Albany, New York, USA: A young woman from Telangana lost her life in a devastating house fire in the United States on Thursday. Sahaja Reddy Udumala, 24, originally from Jangaon district, had relocated to the US in 2021 to pursue higher education and was residing in Albany, New York. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire began in a nearby building and quickly spread to her residence. Sahaja was reportedly asleep when the blaze engulfed her home, preventing her from escaping.

In a statement on X, the Consulate General of India in New York expressed sorrow over her passing: "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 go out to her family during this difficult time." The consulate added that it was coordinating with her family and providing all possible support.

Family in Mourning

Sahaja's sudden death has left her family and her hometown in deep grief. She was the eldest daughter of Udumula Jayakar Reddy, who works with TCS in Hyderabad, and Gopumaria Shailaja, a government primary school teacher. Her parents had been eagerly anticipating her return after completing her studies but are now struggling with their loss and seeking government assistance to repatriate her remains.

GoFundMe Set Up to Support Family

Rathna Gopu, Sahaja's cousin, has established a GoFundMe campaign to aid the family. The fundraiser notes that Sahaja suffered severe burn injuries affecting nearly 90% of her body. The contributions are intended to cover funeral and memorial costs, repatriation or transportation expenses, immediate family support, and other unforeseen costs arising from the tragic incident.