Two Nepali nationals sustained minor injuries while three others are safe following a devastating fire in a residential building in Kuwait, the Nepali Embassy in Kuwait said. The injured have been identified as Shiv Shankar Paswan and Dorje Lama.

At least 49 people have died in the fire in a building housing foreign workers, media reports said. Kuwait's deputy prime minister, Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah, blamed property owners for violations that contribute towards such incidents, a Reuters report said.

Of the 49 dead, 40 were Indian nationals, according to some Indian media reports. Local authorities have not disclosed the nationalities of the casualties.

Nepali Ambassador to Kuwait, Ghanshyam Lamsal, told the Post over the phone that five Nepali nationals were living in that ill-fated building.

“Two others had left the building early in the morning and are safe,” Lamsal said after visiting the two injured Nepali in the hospital. The five Nepalis living in the building have been identified as Dorje Lama of Jhapa, and Shiv Shankar Paswan, Dinesh Kumar Mandal, Santos Kumar Goti and Jakir Nadap of Siraha district.

One Nepali national escaped the inferno without injuries.

“Only two Nepalis were injured and are currently undergoing treatment in a local hospital. They are out of danger,” said Lamsal.

A team of embassy officials, supported by local authorities, met with the injured Nepalis.

They told officials that they lived on the second floor of the building. When the fire broke out from the ground floor, two descended behind the building using a rope. Another Nepali national was on the ground floor and managed to escape as soon as the fire broke out. Two Nepali nationals were away at work, according to Lamsal.

“We spoke with several Nepali nationals as well as those living in that particular building. We learnt that only a few Nepalis were living in that building, so we believe it is unlikely that any Nepalis have died,” said Lamsal.

“A rescue operation is going on so we do not have details about the incident and casualties,” he said, adding, “By tomorrow, we will have more details.”