Candle may have started deadly fire near 39th and Silver Spring

 

Updated: 3:33 pm. March 14, 2019

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Officials say the fire that killed a man and a child on Wednesday was likely started by a candle. 

The Medical Examiner' says 67-year-old Gary Pitts and 4-year-old Rayveon Cunningham died in the fire at a home near 39th and Silver Spring. 

A 21-year-old woman and baby were able to get out. 

Detectives were not able to find any smoke detectors in the home. 

Fire officials say if you are in need of a smoke alarm, to call the Smoke Alarm Hotline at 414-286-8980 to have one installed for free by the Milwaukee Fire Department. 

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Posted: 1:47 p.m. March 13, 2019

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- People in Milwaukee are mourning a man and a child killed in a house fire on the city's north side.

Fire officials say incidents like this are what they're trained for, but they say any loss is hard not just for a community but for firefighters as well.

"I just felt for the family because they were here screaming and crying," said Nicole Russ, a witness.

It was just after noon when the Milwaukee Fire Department was called to the home near 39th and Silver Spring.

"I seen two people and they're just telling the fireman to hurry up. But he said I tried, I tried to help. That's all he kept screaming," said Russ.

"Everybody tried. The neighbors across the street, they tried to help. Everybody was trying to get the baby out. It was smoking bad. The man tried to bust the window," said Demetrius Pettigrew, a neighbor.

A total of three people were taken out of the home.

A man in his 60's and a 4-year-old boy died. 

An infant was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure for smoke inhalation.