A 24-year-old woman from Telangana’s Jangaon district tragically lost her life in a devastating house fire in the United States on Thursday.
The victim, Sahaja Reddy Udumala, had moved to the US in 2021 to pursue higher studies and was residing in Albany, New York.
According to preliminary reports, the fire originated in a neighbouring building before rapidly spreading to Sahaja’s residence. She was reportedly asleep at the time and could not escape the blaze.
In a post on X, the Consulate General of India in New York expressed condolences: "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 added that it is in touch with her family and providing all possible assistance.
Sahaja’s sudden death has left her family and hometown in deep shock. She was the elder daughter of Udumula Jayakar Reddy, a TCS employee in Hyderabad, and Gopumaria Shailaja, a government primary school teacher.
Her parents had been eagerly awaiting her return after completing her studies but are now inconsolable. They have appealed to the government for help in bringing her body back to India.
A GoFundMe fundraiser was created by Sahaja’s cousin, Rathna Gopu, to support the grieving family.
The fundraising page mentioned that Sahaja suffered severe burn injuries, with nearly 90% of her body affected.
The collected funds will go toward funeral and memorial expenses, repatriation arrangements, immediate family support, and other costs arising from the tragedy.