Woman hurt in fire believed to have been caused by smoking accident

MILWAUKEE -- Officials with the Milwaukee Fire Department say a smoking accident led to a fire that left a woman hurt on Sunday, March 13th.

It happened in a home on Burrell Street, near Smith Street (near the intersection of 1st and Lincoln).

Around 10:30 a.m., fire officials received a call from neighbors indicating the home was on fire.

When firefighters arrived, they found the front half of the home fully engulfed in flames.

The woman living inside was able to get out on her own, and fire crews then aggressively attacked the fire. She was the only occupant of the home.

It is believed the fire started on a sofa. Fire officials say the woman was smoking while on oxygen, and dropped a cigarette and it ignited the couch.

The woman was taken to Columbia St. Mary's Burn Center for treatment.

Damage is estimated at $60,000 to the building and $30,000 to contents.

Fire officials say there were no working smoke detectors in the home.

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