Milwaukee apartment fire; 1 dog dead, dozens impacted

MILWAUKEE - A two-alarm Milwaukee apartment building fire early Sunday has impacted dozens of residents.

15th and Highland fire

What we know:

The Milwaukee Fire Department was dispatched at around 12:45 a.m. When firefighters got to the scene near 15th and Highland, they found fire coming from the second floor of the three-story building.

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MFD said residents were hanging out of the windows, and firefighters rescued five people as the flames spread to the third floor.

One resident, Timothy Carter, reported that he lost his dog in the fire.

"Falling, can't breathe, and asking for help for my dog," Carter said.

Carter said the smoke became too much, and he could not get to his 6-month-old dog, Magic, in time.

"When they let us back in the building, I found him dead," Carter said.

Working smoke detectors helped residents get out safely, and there were no injuries to residents or firefighters. However, multiple fights broke out on scene.

"A lot of people got things going on, and they take it out on whoever is close to them," Carter said.

The fire was deemed under control at around 1:15 a.m.

What we don't know:

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Helping residents

Why you should care:

A Milwaukee County Transit System bus was brought in to temporarily shelter up to 50 displaced residents.

The Red Cross said 29 adults and six adults arrived at a temporary reception center in search of more permanent shelter as a result of the fire.

"Try to be the brightest part of their darkest day and offer them something that they wouldn't otherwise have. So we try to offer them a safe haven here," Bray, a Red Cross volunteer, said.

The apartment building had 54 units and, according to the Red Cross, 50–70 people have been affected.

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