Milwaukee fatal fire; tool needed to avoid tragedy: fire chief
Fire chief: Tool needed to avoid tragedy
A 4-year-old girl died in a Milwaukee apartment fire, and her mother is still in the hospital.
MILWAUKEE - A 4-year-old girl died in a Milwaukee apartment fire near 32nd and Wells on Monday, July 14. The girl's mother is still in the hospital. Milwaukee fire officials say one tool could have helped avoid tragedy.
Seeking solutions after fatal fire
What we know:
Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said the building where the mother and daughter lived did not have a sprinkler system. He said a system of that kind could have prevented heartache.
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"This kid didn't do anything wrong, nobody did," Lipski said. "We cannot beat the speed with which smoke travels sometimes, a sprinkler will help us."
Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski
Big picture view:
Lipski said a sprinkler system was not legally required in the building where this fire broke out. Property records show the building was constructed in 1921 – decades before state law required sprinklers.
The Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) calls the building "existing non-conforming." The DNS said if built today, it would not be up to code.
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City records also show since 2018, the building, which is owned by Berrada Properties, has passed its safety inspections.
Lipski said he is fighting to have sprinklers mandated in older buildings.
Fatal fire at 32nd and Wells, Milwaukee
What they're saying:
"I acknowledged that it's not free, but it is cheaper than the loss of life. That much I promise," Lipski said.
It is a change those working in the neighborhood agree needs to happen.
"I understand the buildings are historical, but we need to save lives too," said Ulysses Jones, an electrician.
Talking with city leaders
What's next:
Chief Lipski said he has had conversations with other city and fire leaders. But he said there is only so much he can do until those with the authority to make change do it.
Chief Lipski said in the meantime, he is looking into which buildings in the city do not have sprinklers. He said when there is a fire, he will send extra resources to those places.
Milwaukee fatal apartment fire at 32nd and Wells; child dead
A child is dead, and a woman is in the hospital following a fire in Milwaukee on Monday, July 14.
What they're saying:
FOX6 News reached out to Berrada Properties. Officials there responded with the following statement:
"Berrada Properties Management, Inc. extends its condolences to the family of the 4-year-old girl whose life was lost in the fire, while we keep the injured woman in our thoughts and prayers. We are cooperating fully with fire investigators and authorities to understand how this tragedy occurred and are committed to supporting the residents impacted. We recognize the trust our tenants place in us, and we feel the weight of this loss profoundly."
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
What you can do:
A GoFundMe has since been set up to support the family.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee fire chief as well as previous FOX6 News coverage.