Three Indian nationals on their way to Nairobi died in a tragic incident on Sunday, August 27.
Reports indicate that the unfortunate incident occurred at Hotel Galaxy near Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).
Tragically, the three lost their lives in the fire. They had checked into the hotel following a flight delay that lasted more than 14 hours.
"The deceased and injured were passengers on transit who were transferred to the three-star hotel by an airline," the Indian Express reported.
After their flight was rescheduled, the victims were set to depart for Nairobi at 7 p.m. but never got to board the plane due to the incident.
Police stated that the fire originated in the air ducts, possibly ignited by a short circuit.
Regrettably, the hotel lacked an integrated firefighting system and was equipped only with standard fire extinguisher cylinders.
When firefighters reached the scene, the tragic incident had already claimed the lives of three people, while two others sustained severe injuries.
It took over an hour before firefighters extinguished the fire, which left the hotel in ruins.
Witnesses reported that the initial sign was the emergence of smoke from the hotel, prompting people to scatter in all directions, seeking safety.
"We had gone out for lunch when the fire broke out. We rushed back when we received a message from the hotel authorities. No one in our family was hurt, but we lost our luggage," one stated.
The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) clarified that the presence of inflammable materials such as clothing and wooden furniture had contributed to the escalation of the fire's intensity.
"The victims suffered severe burns and died. The entire corridor was engulfed with smoke, which also caused suffocation to them," stated the firefighters.
