MUMBAI: A family of three was charred to death when a fire broke out in their residence in south Mumbai in the wee hours of Monday.

According to the police, a fire broke out in their residence in Sharada Building near Grant Road station at around 2 am. Santosh Joshi (38), his wife Bharti and his son Hrishikesh died in the fire which broke out in room nos 31 and 32 of the building

Police said that the trio were sleeping on the loft bed while Bharti's mother Prabha Kulkarni was sleeping on the tiles in their third floor residence.

Santosh, Bharti and their son were trapped in the thick smoke and flames but Prabha managed to escape from the house screaming for help, they said.

Four fire engines and three water tankers were rushed to the spot to douse the fire, they said.

“By the time, the three were brought out, they were charred to death and the bodies were rushed to nearby hospital,” police said.

Police said that they were further investigating the case as the exact cause of fire was not yet known. “A short-circuit in the air conditioner installed in the house might have led to the fire,” an official said.