Three charred to death in Mumbai

MUMBAI - Three people were charred to death in their sleep when a fire broke out in a tenement of Santacruz west here early Thursday, a fire brigade official said.

He said the blaze in the congested Khotwadi chawl started at 4 a.m. and was brought under control after firemen battled it for more than five hours.

The victims were identified as: Ramdev Gala, 20, Ramesh Karotra, 19, and Baburao Vaid, 22, the official said.

The cause of the fire is not known and investigations into the incident are underway, he said.