Milwaukee firefighters battle four blazes
Frigid weather makes work even more difficult
Milwaukee firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze Thursday on the city’s north side — the first of four fires the department was called to within six hours.
“We’ve just been getting hammered with calls,” Deputy Chief Aaron Lipski said.
The Fire Department received the call at 9:44 a.m. for a fire at 3274 N. 21st St., near W. Concordia Ave.
The fire spread from a house on the corner to the two-story house next door. The corner house was a total loss and nearly 40% of the other house was damaged, Lipski said.
Milwaukee police are investigating the fire. Both were occupied residences and the cause remains under investigation, a police spokesman said.
Milwaukee police are asking anyone with information about the fire to call (414) 935-7360.
No one was injured in the blaze. While firefighters were still at that scene, another fire was reported in a north side house, Lipski said. Soon after, a fire was reported at an auto shop.
Then, just before 3:30 p.m., firefighters were called to the 2800 block of S. 11th St. where a fire had gone from the second floor into the attic, Lipski said.
Seven people, including children, were displaced from the home and nearby neighbors rushed to help, he said.
“Neighbors were coming out of thin air with blankets, food and milk and socks,” Lipski said. “It was like something out of a movie. There is hope.”
The frigid temperatures created challenges for fires crews Thursday, with masks, hydrants and pumps at risk for freezing. The roads are narrower because drivers are not parking as close to the curb with snow and ice on the ground, Lipski said.
“It just all adds up and it takes longer for us to get water on the fire,” he said.
He reminded residents to have working smoke detectors and to limit use of space heaters, keeping the machines clear of upholstery. He also warned of people using propane or other fossil-fuel heating devices that emit carbon monoxide, which can be deadly.
He encouraged neighbors to watch out for one another and asked any residents with concerns about malfunctioning furnaces to contact the Fire Department.
If you are a Milwaukee resident and need a smoke detector, call the Milwaukee Fire Department’s hotline, (414) 286-8980.