Thiruvananthapuram | The Kerala Legislative Assembly on Wednesday expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the Kuwait fire incident in which around 50 persons, including 24 Keralites died.

Speaker A N Shamseer, reading out the obituary message in the assembly, said that the house shares the grief of the families that lost their loved ones in the incident.

Stating that expatriates contribute to a great extent in the progress and advancement of our country, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan mentioned how they work hard to brighten the future of their families and the country by overcoming challenges like global financial crisis, wars and changing immigration laws. "It is unfortunate that many of them died in the fire before they could fulfil the dreams of their families," he said.

Vijayan also raised the issue of state Health Minister Veena George having been denied permission by the Centre to travel to Kuwait last week for relief coordination efforts.

He said that despite such a stand taken by the Centre, the state government joined hands with the union government in coordinating the activities to bring back the bodies of the dead and ensure treatment for the injured in a timely manner.

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan also expressed condolences and recalled the grief of the family members who had arrived at Cochin International Airport to receive the mortal remains of their loved ones.

He also lodged a strong protest over the Centre's decision to not clear Minister George for travel to Kuwait.

The massive fire which claimed the lives of 50 persons, including 46 Indians, broke out at a seven-storey building in the city of Mangaf in the southern Kuwait governorate of Ahmadi on July 12.

The fire was caused by an electrical short circuit in the guard's room on the structure's ground floor, according to Kuwaiti authorities.

The building was home to 196 migrant workers, mostly Indians.