Man dies after being pulled from house fire near 24th and Vliet



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A 35-year-old man is dead following a house fire that occurred near 24th and Vliet Thursday night, April 10th. The victim has been identified as Phoukham Athathip.

According to officials, the Milwaukee Fire Department responded to the scene just before 11 p.m. Upon arrival, crews observed smoke coming from the front door and flames coming from the top of the front windows.

Authorities say crews were able to enter the home and extinguish the fire. While extinguishing the blaze, crews conducted a search and found Athathip unresponsive in a bathtub with water.

According to the Medical Examiner's report, crews removed Athathip from the home and conducted CPR -- at which time Athathip regained a pulse.

Athathip was then transported to Columbia-St. Mary's Hospital with severe burns. Officials say he later died in the ER as a result of his injuries.

The Medical Examiner's report says Athathip died from cutaneous thermal injuries and inhalation of superheated gases.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

This fatal fire was one of three fires Thursday evening in Milwaukee. Firefighters say there were no working smoke detectors located in any of the structures.

"We were on the scene withing about two minutes and at about the 3:30 mark or four minute mark of being notified, we were already removing the victim from the building," said Dan Lipski, Assistant Chief with Milwaukee Fire Department.

Fire officials want to remind residents of the importance of having working smoke detectors in your residence. City residents who need smoke detectors can get them, for free, by calling the City's smoke detector hotline at 414-286-8980.