Five-year-old boy receiving treatment at the hospital after two-alarm blaze at duplex in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A five-year-old boy was pulled from a burning home near 77th and Villard on Wednesday night, January 14th -- and he continues to receive treatment at the hospital. This, as officials work to determine what led to the fire.
Following the fire at a duplex in the area, the Red Cross said it was assisting four children and two adults.
The fire occurred two doors down from Dennis Stewart's home.
"Puts you on your toes when it comes to smoke detectors," Stewart said.
On Thursday, he watched as crews worked to clean up after the fire.
Milwaukee Fire Department Deputy Chief Terry Lintonen says responding fire crews were actually delayed in responding to the blaze by an initial 911 caller who provided an inaccurate address and then hung up the phone.
"Once they got to the first address, found out it wasn`t correct. Then we went to the other one. It had actually gotten to the point where it was coming out of the windows," Lintonen said.
Upon arrival, firefighters began fighting the flames and searching for a five-year-old boy. They found him on the first floor.
"When we found the child, he was not breathing, and his heart had also stopped. So, he was 'PNB' -- overcome by the smoke and I understand he did have some burns as well," Lintonen said.
The boy was taken to the hospital where he continues to receive treatment.
"My old lady says she seen him when they brought him out and he looked like he was in pretty bad shape," Stewart said.
A Red Cross spokesperson tells FOX6 News the boy's mother escaped the fire reportedly while carrying two infants and a toddler.
"I couldn`t be more proud of the actions of the Milwaukee firefighters," Stewart said.
But Lintonen explains these actions may not have been necessary if the home had had a functional smoke detector.
"In this case, we had one on the second floor, not on the first floor, and the first floor was where the fire started," Lintonen said.
Lintonen says the Milwaukee Fire Department had some help from a Wauwatosa fire chief during Wednesday evening's effort. This, Lintonen says is part of a new "shared services" protocol, which involves utilizing the closest available first responders, regardless of municipal borders.
Alderman Joe Davis Sr. on Thursday issued a statement commending the Milwaukee Fire Department for their efforts in fighting this fire and rescuing the five-year-old boy:
"I want to publicly commend the Milwaukee Fire Department heroes who entered a burning duplex last night in the 7700 block of W. Villard Ave. and ended up saving the life of a five-year-old boy. The firefighters searched the building and found the boy unresponsive on the first floor, and then brought him outside where he was revived. Reports are that the boy was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.
These firefighters risked their lives and their own safety to save a life – something they are asked and trained to do on a daily basis. On behalf of my constituents and the city, I applaud them for their bravery and for their quick actions, and I wish the family and the boy my sincere well wishes as they recover from this life-altering event.
I will also take this opportunity to remind all property owners to make sure they have working smoke detectors located throughout each and every residence. Smoke detectors save lives!"
Need a smoke detector? Call the Smoke Detector Hotline at 286-8980 to see if you might be eligible for a free detector.
Related stories: