"A lot of smoke:" Adult, child suffer injuries in house fire on Milwaukee's south side



MILWAUKEE -- An adult and child suffered injuries as a result of a house fire on Milwaukee's south side early Saturday, January 2nd.

The flashing lights and sirens woke a sleeping neighborhood near 18th and Mitchell.

"I just heard someone knocking and I saw him standing over there," said Juanita Sanchez, neighbor.

It was her neighbor, the homeowner, who watched as his house went up in flames.

Fire and police officials arrived just before 3:00 a.m., to find the house engulfed in flames.

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"A lot of smoke and the fire was all over the place," said Sanchez.

Neighbors were evacuated as firefighters worked to knock down the fire. All occupants got out alive but two were sent to the hospital -- a child for smoke inhalation and an adult for traumatic injuries after busting through a window to free everyone inside.

"It's horrible. I hope they get better," said Sanchez.

With the morning sun comes a clear look at the damage.

18th and Mitchell fire



"It's devastating. I mean, I'm glad that the kids were out of there and they didn't lose anybody," said Jose Dehoyos, neighbor.

Saturday morning, firefighters worked to extinguish hot spots after the roof collapsed from the fire. Their toughest obstacle was the cold temperatures, as water from the hoses froze which created slippery spots.

"A lot of fireman doing their job and we're thankful for that and that nobody was seriously hurt," Said Dehoyos.

18th and Mitchell fire



While police and fire officials work to determine the cause and origin of the fire, they urge everyone to check their smoke detectors. The home did not have working smoke detectors at the time of the fire and as we all know those can be life-saving devices.

If you need a smoke detector, you can get a free one by calling 414-286-8980.