Man says emotional support dog died in apartment fire; 5 rescued, dozens displaced
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Dozens of people don’t have a place to sleep after an apartment fire near 14th Street and Highland Avenue early Sunday morning.
The Milwaukee Fire Department says crews responded to the three-story building just before 1 a.m. and could see fire on the second floor and people hanging out of windows.
Timothy Carter told CBS 58 he was inside the building, where he lives, when the fire broke out. He made it out alive, but his dog, Magic, a black Lab, died as a result of the fire.
“It’s my emotional support animal, so I’m devastated. I don’t know how to feel,” Carter said.
MFD says five people were rescued from windows, and all other occupants were safely evacuated from the building.
According to the fire department, there were working smoke detectors in the building, which helped get people out early.
As crews were responding to the fire, they say there were multiple fights between citizens near the scene.
“It was just building more tension over here at the building,” Carter said.
The Milwaukee County Transit System was called to provide buses for up to 50 people displaced by the fire.
The Milwaukee Fire Department was assisted by the Milwaukee Police Department, We Energies and the Red Cross.
A shelter for residents displaced by the fire is open at the Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language.
“The Red Cross is there providing comfort care and services for anyone that might need it,” said Laura McGuire, the regional communications manager for the Red Cross of Wisconsin.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Online property records show the building that caught fire was built in 1978, four years after sprinklers would have been required.
CBS 58 has not yet been able to confirm with Milwaukee fire officials whether the building had a sprinkler system.