Monitoring Desk
MEXICO CITY: A vacation to witness the Mexican Grand Prix ended in disaster for one tourist who was poisoned by carbon monoxide, sparking calls for regulation of popular lodging rental websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com.
Angelica Arce, 29, flew to Mexico City from the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana in October with her two younger siblings to see Formula-one racing. They hired a short-term property through the online booking platform Booking.com.
A badly placed water heater inside was leaking carbon monoxide; a colourless, odorless gas that may be fatal to human health. All three became ill and were hospitalized. Arce passed away on October 30 before morning. Gloria Ojeda, the girl’s mother, stated, “May her death not be in vain.”
The Tourist not the first one
Arce is only one of several people who have died as a result of suspected carbon monoxide leaks in Mexico City, raising the stakes for authorities to act quickly to control online vacation rentals.
According to officials, four young people died in late October in private accommodations leased through Airbnb and Booking.com in Mexico City. Although the boyfriend of one of the victims wasn’t convinced, prosecutors claimed that three American tourists died in an apartment from gas poisoning. Before going back to the accommodation, his girlfriend allegedly told him that she felt like she had been drugged.
