MILWAUKEE โ On Motherโs Day, a severe fire broke out in Milwaukee, claiming the lives of five people after ravaging a four-story apartment complex.
The Milwaukee Fire Department has not yet disclosed details about the most recent victim as of Monday, and there is still limited information about the incident itself.
The fire was initially reported on Sunday morning around 8 a.m. at a residence containing 85 units. In the chaotic scene that followed, some occupants resorted to jumping from the building to avoid the intense heat and suffocating smoke.
Fire Chief Aaron Lipski described a dramatic rescue operation where ladder trucks were used to evacuate residents through windows. Firefighters inside the structure were forced to crawl on their hands and knees to save people trapped within. Approximately 30 individuals were successfully rescued amidst these efforts.
Of those impacted, four individuals perished on Sunday, while several others were critically injured, and numerous inhabitants suffered less serious injuries requiring treatment.
The blaze has displaced around 200 residents, rendering the building uninhabitable. Chief Lipski revealed that the building, constructed in 1968, lacked a sprinkler system, a safety feature that became mandatory under newer legislation established after its construction.
The origin of the fire is as yet undetermined, but it is known to have begun in a shared area before spreading to other parts of the apartment complex.