Telangana woman dies in tragic house fire in New York; family seeks help to bring body home

The victim, Sahaja Reddy Udumala, had been living in Albany, New York, after moving to the US in 2021 to pursue higher studies.

According to initial reports, the blaze began in a neighbouring building before spreading rapidly to Sahaja’s residence.

She was reportedly asleep when the fire broke out and could not escape the engulfing flames.

The Consulate General of India in New York expressed grief over the incident, posting on X: “We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Ms. Sahaja Reddy Udumala, an Indian national, who lost her life in a house fire incident in Albany. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences to her family during this difficult time.”

Officials said they are in touch with the family and are providing all necessary assistance.

Sahaja’s death has left her family shattered. She was the elder daughter of Udumula Jayakar Reddy, an employee at TCS in Hyderabad, and Gopumaria Shailaja, a government school teacher.

Relatives said the family had been eagerly waiting for her return after she completed her studies but are now struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

They have appealed to the government for support in bringing her body back to India.

To help the family with emergency expenses, Sahaja’s cousin, Rathna Gopu, has created a GoFundMe fundraiser. The campaign notes that Sahaja suffered severe burn injuries affecting nearly 90% of her body.