A 24-year-old Indian cybersecurity professional has died after a fire broke out in her residence in New York, officials confirmed. The victim, identified as Sahaja Reddy Udumala, had recently completed her master’s degree in Albany and had started working only a few months ago.
According to her family in Telangana, Sahaja had returned home from work on 4 December and was asleep in her room when the fire began at around 11am local time. She suffered severe burn injuries and was initially treated in Albany before being transferred to a hospital in New York City, where she died after nearly 15 hours of treatment.
Two other residents suffered minor injuries in the incident. Several Telugu-speaking students were also living in the same building at the time of the fire.
Family in Shock
Sahaja moved to the United States three years ago. Her father works in the IT sector and her mother is a teacher, relatives confirmed.
The Consulate General of India in New York expressed condolences in a statement posted on X, describing the loss as “deeply saddening” and confirming that assistance was being extended to the family.
Firefighting Efforts
Albany Police said firefighters and emergency teams responded immediately after receiving reports of the fire. When officials arrived, the house was engulfed in flames, and several individuals were trapped inside.
Emergency personnel managed to rescue four people from the building. They received treatment on site before being transported to hospital, with two requiring transfer to a specialist burn centre. Despite efforts, Sahaja could not be saved.
Authorities have not yet released details about the cause of the fire, and an investigation is underway.