Milwaukee residents to be evacuated as water leak prompts water and electricity shut down

UPDATE on Jan. 21, at 3:35: According to the fire department, residents are being allowed back into units, except for 5.  According to We Energies, power has been restored. 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- According to the Milwaukee Fire Department, there was a water leak at the Historic Lofts on Kilbourn located at 2200 Kilbourn, prompting the water and power to be shut off and residents evacuated.

The Milwaukee Fire Department says 110 people have been displaced. 

“When I came down the stairs, you heard the water rushing through the walls – it sounded like it was water running," said one resident, who asked not to be named. 

The call came in to the fire department around 8:20 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 20.

“It was terrible. Really terrible. The whole thing did go almost to like mid to people's door and stuff and then it was leaking from the ceilings so yeah it was really bad down here," said Carrington Dewberry, a resident. 

The building is the former Sinai Samaritan Medical Center. It dates back to 1885 and is considered landmark in Milwaukee. According to fire authorities, Milwaukee fire is finishing up securing the building as they wait for the water department to shut off water and We Energies to shut off power. 

“It is extremely cold at night so they’re trying to get us out of here," said Dewberry. 

Three MCTS buses were available for about 200 residents to stay on to keep warm while this issue is investigated and fixed. 

"I've seen a lot of different stuff. I mean, we have blind people, we have people in wheelchairs that's in the building, it was kind of sad," said one resident. "I got to go to a hotel or something myself with my siblings."

The Red Cross has also been called in to help.

“This is all we got right now," said Dewberry. 

MFD says it's still unknown where the water leak began.