4-year-old fire victim improving; fire department releases name

Utica Observer Dispatch
Thursday, February 28, 2013

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The condition of a 4-year-old girl burned in a fire on Adrean Terrace last week has been upgraded from critical to serious, Utica fire officials said Wednesday.

Utica Fire Chief Russell Brooks identified the girl as Halima Haji, who has been hospitalized at University Hospital in Syracuse since firefighters removed her from her burning home at 64 West Adrean Terrace Friday evening.

The fire department continues to collect donations on behalf of the girl and her family, which includes eight children and two parents from Somalia, after people “came in off the streets” looking to offer support.

“We just had such an outpouring of people wanting to do something for this family,” Brooks said. “They came from the other side of the world, from a culture so different from ours, and life is such a struggle then something like this happens where they lose every possession, with a daughter basically hanging on for her life.”

Cash or check donations are being accepted at the Utica Fire Station at 552 Bleecker St., and checks should be made payable to City of Utica, c/o Halima Haji. Call 792-0264 for more information.

To donate household items or clothing, call David Zogby of the Municipal Housing Authority at 404-2698.

Brooks and Mayor Robert Palmieri also encouraged the public to “remember this little girl in their prayers” for a complete recovery.

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