Tragic Fire in Milwaukee Claims Fifth Victim, Forces Residents to Leap from Apartment Building Windows

MILWAUKEE – A fifth person has died following an intense fire that engulfed a four-story apartment building in Milwaukee on Mother’s Day.

The Milwaukee Fire Department did not immediately disclose details about the victim on Monday. Additionally, no further information was provided regarding the specifics of the blaze.

The fire was reported about 8 a.m. Sunday at the 85-unit building. Officials said some residents were forced to jump to escape the flames and smoke.

On Sunday, Fire Chief Aaron Lipski reported that ladder trucks were utilized to rescue residents from windows, while firefighters inside the burning structure had to crawl on hands and knees to assist in the evacuation process. Approximately 30 individuals were successfully rescued during the incident.

Tragically, four people lost their lives on Sunday as a result of the fire. The fifth victim, among four others who sustained critical injuries, also succumbed. Additionally, a number of residents were treated for minor injuries following the incident.

An estimated 200 people were displaced by the fire which left the building uninhabitable. The building was built in 1968 and did not have a sprinkler system, predating a law that would have required one, Lipski said.

Lipski said the fire began in a common area and spread to multiple floors. Authorities have not said how the fire might have started.