Bay View duplex fire, family displaced: 'What are we going to do?'
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee family lost everything after a Bay View duplex fire Friday, Nov. 4.
Smoke shot out of the building as neighbors watched, and firefighters worked to get into the building and rescue pets. Six adults, one child and all four pets got out safely.
"We went to go shopping and get regular household items," said resident Aaron Curtis. "We got a text from our neighbor saying the house was on fire."
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Curtis said his wife and 4-year-old daughter, who is autistic, lived in their home for two years. It was gone in the blink of an eye.
"What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?" Curtis said. "Luckily (my daughter) was at school."
Duplex fire on Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View
The Milwaukee Fire Department said the duplex on Kinnickinnic Avenue caught fire around 9 a.m. There were four adults on the upper level. Curtis and his family lived on the lower level.
"As I was driving down Kinnickinnic I thought I saw some smoke coming out of a window," said Megan McGee. Instead of just driving by, she pulled over. "I started banging on the window a little bit and immediately I’m like, okay, I’m going to call 911. It certainly can’t hurt."
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McGee was at the right place at the right time: "In retrospect I thought, I’m really glad I stopped because these situations can get out of hand so quickly."
Curtis said they lost everything, including his daughter's clothes and sensory toys. The Red Cross said it is helping the family, and a family friend created a GoFundMe online fundraiser.
"Everyone is offering help, everyone has been really helpful," said Curtis.
The fire department said the home is uninhabitable, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Curtis said his pets are in an emergency facility being treated for smoke inhalation.
This week, the Red Cross said it has helped 33 people displaced by 10 fired across Wisconsin and Michigan's upper peninsula.