Milwaukee fatal fire; 9-year-old girl dies, woman hurt
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee fire officials say a 9-year-old girl died from injuries suffered in an apartment fire on the city's northwest side Sunday, Nov. 19. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office identified the girl on Monday as Aria Jacque.
Emergency responders were dispatched to N. Servite Drive around 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The first crews on the scene found smoke coming from the second floor of a two-story, eight-unit apartment building.
Because crews were made aware there may be someone trapped, firefighters made an aggressive interior attack. Additional paramedic units were requested.
Fatal fire on N. Servite Drive, Milwaukee
When neighbor Tymeka Curtis got home from Thanksgiving shopping, she pulled up to the aftermath of the fire.
"It’s just like, what do you do when you see stuff like that?" Curtis said.
Milwaukee Fire Department officials said the unit had extreme hoarding conditions and there were no smoke alarms sounding during the fire.
Firefighters pushed the fire back and then located and removed a woman in her 60s and a 9-year-old girl. Both received immediate medical attention from Milwaukee Fire Department Paramedics: the female was taken to Froedtert Hospital and is in critical condition. Shortly after arriving at Children’s Hospital, the girl died from her injuries.
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The fire was brought under control at 11:53 a.m. officials said.
Fatal fire on N. Servite Drive, Milwaukee
"I heard them loud and clear, you know," neighbor CJ Harkless said. "Is everybody out? Is everybody out?"
Harkless lives on the other side of the apartment complex and said his cameras caught the start of the fire. He said he saw fire crews throw things out the window while the fire was still smoking.
"I’m hurt about it," he said. "I wish I could have done something."
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Other fires in Milwaukee Sunday
There were two other fires that kept Milwaukee firefighters busy on Sunday.
12th and Lincoln
At 11:20 a.m., firefighters were dispatched to a residence near 12th and Lincoln. Crews arrived about four minutes later to find fire in the rear stairwell of the 2½-story, wood-framed dwelling, extending between the first and second floors and involving the attic space. The fire was brought under control at 11:43 a.m. No injuries to occupants or firefighters were reported.
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Franklin Place and Lyon Street
Just before 1 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to an apartment building on Franklin Place near Lyon Street. A woman was taken to Columbia – St. Mary’s Hospital with minor injuries. The fire was brought under control at 1:05 p.m.
Officials say the close timing of these emergencies typifies the importance of a strong, redundant, overlapping, fire suppression and EMS system.
Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski reminds the public, if you need a smoke alarm, you can always contact the Milwaukee Fire Department Smoke Alarm Hotline at 414-286-8980 – this is a 24-hour, bilingual hotline.