A family from Gujarat, India, tragically perished in a devastating fire at a motel in Wooster, Ohio, where they had been living and working. Hiteshbhai Suthar, his wife Hinaben, and their 20-year-old daughter Ishani, originally from Nadiad in Gujarat’s Kheda district, died of suffocation after being trapped inside their room during the early morning blaze.
The incident unfolded around 1:30 AM local time at the Econo Lodge motel. Firefighters arriving on the scene were met with heavy smoke and flames engulfing the building’s roof, indicating the intensity of the inferno. Despite multiple rescue attempts by emergency personnel, the family could not be saved.
The Suthar family had moved to the United States approximately two years ago, seeking new opportunities. Hiteshbhai worked at the motel, and the family resided on the property, a common arrangement for employees in such establishments. Their hopes for a new life were tragically cut short by the sudden disaster.
As the fire rapidly spread through the motel, the family made a desperate call to the front desk for help. They were reportedly advised to turn on the water supply in their bathroom and remain there for safety, a common but sometimes perilous fire safety measure. Following this advice, they locked themselves inside the bathroom, hoping to escape the encroaching smoke and flames.
However, the blaze proved difficult to control, and the family succumbed to suspected suffocation before rescuers could reach them. The fire official quoted by ABC News confirmed the grim outcome, stating, “We saw multiple units on fire, fire through the roof, made multiple rescue attempts, and unfortunately, those were unsuccessful, and there are confirmed three deceased occupants from the motel.”
April Graser, a motel employee on duty when the fire erupted, recounted the terrifying moments. She received a frantic call from the trapped family, hearing their cries for help. “He was begging me to get help because they were trapped in the building, they couldn’t get out of their apartment, and I heard her crying, I heard them all screaming and crying,” Graser told News 5, describing the desperate plea. She immediately dialed 911 to alert emergency responders.
Images from the scene revealed significant damage, particularly to a detached section of the motel located about 96 kilometers south of Cleveland. While the Suthar family tragically lost their lives, no other fatalities or injuries were reported among other motel occupants. One firefighter sustained minor injuries while battling the intense flames.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances that led to the family’s deaths. The findings will be crucial in understanding how such a tragedy occurred and whether any safety protocols were breached or could be improved. The community in Wooster and the family’s relatives in Kheda, Gujarat, await further details as the investigation progresses, grappling with the profound loss of three lives.
TL;DR
- A family from Gujarat, India, comprising Hiteshbhai Suthar, his wife Hinaben, and their 20-year-old daughter Ishani, died in a motel fire in Wooster, Ohio.
- The family had settled in the US two years prior and were living and working at the Econo Lodge motel where the fire occurred.
- The blaze broke out around 1:30 AM local time, with firefighters encountering heavy smoke and flames.
- The Suthars were advised to shelter in their bathroom, where they locked themselves in, but tragically died of suffocation before rescue.
- A motel employee, April Graser, received a desperate call from the trapped family and immediately alerted 911.
- Firefighters made multiple unsuccessful attempts to rescue the family from the burning building.
- The incident is currently under investigation by authorities to determine the cause of the fire and the exact circumstances of the deaths.
