Medical examiner releases report on child death in house fire



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner released its report on the death of a seven-year-old boy on the city's south side.

The boy, identified as Miguel Quintanilla, was pulled from a house fire near 10th and Morgan on Milwaukee's south side Saturday morning, February 16th. He was resuscitated on the scene and immediately sent to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin where he had been listed in critical but stable condition. The boy died Sunday.

The medical examiner's report indicates the boy was "diagnosed with 2nd and 3rd degree burns" on about 25% of his body. He also suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.

The medical examiner's report indicates there "were smoke detectors in the home, however, no one reported hearing them."

Also on Monday, Milwaukee firefighters canvassed the neighborhood where the fire happened. They came armed with smoke detectors. They knocked on doors offering to install smoke detectors in homes for free.

Steven Kulpa took them up on the offer.

"If everyone in the city, everywhere actually in the world had a working smoke detector in their home things like this would be much, non-existent," said Kulpa.

Assistant Fire Chief Michael Romas says smoke detectors work because they give people time to get out of harm's way.

Preliminary reports show an electrical failure started the house fire on the second floor.

Funeral arrangements for the boy are pending. An effort is also underway to create a fund to help the family defray the burial costs.

Related stories: