One person in critical condition after house fire; 2 others rescued

A man was in critical condition Monday after Milwaukee firefighters pulled him from a burning home on the west side.

Two other people, including a baby, were able to escape the blaze before firefighters arrived with the help of employees from a nearby company, Deputy Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said. According to Lipski:

The fire at the two-story, three-unit, wood-frame house at 653 S. 69th St. was reported about 9:30 a.m.

Employees in the parking lot of Roman Electric saw smoke coming from the structure and a man who appeared to be trying to force open a first-floor window.

By the time the employees ran over to help, the man had managed to open another window and handed the baby to the employees, who then helped him out the window.

The employees then placed a ladder against a porch and attempted to climb upstairs, but they were driven back by smoke.

When firefighters arrived they learned someone might still be on the second floor before two worked their way upstairs and a third managed a hose to douse the flames.

“It was a dangerous maneuver, but they really pulled it off today,” Lipski said.

The man, who suffered burns and smoke inhalation, was taken to a hospital, and investigators believe the fire began on the first floor just inside the home, the chief said.

There were working smoke detectors in the house, however no additional information was available on the fire, which remained under investigation, Lipski said.