A dozen people from eight families displaced by fire that may have been sparked by space heater

MILWAUKEE -- Firefighters say an attempt to stay warm resulted in a dozen people losing their home on Tuesday, January 12th.

Firefighters battled a fire at a 16-unit apartment building near Hopkins and Fairmount that officials say was likely sparked by a space heater.

With bitterly cold temperatures on Tuesday evening and Tuesday night, officials with the Milwaukee Fire Department said it may have been someone's effort to stay warm inside that sparked a fire that left a dozen people unable to return to their homes.

"The main fire was in the back apartment on the first floor. They have a space heater inside, and as of right now our investigator is here determining the cause," an MFD official said.

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A dozen people from eight families were being helped by volunteers with the American Red Cross.

This, as extra manpower was brought in to help fight this fire amid the brutal conditions.

"We have a cold weather protocol. We got an extra engine," an MFD official said.

A Milwaukee County Transit System bus was on scene, in an effort to keep displaced residents warm.

"Our priorities tonight is to get people a warm place to sleep," Leah Braverman with the American Red Cross said.

Braverman said winter is the busiest season for American Red Cross volunteers.

"We do see an increase in the number of fires, and that is because of heating and how we heat our house," Braverman said. "Keeping space heaters three feet away from anything -- checking and making sure sparks are out when you leave, using your oven only to cook, and not to heat the house."

We're told one person was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Everyone else is OK.

Fire officials say the apartment complex did have working smoke detectors -- and everyone was able to get out of the building prior to the arrival of firefighters.