Wooster Township, Ohio: Three members of an Indian family from Gujarat lost their lives after a massive fire engulfed an Econo Lodge motel in Wooster Township, Ohio, during the early hours of July 1.The deceased have been identified as Hiteshkumar Suthar, his wife Hinaben Suthar, and their 20-year-old daughter, Ishani Suthar. Originally from Nadiad in Gujarat’s Kheda district, the family had relocated to the United States approximately two years ago in search of better opportunities.
According to the Wayne County Coroner’s Office, the family became trapped inside their motel room as the fire spread rapidly through one of the buildings. Firefighters made repeated rescue attempts but were unable to reach the victims due to the intensity of the blaze.Calling the incident a heartbreaking tragedy, Wooster Township Fire Chief Dallas Terrell expressed condolences to the family, stating that emergency crews made every possible effort to rescue those trapped inside but were ultimately unsuccessful.
Authorities said Hiteshkumar Suthar was employed at the Econo Lodge, where the family was also residing. His wife, Hinaben, worked at a nearby property, while their daughter, Ishani, was employed at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant.A hotel employee told investigators that Hiteshkumar contacted the motel’s front desk shortly after the fire erupted, informing staff that several people were trapped inside the building.
Emergency responders received the first distress call at approximately 1:33 a.m. Fire crews arrived within minutes to find flames engulfing multiple rooms and extending through the roof of one of the motel’s three buildings. Due to the intensity of the fire, officials upgraded the response to a fifth-alarm incident.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion before the building was consumed by flames and thick smoke.The fire was brought under control in about an hour. One firefighter sustained minor burn injuries while battling the blaze and was treated.Officials confirmed that all other motel occupants escaped safely. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by local authorities.