MILWAUKEE — A kitchen fire started in South Milwaukee on Tuesday and has displaced a family of 10, including six adults, four children and three dogs.
Alice Cox was inside the house when the fire broke out Tuesday in the ground floor kitchen.
"It's heartbreaking. My daughter, who is 21, has lived here since she was 3. And now we don't have it," Cox said.
Watch the video report below:
Cox appreciated having her family together under one roof.
"It felt like home. You know, they say it takes a community to raise a child and that is what we were doing," Cox said.
Cox said her dogs helped lead her to safety when the fire started.
"I reached down and grabbed their collars to get them out and they kind of drug me out because I couldn't find my way out," Cox said.
Units from the South Milwaukee, Cudahy, St. Francis, Oak Creek and Milwaukee fire departments responded and extinguished the fire within minutes, according to the South Milwaukee Fire Department. Despite the quick response, the Cox family is displaced.
"Everybody is at Jackie's," Cox said.
Jackie Anderson, a coworker and friend of Cox's, opened her home to all 10 family members and their three dogs, bringing the total to 12 people and six dogs under one roof.
"They are like family and I know if this were to happen to me and my family, they would do the same for us," Anderson said.
Despite the crowded conditions, Anderson said the arrangement has worked well.
"It's actually been really nice, making us feel like a home," Anderson said.
A GoFundMe has been started to help the Cox family replace what they lost and find their own temporary housing. Cox said the support they have already received has left her at a loss for words.
"I don't know how to say thank you enough," Cox said.
—————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
