Mexico tourist deaths add to calls for vacation rental regulation

MEXICO CITY – A vacation to watch the Mexican Grand Prix ended in tragedy for one tourist poisoned by carbon monoxide, fueling calls for regulation of popular accommodation rental websites like Airbnb and Booking.com.

Angelica Arce, 29, travelled to Mexico City with her two younger siblings in October from the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana to watch the Formula One motor racing.

They rented a short-stay apartment through the online platform Booking.com.

Inside, a poorly installed water heater was leaking carbon monoxide – a colourless, odourless gas that can pose a lethal threat to human health.