External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday instructed officials of the Consulate General of India in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to rush to Najran to help the victims of a fire.
Sushma spoke to Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh soon after reports reached New Delhi that 11 Indian workers were among those who had died of asphyxiation due to a fire that had engulfed the windowless house they had been sharing in Najran, a city near Saudi Arabia's border with Yemen.
“I am aware of the fire tragedy in Najran in which we have lost 10 Indian nationals and six injured are in the hospital,” she posted on Twitter, after a user of the micro-blogging website drew her attention to the incident.
Vidya S had tweeted that her domestic help’s husband were among the deceased. She sought the assistance of the Ministry of External Affairs to bring back his mortal remains.
The ministry released details of the 11 Indians who had died. Details of the five Indians who were injured are awaited.
Published 13 July 2017, 20:08 IST