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Bahrain fire survivors to file civil suit

Manama: Around 200 survivors of a labour camp fire that left 16 Indians dead here on Sunday would soon file a civil lawsuit seeking compensation from their company, Royal Tower Construction.

Criminal charges were expected to be framedagainst the company officials shortly, Indian Ambassador to Bahrain Balakrishna Shetty told reporters on Wednesday.

The blaze took place on the second floor of a three-storey building in Gudabiya area. The survivors have refused to go back to work unless the company improved their living conditions.

Mr. Shetty said the suit could lead to the company, whose workers were subjected to not only inhuman living conditions but also mental torture and long working hours, paying hundreds of thousands of dinars to its employees.

Investigations were now on to ascertain whether there was criminal intent, he said and vowed that the perpetrators would not be allowed to get away. He said Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa had promised that the ``full force'' of the Bahrain law would be in action against those responsible. Mr. Shetty said more frequent and rigorous inspections of all camps would be ensured. — PTI

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