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A second Indian national has died from injuries in a house fire in Albany, New York. The tragedy comes a day after another Indian student, Sahaja Reddy Udumala, died from burns suffered in the same incident.
Albany Police later confirmed that two Indian nationals succumbed to the burns they sustained in the fire. (Representative Image)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 8, 2025 03:19 IST
A second Indian national has died from injuries sustained in a house fire in Albany, New York, according to US authorities and the Indian Consulate in New York. The tragedy comes a day after another Indian student, Sahaja Reddy Udumala, died from burns suffered in the same incident.
Anvesh Sarapelli, who had been receiving critical care, passed away on Saturday. Both victims had suffered extensive burn injuries after being rescued from the home earlier this week, according to news agency PTI.
Udumala and Sarapelli were among four people found inside the residence near Quail Street when police and firefighters reached the scene on 4 December. Emergency teams treated them at the site before transporting them to Albany Medical Centre Hospital.
Due to the severity of their injuries, both victims were transferred to the Westchester Medical Burn Centre for advanced treatment. Albany Police later confirmed that "tragically", the two Indian nationals succumbed to the burns they sustained in the fire.
Police said the residence was fully engulfed in flames when emergency crews arrived, and several individuals were still inside.
INDIAN CONSULATE EXTENDS SUPPORT TO FAMILIES
The Consulate General of India in New York expressed grief over Sarapelli's death. "We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Mr Anvesh Sarepalli, an Indian national, who lost his life in a house fire incident in Albany. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family in this difficult time," the mission said in a social media post.
The consulate added that it is in touch with the family and is providing necessary assistance, including coordination related to medical care and further arrangements.
Family members have begun seeking support to manage funeral, memorial, and repatriation costs. Udumala’s cousin, Rathna Gopu, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral and memorial expenses, repatriation arrangements, and other costs linked from the tragedy.
On the fundraising page, Gopu wrote that Udumala, a 24-year-old master's student, suffered burns covering nearly 90 per cent of her body and fought for her life before dying of complete organ failure. She described the deaths as an "unimaginable tragedy" for the family.
- Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Dec 8, 2025
