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Tragic news has been reported that young entrepreneur Tanya Bathija died in a house fire this morning, according to Suffolk police. She was 32.
Police responded to a blaze at 2:53 a.m. inside a cottage in Dix Hills — it was the home of Bathija.
Two police officers and a sergeant attempted to save her, but the flames were too strong. She died in the fire before local fire departments were able to fully extinguish the fire. The policemen were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment after inhaling smoke.
SCPD said after an initial investigation, the fire has been determined to be non-criminal.
Bathija was well-known in the local community.
After she earned her MBA in accounting and finance from Baruch College, Bathija went on to become a very successful business owner. She recently opened a Dunkin’ Donuts in Bellport, and had another one in the works for Blue Point.
Her aspiration to get into business came from her family.
“I want to be my dad,” she previously told greaterlongisland.com in a feature.
Her father, Ben Bathija, worked in the garment industry in New York City for over 20 years and became a Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee back in 2002 when he opened his first Dunkin’ on William Floyd Parkway near Montauk Highway.
She was also involved in both the Bellport and Patchogue chamber of commerces and worked with the Boys and Girls Club and Long Island Head Start.
“Tanya was an amazing, energetic business leader for the community,” said David Kennedy, executive director for the Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce. “She really brought a lot of energy to everything she did. She’s certainly going to be extremely missed in our community.”
Bathija also participated in a Miss United States competition focused on accomplished professional women.
“I got into modeling to show young women and young girls, there’s no perfect size, there’s no such thing as perfect beauty, beauty comes from within,” she previously said. “Beauty comes from your personality and brains, not your looks or your size.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more information as it comes in.
Prior reporting
Top: Tanya Bathija posing inside her Bellport Dunkin’ Donuts when it opened earlier this year.
