MPD: 61-year-old man in critical condition following apartment fire near 84th and Congress
Updated: 01/25/2021 11:33 AM
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --- An investigation is underway after a fire at an apartment complex left several people displaced from their homes on Sunday, Jan. 24.
Milwaukee police officials say a man fell asleep while smoking and that is what started the fire in the apartment complex near 84th and Congress around 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
"You can hear a woman screaming help the apartment is on fire," Jazzabell Williams said. "There's kids in there. Literally throwing babies to other firefighters, people running out of the building."
Williams describes the chaos after the building erupted in flames near where she lives.
"The flames were really high and there was a lot of smoke," Keri Mack said. "I was really scared when I looked out the window. I didn't know what was going on."
Officials say the man who fell asleep while smoking was 61-years-old and was found without a pulse and was not breathing.
"His body was smoking," Williams said. "He was burned and so I'm just hoping that he pulled through."
Neighbors say many were affected by this fire.
"They lost everything, like pretty much everything," Mack said. "The whole second floor was ablaze."
The fire is still under investigation and the man is in critical condition.
Published: 01/25/2021 05:20 AM
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Milwaukee Police are investigating an apartment fire that left one person in critical condition on Sunday, January 24.
Authorities say a 61-year-old man fell asleep while smoking, causing the fire. Authorities were called to the complex near 84th and Congress around 10:30 p.m.
The police department says several residents are displaced.