A family of three from Gujarat’s Kheda district dies in a motel fire in Wooster, Ohio, where they were living and working, according to officials and reports shared with relatives. The victims are identified as Hiteshbhai Suthar, his wife Hinaben, and their 20-year-old daughter Ishani. The family, originally from Nadiad, moved to the United States about two years earlier and were staying at the Econo Lodge motel in Wooster, where Hiteshbhai was employed.
The fire breaks out at about 1:30 a.m. local time. Firefighters arrive to find heavy smoke and flames spreading through the motel’s roof. Reports say the family is trapped inside their room and contacts the motel’s front desk for help. They are reportedly advised to stay inside the bathroom with water running until rescue teams arrive. Despite rescue attempts, the family is believed to have died from suspected suffocation before they could be reached. A motel employee says the family is heard pleading for help by phone before an emergency call is made.
Authorities say no other guests are killed or injured, and one firefighter sustains minor injuries while responding. An investigation into the cause is underway.
