MILWAUKEE — Residents are displaced after an early morning apartment fire near 107th and W. Fond du Lac on Milwaukee's northwest side.
Milwaukee Fire says the fire broke out around 3 a.m. Five people jumped from second-floor balconies to escape and were taken to the hospital. Six others were rescued. Eight units were impacted, leaving about 40 people displaced.
Ambernae Lane woke up to her neighbor banging on her door, yelling there was a fire.
"In the moment, I was panicking. I was trying to find my keys," said Lane.
Lane says her apartment — full of her and her daughter's belongings — is destroyed. She is studying to be a nurse and working multiple jobs. Now she is searching for a new home again after she was displaced by the historic August floods.
"Yeah, I was living in another home, and my house was ruined by the flood. So they made evacuate, the house was unlivable and they made me leave and now I'm here and everything's gone, everything is gone now," said Lane.
Lane also witnessed a neighbor jump from a window with her children to escape the fire.
Watch: Dozens displaced after early morning Milwaukee apartment fire
"I salute to her, because that's you a real mom. You know you're a hero," said Lane.
Geniqua Lewis is also among those displaced.
"I'm hurt because this is the only place that I knew for about almost five years. So now I got to start over," said Lewis.
The battalion chief said the building had working smoke detectors but no sprinklers. However, Berrada Properties, the company that manages the complex, sent a statement saying two sprinklers were activated in the building's storage units.
Below is a full statement from Berrada Properties' attorney, Joe A. Goldberger:
"Berrada Properties Management, Inc. is unfortunately dealing with the aftermath of a fire in an eight-family building located at 10221 W. Fond du Lac Avenue. We are saddened by the fire and concerned about the well-being of our tenants who will be displaced because of the fire.
The subject building meets all fire codes and, in fact, has entrance doors to each apartment that exceed current code requirements. Each floor has four apartment units and four storage units. As was required under the code at the time the building was constructed, each storage unit is equipped with a fire sprinkler. Those fire sprinklers were operational and, in fact, two sprinklers were activated. Great Lake Fire has dispatched to make certain that the fire sprinkler system continues to operate as intended.
In terms of the response undertaken:
- Streamline Electric is in the process of shutting down power to the damaged building and WE Energies will assist us in making certain that power to that building cannot be turned on until it is safe to do so.
- The building is in the process of being boarded up. To the extent possible, tenants in undamaged units were given access to remove valuables and other necessary personal property.
- Currently, water is shut down to the entire complex consisting of a total of five buildings. We are working with Milwaukee Water Works to have the water turned on to the four buildings (32 units) unaffected by the fire can be occupied by the tenants.
Berrada Properties Management, Inc. will begin the restoration of the fire damaged building as soon as possible. We regret the displacement of the tenants within the building. We also note that while Berrada Properties Management, Inc. will complete the repairs at its expense, I further note that all tenants are encouraged to obtain renter’s insurance to provide them with coverage in the event of a loss such as this."
Milwaukee Fire says crews responded quickly because a firehouse is located directly across the street. The cause of the fire is unknown.
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