"The building collapsed:" Two homes damaged following early morning fire in Sherman Park

MILWAUKEE -- Three homes in the Sherman Park neighborhood were damaged this week by fires. On Thursday morning, August 18th, four people managed to escape a blaze near 33rd and Hadley.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they battled heavy flames and thick black smoke. The Milwaukee Fire Department says a vacant home caught fire --and the flames spread to the home next door.

A family of three and another man escaped.

"My God, it's probably destroyed," said Jeff Jakubek.

Jeff Jakubek wasn't home, but his roommate was. He's afraid they've lost everything.

"Everything, my family pictures, my clothes, my tools and things, I'm a carpenter," said Jakubek .

Firefighters hosed the structures down for hours.

"The building collapsed -- we want to make sure there is no fire trapped under it," said Battalion Chief Dewayne Smoots.

This is the third house fire in the Sherman Park Neighborhood this week. All the calls came in between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.  On Monday there was a fire at 41st and Burleigh, Tuesday at 50th and Clarke--  and on Thursday at 33rd and Hadley.

"I'm kind of scared because it is close to home," said Lynda Moore, neighbor.

No one was hurt in any of the fires -- and in this case the damage could have been worse.

"Inside will be salvageable," said Smoots.

The landlord of the red and green home says he recently did repairs to the home. He's not quite sure if he wants to go through that again, he says he's going to have to take a look inside, see how bad the damage is. He won't be able to do that until detectives are through with it. Reporting near 33rd and Hadley.

The Milwaukee Fire Department's investigation unit is looking into the cause of each house fire. MFD says they are sharing their information with the ATF.