»How would you like to kill yourself?«

Houston Chronicle
Date: TUE 01/27/98
Section: A
Page: 1
Edition: 3 STAR

Teen son suspected in fire that killed him, parents

By JO ANN ZUNIGA
Staff

Authorities are investigating whether a house fire in far southwest Houston early Monday was started by a teen-ager, who died in the blaze along with his parents.

But neighbors, who attempted to rescue the family at 5 a.m., said they could not believe the murder-suicide possibility because the three were a happy, close-knit, religious family.

The badly burned body of Manoranjan Desai, 52, who worked as an engineer at Dow Chemical USA, was found in the living room of his one-story brick home in the 13200 block of Ascot Glen . His wife, Indira, 48, was found in the back utility room with second- and third-degree burns over 40 percent of her body.

The body of Amol Desai, 18, a University of Houston freshman reportedly adopted as an infant, was found in the den with no burns, but apparently overcome by smoke.

"They knew there were fire conditions and appeared to be attempting to make their way out," said Houston Fire Department spokesman Rick Flanagan.

HFD arson investigators found a five-gallon gasoline can in the back of the home near the utility room. The son's car was discovered parked on another street in the subdivision and contained a receipt for leather gloves and a gas can.

Flanagan said the fire has been ruled arson .

Neighbor Julian Gomez, leaving for work about 4:50 a.m. Monday, said he smelled smoke and noticed it coming from what appeared to be the corner homes.

After asking his family to call 911, he and his wife, Carrie Gomez, ran to the corner and beat on the doors of the homes of the Desai family and Lamar and Earlean Richards, who have young children.

"I banged on their (Desais') door first, and it was very hot," Carrie Gomez said.

Lamar Richards, with his home fire extinguisher in hand, and Julian Gomez attempted to put out the fire by breaking windows and using a water hose to spray the flames.

"But we didn't hear anything like a smoke alarm, only windows cracking and fire billowing," said neighbor Charlotte Baker, whose husband also worked with Desai at Dow.

"That this may have been on purpose is just shocking to us. We never saw him (Amol Desai) depressed or even a frown on his face," Baker said. "He was always smiling, and he put that basketball net up and played with the kids. We saw a family that went to church together and came home together."

Originally from India, the Desai family lived at the house 15 years ago, moved away for a few years because of a work assignment, and returned about four years ago, Baker said.

Neighbors said Manoranjan Desai was an engineer at Dow, but a company spokeswoman said she was not sure what type of work he did because he was a contract employee who worked for Kelly Services.

Indira Desai, although an architect by training, worked as a teacher at the family's Hindu temple, Chinmaya Prabha Mission at 10353 Synott.

"Mrs. Desai was a teacher to our kids. They were a very religious family, very disciplined and devoted. I don't think it's true that this was deliberate," said Ramesh Parikh.

"Their son played drums for our church music," he said.

UH spokeswoman Cindy Suggs confirmed Amol Desai was a freshman who enrolled last fall as a pre-business major.