Dubai, Aug 17 - The first wife of a bridegroom has confessed to setting a wedding tent on fire in Kuwait that killed 41 women and children and injured many others, a media report said Monday.

Sources said the suspect was arrested after some maids claimed that they witnessed the woman setting the tent (wedding venue) on fire with the help of kerosene-soaked rags late Saturday, the Kuwait Times reported on its website.

The bride escaped unhurt, but her mother and sister were killed, the sources added.

Meanwhile, the office of Prime Minister Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said Sunday that he would not accept greetings on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan in solidarity with the victims of the Jahra blaze, some 25 km west of Kuwait City.

He also expressed sympathy with the victims' families and ordered all possible help should be given to them.

The prime minister later chaired an extraordinary meeting of the cabinet to discuss the fire incident. The cabinet formed an inquiry committee headed by State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Roudhan Al-Roudhan to evaluate the incident, rescue operations and regulations needed to prevent such incidents from recurring.

The interior ministry earlier called on citizens not to erect tents in residential areas because that will obstruct rescue operations in case of emergencies.

The ministry also set up a hotline for relatives of victims to make inquiries. The ministry also asked the families of victims to identify the bodies of their dear ones at the forensics department.

Parliamentarians, meanwhile, demanded an investigation into what they called government failure to respond quickly with some charging that the fatal incident showed the government has no clear contingency plans.

The Amir, the crown prince and the prime minister visited the wounded people at hospitals and assured that the government will take every necessary measure to provide all medical care to them.