Three Indians belonging to a same family lost their lives after a fire broke out at a motel in Ohio of the United States (US), said officials on Thursday. The incident happened on Wednesday at the Econo Lodge motel in Worcester.
The deceased were identified as Hiteshbhai Suthar and Hinaben, and the couple’s 20-year-old daughter Ishani. They were originally from Nadiad in the Kheda district of Gujarat, and had moved to Ohio’s Wooster roughy two years ago.
The family lived at the Econo Lodge’s premises, as Hitestbhai worked at the motel.ย
The fire erupted after 1 am local time, and when firefighting officials arrived at the motel, they could see the blaze shooting through Econo Lodge’s roof, Wooster Township Fire Chief Dallas Terrell said, as quoted by The Associated Press (AP).
Family was advised to lock themselves in bathroomย
After the fire erupted, the family tried to contact the motel’s front desk for help, and were advised to turn on the water in the bathroom and remain there for safety. Following receiving the instructions, they locked them inside the bathroom to escape from the fire and the smoke.
Soon, the firefighting officials launched a rescue operation and searched every room for survivors and clear out the guests and motel staff. However, all three members of the family died due to suffocation, said officials, who added that no one else was injured in the incident.
The cause of the fire is not known yet, though, and officials have launched an investigation. Further information will be revealed soon.ย
Indian killed in US fire tragedy
In December last year, an Indian-origin person were killed in a house fire in Albany. The deceased was identified as 24-year-old Sahaja Reddy Udumala, who hailed from Telangana. She was inside a house near the Quail Street when the fire erupted.
Udumala had completed master’s degree in cyber security from the Albany University.ย
“We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Ms. Sahaja Reddy Udumala, an Indian national, who lost her life in a house fire incident in Albany. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolencesย to her family during this difficult time,” the Indian Consulate in New York said in a statement later.
With inputs from Nachiket Mehta.
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