MILWAUKEE — People from about 28 apartment units are being assisted by the Red Cross after their Merrill Park apartment building caught fire Tuesday morning.
A large apartment in the 600 block of North 31st Street caught fire around 10 a.m., fire officials say.
Red Cross said in an update Wednesday it is helping 26 people - 19 adults, 17 children - with temporary lodging at a local hotel, meals and access to health/mental health resources.
The American Red Cross of Wisconsin said in a statement that they are in the process of connecting residents with temporary housing and other immediate needs. The Red Cross added they assessing the scope of how many people were displaced and how long they may be out.
This was the second apartment building fire in Milwaukee on Tuesday. The Red Cross said it helped people displaced from four units of a building on North 91st Street.
Acting Deputy Chief Will Kowalski said of the fire on 31st Street that they were called to the scene around 9:50 a.m. for a report of heavy smoke and a fire, and the possibility of occupants trapped.
Inside, firefighters found two people they brought out, who refused EMS on-scene.
The 31st Street fire is still under investigation. Kowalski says the fire was two-alarm due to the size of the building. At this time there is no cause, origin or scale of damage.
People affected by the fires who have not yet been contacted by the Red Cross can reach out for help by calling and leaving their information at 800-236-8680.
