80 people were injured in the fire as relatives of some victims took them to private hospitals. Many of the victims had fallen during a stampede as the flames spread through the tent, which was left a smouldering wreck. At least one car was also severely damaged by the fire. Lawmakers demanded a swift inquiry into the cause of the fire and questioned the speed of the authorities' response. Several MPs called on authorities to enforce stringent safety rules for setting up tents. Opposition MP Daifallah Buramia said the fire has shown that the authorities' response to calamities is not quick enough. MP Aseel Al-Awadhi called for an investigation into the “fire disaster” and authorities' failure to apply strict safety and security rules for such tents. The interior ministry advised citizens against setting up tents in crowded residential areas where rescue efforts would be delayed in case of incidents. Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah visited those wounded at hospitals. Kuwait banned wedding tents Sunday after the disaster. Most wedding parties in Kuwait are segregated in line with local norms. The Interior Ministry called on Kuwaitis to stop erecting tents in crowded neighborhoods where rescue efforts would be delayed in case of incidents.
