24-year-old Indian student dies in house fire in New York, family seeks govts help to bring body home

PTC News Desk: In a tragic incident, a 24-year-old woman died in a house fire after sustaining massive burn injuries in New York on Thursday. The victim, Sahaja Reddy Udumala, had moved to the US in 2021 for higher studies. She was living in Albany, New York. According to preliminary information, the fire originated in a neighbouring building and spread rapidly to Sahaja's house. She was reportedly asleep when the fire broke out and was unable to escape. 

In a post on X, the Consulate General of India, New York, said, "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."

The consulate further said they are in contact with the family and was extending every possible assistance. 

Sahaja’s unexpected passing has left her family and hometown in deep mourning. She was the older daughter of Udumula Jayakar Reddy, a TCS employee in Hyderabad, and Gopumaria Shailaja, a primary school teacher. Her parents, who had been eagerly looking forward to her return after completing her studies, are now devastated and have appealed to the government for assistance in bringing her body back home from abroad.

GoFundMe Campaign Launched

Sahaja’s cousin, Rathna Gopu, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the family. According to the post, Sahaja suffered critical burn injuries that affected almost 90% of her body.

The fundraiser states that the collected amount will help cover funeral and memorial costs, repatriation and transportation arrangements, immediate support for the family, and other expenses arising from the tragic incident.