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A second person has died following a devastating house fire in Albany. The blaze occurred on Thursday (December 4) at a residence on Western Avenue near Quail Street. Emergency crews arrived to find heavy smoke and flames engulfing the building. Four adults were rescued from the home, but tragically, Sahaja Umudala and Anvesh Sarapelli lost their lives. According to NEWS10 ABC, Sarapelli was initially in critical condition and receiving treatment at the Westchester Medical Burn Center before succumbing to his injuries on Saturday (December 6).
The Albany Police Department and the city's Department of Building and Regulatory Compliance are investigating the cause of the fire. The building reportedly lacked a residential occupancy permit since at least 2017 and had not been inspected since 2021. Albany Fire Chief Joseph Gregory stated, "At this point, with the investigation still underway, we are not able to make a firm determination whether or not that piece of information is related to the fire."
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan has directed city officials to investigate the circumstances surrounding the building's occupancy permit. The investigation into the fire's cause remains active, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Albany Police Detective Division at (518) 462-8039 or through the Capital Region Crime Stoppers website.