Milwaukee home burns where generations lived: ‘Grateful everyone is OK’
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee family is grateful no one was hurt after a fire tore through their home near 6th and Arthur Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 27.
Several generations of people lived in the home over the years.
"This area was right here my mom and my siblings, and on the top floor was my uncle and his family," said Maria Rosales.
Generations of Rosales' family called the house on S. 6th Street home for years.
"I know as it was happening, we were all pretty devastated, especially, seeing our grandmother," said Rosales. "We have a lot of memories here, not just with her but our cousins growing up. Generations of us living in this home, and so we all lost that."
When a fire started at around 4:30 p.m., Rosales' sister was the first to spot it. Her sister and mom live on the first floor and uncles and cousins on the floor above. It quickly grew.
"There was a heavy amount of fire when we arrived on scene," said MFD Deputy Chief Will Kowalski. "The entire house had fire on it on all levels at one point."
The Red Cross is helping the family out. They are just one family of the 300 people displaced by fires in Wisconsin and the UP in December.
"Every year we go into hundreds of homes around Milwaukee and the state and have conversations with families about what home fire safety looks like for their family," said Justin Kern, Red Cross.
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Installing or replacing smoke detectors and putting together plans in case of a fire are important steps to take to prevent a tragedy.
"Everything can be replaced. The house can be fixed," said Rosales. "If anything, it’s all replaceable. It’s all materialistic stuff."
Rosales' mom, sister and extended family are staying with her and her husband for the time being. A cousin started a GoFundMe.com account to help them as they wait on insurance.
Most importantly, no one was hurt.
"We’re grateful everyone is physically OK, so to me, that’s not a burden to take on," said Rosales. "It’s a blessing to have to be able to come together for New Year’s."
Kowalski said firefighters didn't hear any smoke detectors when they arrived.
The cause is under investigation.
Both the Red Cross and the city have programs to outfit your home with smoke detectors.