Fire destroys Milwaukee family's home, kills dog: 'Unexplainable'
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee home near 30th and Concordia was destroyed in a fire on Dec. 2.
The family who lived there lost everything – clothes, Christmas presents and a beloved pet dog. Now, they need help to get back on their feet.
"I still be at a loss of words," said Miguel Viramontes-Taylor.
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Viramontes-Taylor bought the house in April and started fixing it up. All of that work has gone up in smoke.
"To lose it before I could process having it, it’s unexplainable, honestly," Viramontes-Taylor said.
Miguel Viramontes-Taylor looks at fire damage to home near 30th and Concordia
Viramontes-Taylor returned home from work on Dec. 2. to find his home in flames.
"When we tried to get in, the force of the smoke and the heat wouldn’t let us in, so I just had to call 911," said Viramontes-Taylor.
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The Milwaukee Fire Department extinguished the blaze, but Viramontes-Taylor's 7-year-old pitbull Sancho, trapped inside, did not survive.
"This is where he was when the firefighters were able to locate him. Here in this corner," Viramontes-Taylor said.
A small memorial sits inside the home that has now been reduced to a charred shell. Viramontes-Taylor, his girlfriend and three kids lost everything.
Memorial for Sancho, dog killed in 30th and Concordia fire
"It just sucked watching the house burn up, our clothes, our gifts, the kids' stuff, our stuff," said Viramontes-Taylor.
A GoFundMe online fundraiser has been established to help them get back on their feet. The family is thankful no one was hurt and is hoping to get a little help this holiday season.
"I appreciate anything that anyone has to offer. We just want to try to come back from this," Viramontes-Taylor said.
MFD said the cause of the fire is undetermined. It caused an estimated $160,000 in damage.
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