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Four year old in critical condition after Utica fire

By LEXIE O'CONNOR

Story Created: Feb 23, 2013 at 12:12 AM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 23, 2013 at 12:16 AM EDT

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - A four year old girl is listed in critical condition after being trapped inside a burning apartment. The fire happened at a municipal housing complex on the 1600 block Armory Drive in Utica Friday.

The Utica Fire Department says all ten family members that lived in the apartment are accounted for and a 4 year old girl has been taken to Upstate Medical University and is listed in critical condition.

Crews were called to the fire at the Adrean Terrace Apartments on Armory Drive just before 5:30 Friday evening. When they arrived they immediately requested more assistance hearing that people were trapped inside.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but fire crews say it appears the fire started in the first floor of the apartment.

The four year old girl was trapped on the second floor. Firefighters reached her using a ladder and going through a second floor window.

"The apartment created some problems we couldn't get from one side to the other without going down the stairs and back up the stairs and that's what crews had to do to get to the girl," said Utica Assistant Chief George Clark. "They did a great job at getting her out and she at least has a chance at this point."

Utica Mayor Robert Palmeri was at the scene as well as an interpreter, the family did not speak English. Neighbors say the family was Somalian.

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