Chennai, Aug 01: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi Monday announced a compensation of Rs.200,000 to each of the families of the 16 Indian workers killed Sunday in a fire accident in Bahrain.

Announcing the state government's decision in the assembly, Karunanidhi said the central government was taking all steps to bring back the bodies of the victims as soon as possible.

The fire broke out after a short circuit in a three-storey labour camp at Al Qudaibiya locality in the Bahraini capital Manama in the early hours of Sunday.

All 16 killed in the accident hailed from Tamil Nadu. They were working as labourers in the Bahraini firm Royal Tower Construction Company.