UNI

Sydney, Jan 3: Three Indian students were charred to death when a massive fire engulfed a house Thursday, January 3 in the Western Melbourne district of Footscray in Australia.

The three victims - aged 30, 24, and 22 - could not be saved as the fire spread quickly through the house, which firefighters said, had no smoke alarm. The bodies of two of the men were found at the rear of the house once the blaze had been extinguished, Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman Trevor Woodward was quoted as saying by local media. The third victim was found a short time later in the hall, he added.

However, a man, a woman and their daughter managed to escape the fire unharmed, he said. ''They are in shock and the families of the Indian victims are being contacted,'' Woodward added. House owner Phong Nguyen said the house had been rented by a family of three for the last 18 months, adding he did not know the three students were living at the property.

"They're certainly not on the rental list," he said. Officials said the cause of the fire could not be ascertained yet.

The roof of the house was totally destroyed by the huge fire, which broke out at 1245 hours while trees and shrubs in the front yard were burnt.