New details have surfaced in the 2023 death of a tourist at a hotel. The British man died after getting trapped in a 5-star spa during a hotel fire. The incident happened in Morocco.
48-year-old Anthony Barnes had been on a business trip for a "work celebration event." The group stayed at the Jaal Riad Resort for three nights, which is a 5-star spa and hotel. Barnes was getting a massage at the hotel's spa when the fire happened. Despite his co-workers' trying to find him, Barnes died in a fire that broke out.
Spa staff "heard the sound of a small explosion followed by an outbreak of flames." They tried to put it out, but "became affected by the thick smoke and poor visibility."
"There was no indication that the fire was started deliberately," the coroner wrote.
Tourist Dies At Spa
"In the opinion of the pathologist, the fact of Anthony's underlying and seemingly undiagnosed coronary artery disease may have been clinically significant in the setting of smoke inhalation in an environment of reduced oxygen," the coroner wrote.
Sadly, the British man became trapped in the spa. Following his passing, The ONE Group, where Barnes worked and helped co-found, paid tribute to him in a Facebook post. They wrote, "It is with the greatest sadness that we share the news that Anthony Barnes, Director and co-owner of The ONE Group has died in a tragic accident whilst on an overseas business trip."
"Ant's dedication and commitment to the business over the last 20 years has formed extensive relationships internally and externally. We know many of you would consider yourselves friends as well as business associates and will be as shocked and saddened as we are," the company continued. "His loss will be deeply felt by everyone who knew him."
