4 of Kerala family killed in Kuwait apartment fire

KOCHI: A family of four from Alappuzha in Kerala died in a fire that broke out in an apartment building in Abbasiya, Kuwait, on Friday night. Mathews Varghese Mulackal (40), his wife Lini Abraham (35) and their children - Irene (14) and Issac (9) - had returned from a month-long vacation in Kerala just hours before the tragedy struck.

The blaze erupted around 9pm local time, when the four family members were asleep in their second-floor flat. Neighbours and alerted the fire and rescue unit, but none could be saved. It is suspected the fire was caused by a short circuit in the air conditioner. The accident comes close on the heels of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 45 Indians last month. Mathews was an electronics & communication engineer with Reuters, and had been in Kuwait for 16 years. Lini worked as a nurse at a health ministry hospital.

Family died in fire hrs after bidding farewell to kin
Irene and Issac were studying in Class 9 and 4, respectively. The Indian embassy in Kuwait said it was in touch with the family's relatives in Kerala and would ensure the mortal remains were sent home as early as possible. The postmortem examination was completed on Saturday. The tragic news left the family's relatives and friends in shock back home, as Mathews had bid farewell to loved ones just hours ago, before departing on Friday morning.

Upon reaching Kuwait, Mathews had called and informed his mother of their safe arrival. Exhausted from the journey, the family went to sleep soon after. Mathews's sister Sheeja also lives in Kuwait. Their mother stays alone in Kerala as their father had died eight years ago.


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