Dozens killed in fire at Kuwait building housing foreign workers

June 12 (CNN/GNA) — At least 49 people have been killed after a fire broke out in a building housing foreign workers in Kuwait City, state media said Wednesday citing officials.

Video circulating on social media and geolocated by CNN shows the moment a fire engulfed what appears to be a seven-story building in the Mafreg area of Kuwait.

Photos of the aftermath show a blackened ground floor, with Kuwaiti security forces assessing the damage. The owner of the building has been detained and investigated for negligence, the reports added, although the cause of the blaze is unclear.

Eleven people are receiving treatment in separate hospitals, according to a police forensic official, Eid Rashed, who spoke to state media.

The fire has been controlled and police are trying to identify the victims, Rashed said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

GNA/CNN