'He was planning to bring it next month...': A father's wish to gift daughter a phone unfulfilled by tragic Kuwait fire

Lukose had purchased a mobile phone for his elder daughter, who had excelled in her class 12 board exams. He planned to bring it home next month while arranging her admission to a nursing course in Bengaluru. But on Wednesday, his family's anticipation was shattered by unconfirmed reports that the building where he lived in Kuwait had caught fire, claiming at least 49 lives and injuring many others.

A relative revealed to a TV channel on Thursday that friends of Lukose had called to inform them about the tragedy. “They told us the fire broke out around 4 am. Lukose had called the pastor of a nearby church, speaking briefly before the call abruptly disconnected. When we tried calling back, his phone rang, but there was no answer.”

Initially, they hoped he had survived. Friends and church members frantically searched the building and nearby hospitals, only to find that Lukose was indeed among the victims.

"His death was still not confirmed," the relative said. "It was only in the evening, when friends and church members approached the police, that we received confirmation of his death."

Lukose had worked in Kuwait for 18 years, supporting his 93-year-old father, his 88-year-old mother, his wife, and two daughters. "His elder daughter had scored excellent marks in her plus two exams. He bought a phone for her and planned to bring it next month. He was also going to take her to Bengaluru for her nursing course admission," the relative added.

The fire, which killed at least 49 foreign workers and injured 50 others, erupted on Wednesday in a seven-storey building in Mangaf, where 196 migrant workers were staying. Most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, with the fire reportedly starting in a kitchen. The building was rented by construction firm NBTC Group to house more than 195 workers, most of them Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and northern states.