911 caller, neighbors report children trapped in home during fire, but man the only one hurt

SOUTH MILWAUKEE -- Officials with the South Milwaukee Fire Department say the first floor of a home near 16th and Minnesota suffered significant damage after a fire Thursday night, February 25th.

The call came in around 9:40 p.m.

The 911 call reported the house fire, with the possibility of two children and a man trapped inside.

Assistance was immediately brought in from SMFD's mutual aid partners in Cudahy and Oak Creek.

Firefighters encountered a fire in the living room of a single-family home -- with fire coming out of a side window of the home, and neighbors reporting the possibility of children trapped inside.

The man who lives in the home was found lying in the front yard of a neighbor's home -- suffering from smoke inhalation and minor burns and lacerations to his hands. Due to his level of smoke inhalation, he could not provide credible information as to the whereabouts of the children and was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.

It was learned that apparently, upon discovering the fire, the man escaped through a rear window.

Fire crews searched the home for the possible children trapped inside while hose lines were deployed -- but no other occupants were located.

The first floor of the home suffered significant fire and smoke damage.

The upstairs received moderate smoke damage.

Fire officials say a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector was found in the debris in the first floor hallway, but it is not known whether it was functioning at the time of the fire.

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