Trina Mazumder, owner and head chef of Tara Fusion Cuisine from the Hudson Valley Food Hall, was at her apartment in Building 3 at Colonial Springs along the Hudson River, when the ceiling went up in flames as the fire spread across the attics in the apartment complex. The fire spread across multiple attics, and has displaced everyone in the building, which some estimate to be 30 people.

Trina took ALBB on a walk-through the dead apartment; the floor still soggy with fire water from two days before; and the ceiling and walls gone in places where they fell through or were hacked through to contain the blaze.

Trina was talking to her dad on the phone when she started to smell smoke. Her husband Buddika Amila PG was at his work. She kept her dad on the phone as she checked for the source of the smell. The stove looked fine, closets had nothing going on. Then she saw smoke coming in from under her front door. She opened the door to find smoke in the hallway. She knocked on the door of her neighbor across the hall, but they were sleeping. Somehow later, she was able to rouse them to get them out of the building as she called 911. Her neighbor also had two dogs and a cat. One of the dogs would not survive, Trina told ALBB.

Meanwhile, according to reports, the Newburgh Fire Department could see the smoke rising from her building across the river. The Newburgh Fire Department called the Beacon Fire Department, who was at the scene 3 minutes later, according to Midhudson News.

Reluctantly, Trina went outside as Beacon Police arrived. She didn’t take anything with her, which she regretted, as everything would get destroyed inside. She was in a haze as she filmed the smoke. She fretted about everything inside. Their passports. Her art papers. Her tools to burn intricate designs into wood. Their wedding clothes from their December union. The numerous bed-sheets and dresses her mom hand-embroidered from Sri Lanka.

Multiple fire departments responded to the fire. Newburgh City, Village of Fishkill and Castle Point Departments responded under Mutual Aid. Glenham and Rombout Fire Departments responded to the scene with the third alarm sounded, along with Coldenham as the FAST Team (Firefighter Assist Search Team).

Trina told ALBB that she knew it was over when firefighters crashed the glass in her bedroom window, clearing everything to control the fire. She said she can’t forget the glass crashing out. She keeps seeing it replay in her mind.

The fire was found in the attic space above four apartments, and spread quickly, said Beacon Fire Chief Thomas Lucchesi. The Chief reached out to Captain Jesseyna Wiand of Beacon’s Salvation Army, requesting assistance to house the residents immediately displaced from their apartment units. Beacon’s Salvation Army church has a gym inside that they rent out to groups and individuals, and other spaces. “The Fire Chief called me to ask if it would be possible to use our building as a base for the Red Cross,” Captain Jesseyna told ALBB. “I knew I had the space and said absolutely. I met them at the church and begun clearing rooms. I canceled our senior program and basketball for the week.”

According to Captain Jesseyna, “There are 8 units that will not be able to go back home until around a year! A few others were affected by water/smoke/ or holes put in walls/ceilings to ensure the fire was completely out. The other units in that section cannot go home quite yet because water/gas/electric has been shut off. The Salvation Army provided shelter for those with no where to go and acted as a base where people could come to receive services and ask questions.”

The Red Cross assisted by taking information from the residents to provide small immediate financial assistance, and recommendations for therapists for the trauma incurred. Trina and Amila received $640.

Captain Jesseyna expanded to ALBB: “The Red Cross was able to provide some limited funding to those who lost everything. Their intake is finished, and now comes the long haul part. The residents effected have agreed to have their information shared with partner agencies, so in the coming days, I’ll be receiving information for all of those effected. From there we can determine what sort of help is needed and then how we can help.”

Captain Jesseyna has also been on the receiving end of those looking to donate clothing and other things. “Community members have begun reaching out to see how they could help so that is helpful! I know some lost everything and have nothing but the clothes on their backs. Eventually, I’d like to set up a receiving station for people to drop off new or cleaned, gently used clothes for people to go through. Once I am able to get in contact with those affected, I’ll be better suited to ask for the best help.”

Trina and Amila lost all of their clothes, and did purchase sweatsuits at Walmart. They also lost all four of their wedding outfits, and their crowns, which in their Hindu faith, deems the crowns unusable in a house fire. The white crowns are in the second photo below. Finding rent, new security deposits, and broker fees for their new apartment search has been challenging. Not to mention the furniture they no longer have. They did not have renters insurance.

“I feel like invisible,” Trina told ALBB. “I can’t eat anything or I can’t even move my body.” While not physically injured, Trina was emotionally impacted by the devastation and what she saw.

With gentle nudging and support from those around her, Trina has returned to work at Tara Fusion Cuisine in the Hudson Valley Food Hall for unknown hours. Her eyes still light up at the challenge of feeding someone Sri Lankan / Bangladeshi food for the first time. If she’s there, give her a hug and place a big order. With patience for her to complete.

3/24/2024 Update: A donation page has been set up for Trina and Amila. Donate here >