Milwaukee Fire Department (MFD)
MILWAUKEE - A home on Milwaukee's south side is uninhabitable after a Thursday morning fire, and the fire department said a recently reopened fire station may have helped stop the flames from spreading to nearby homes.
What we know
The house fire happened near 9th and Lincoln around 9 a.m. Engine Company 31 – which was placed back in service 49 hours earlier after a years-long closure – responded to the scene.
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Firefighters arrived to flames and smoke coming from the front of the house. It extended from the first floor to the second floor. The fire was quickly brought under control, but the home is uninhabitable at this time.
MFD said there were working smoke detectors in the home, and residents were able to get out unharmed.
What we don't know
MFD and the Milwaukee Police Department are still investigating the cause and origin of the fire. No damage estimate is available at this time.
Milwaukee fire station at 8th and Hayes reopens; ribbon-cutting ceremony
The Milwaukee Fire Department held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 8, commemorating the reopening of Fire Station 31.
The backstory
Fire Station 31 had closed, effective Dec. 18, 2017, due to budget cuts – decommissioning Engine 31 at that time as well. That changed this week; a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the station's reopening was held on Wednesday.
The ability to reopen Fire Station 31 and Engine Company 31 was made possible due to funding in the 2025 Milwaukee budget. The budget also funded the addition of a paramedic unit, MED 8, to Station 28.
What they're saying
The Milwaukee Fire Department said callers who reported Thursday's fire commented that it was "right about the corner" from the reopened fire station, which is near 8th and Hayes.
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Had Engine 31 not been in service, MFD said the fire would have grown exponentially – unchecked – and most likely would have extended to the houses next door. The quick response limited the damage to primarily the first floor and the exterior of the home.
What you can do
In the city of Milwaukee, households without smoke detectors can get one for free; call 414-286-8980 for more information.