Lawmakers announce new fire safety bills after deadly Mother’s Day fire
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Local and state officials are voicing their support on measures that could save lives when a fire breaks out.
This comes after a massive Mother's Day fire at 27th and Highland killed five people and displaced hundreds.
"Citizens that were literally helping the firefighters catch one another as they were coming out of windows," said Representative Margaret Arney.
The fire that broke out at the Highland Court Apartments on Mother's Day morning was devastating for hundreds of people.
"It's unfortunate and unfair that our state laws have prevented local municipalities, particularly Milwaukee, from having higher safety protocols needed for the old housing that we have," said Representative Arney.
Apartment buildings built before 1974 aren't required to install sprinklers. On Monday, local and state leaders announced a series of bills that would change that.
"It's very, very important we have tools for prevention to stop these devastating fires from taking place," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
Monifa Johnson's aunt, Maureen Green, was one of the five people killed in the fire.
"I definitely miss her. I was just mad at the fact she just had surgery, she probably couldn't move as fast as others," said Johnson.
Johnson says if fire sprinklers were in the building, her aunt could still be here.
"That would mean a lot to me. I wish it was safe earlier, because it would have prevented that building a lot of families that got hurt," said Johnson.
There are three bills in this legislation; one would create a $10 million landlord fire prevention grant program where landlords can use that money to install fire sprinklers or extinguishers in their buildings.
The second would require the Department of Safety and Professional Services to perform audits on fire sprinklers.
The third would allow the local government to enact ordinances related to fire detection and prevention.
"In the meanwhile, we've got thousands of housing units in multi-family dwellings that are not sprinklered. That doesn't go away," said Aaron Lipski, Milwaukee fire chief.
After the Mother's Day fire, State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said lawmakers are unlikely to require sprinklers in older buildings, arguing it would worsen the state's housing crisis.
CBS 58 asked lawmakers behind the proposal how they plan to make this bill a reality if that's the case.
"We have too many elected officials that are also landlords making the decisions as to whether these facilities should be equipped with lifesaving equipment such as fire sprinklers. Of course, it would cut into their bottom line," said Senator LaTonya Johnson.
CBS 58 reached out to Speaker Vos for comment on this new proposal and have yet to hear back.
State Senator Johnson says she's hopefully they can get enough support to move it to a hearing.