Gujarati Family Of Three Dies In Ohio Motel Blaze

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India-West News Desk

CINCINNATI, OH – Three members of an Indian family from Gujarat were killed after a devastating fire swept through an Econo Lodge motel in Wooster Township, in the early hours of July 1.

The victims were identified by the Wayne County Coroner’s Office as Hiteshkumar Suthar, his wife Hinaben Suthar, and their 20-year-old daughter, Ishani Suthar. The family was originally from Nadiad in Gujarat’s Kheda district and had moved to the US about two years ago.

According to officials, the family was trapped inside a room as flames rapidly spread through one of the motel buildings. Firefighters made repeated attempts to reach them but were unable to rescue the victims.

“This is a horrible tragedy, and we’re very sorry for their loss,” Wooster Township Fire Chief Dallas Terrell said. “Everybody worked very hard to try to get to the victims and it’s just an unfortunate outcome that now three people are deceased.”

Hiteshkumar was employed at the Econo Lodge, where the family had been living. Hinaben worked at a neighboring property, while their daughter worked at a McDonald’s across the street.

According to a hotel employee, Hiteshkumar called the front desk after the fire broke out to say people were trapped inside.

The first emergency call was received at 1:33 a.m. Fire crews arrived about eight minutes later to find flames engulfing multiple rooms and bursting through the roof of one of the motel’s three buildings. Officials said the blaze quickly escalated into a fifth alarm fire.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion before flames and thick smoke engulfed the building.

The fire was brought under control in about an hour. One firefighter suffered minor burns while battling the blaze.

Officials said everyone else at the motel escaped safely. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.