Manama: Five people from the same family died in an apartment fire in Khaitan, a suburb of the Kuwaiti capital, Kuwait City.
Early reports indicate that the father, mother and three children, all Egyptian nationals, died from asphyxiation caused by the fire that broke out in the three-storey building on Friday afternoon.
According to reports, neighbours noticed smoke coming out of the apartment after a power blackout in the building, before smashing open the door of the apartment.
The children, two boys aged 3 and 7, and one girl, 5, as well as the parents were found inside the bedroom.
The fire was believed to have started in the living room, indicating that the family members died from smoke inhalation, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Watan reported.
A spokesperson for the fire department confirmed the death of the five Egyptians. In a statement, the fire department stressed on the importance of having smoke detectors in all homes to help prevent tragedies.
The warning focused on overcrowded areas where up to 10 expatriate workers are accommodated in one room.
Sixty fires had broken out in the first 20 days of August, making an alarmingly high average of three fires a day, fire department sources told Kuwaiti daily Al Qabas.
The sources said several sites lacked necessary safety measures and did not have smoke detectors or fire alarms.
