HOUSE FIRE ON MILWAUKEE’S SOUTH SIDE SENDS 5 TO HOSPITAL, INCLUDING 4 CHILDREN. NO SMOKE ALARMS WERE WORKING.

House fire on Milwaukee’s south side sends 5 to hospital, including 4 children.  NO SMOKE ALARMS WERE WORKING.

Posted 6:29 pm, December 20, 2014, by Megan Pospychala and Jonathon Gregg, Updated at 01:57pm, December 21, 2014

MILWAUKEE (WITI) — Five people are hurt including 4 children after crews responded to a fire which started in a home on 22nd and W Mitchell St. in Milwaukee.

The fire happened at approximately 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, December 20th.

Fire crews responded quickly to the blaze as a crew was located just six blocks away.

Five people inside the house were hurt — 4 children were taken to Children’s Hospital — 2 are in serious condition. The one adult in the fire was taken to Froedtert Hospital with cuts.

The building is split up into several apartments, the fire started in one of them.

When firefighters arrived two children were still inside but the fire was so bad commanders questioned whether to go in.

“Based on the chances of possibly killing or injuring a firefighter in this search effort,” said Deputy Milwaukee Fire Chief, Aaron Lipski.

But they went in and found the children in a first floor bedroom.

“That engine company single-handedly rescued two children, young children, inside that fire unconscious and unable to help themselves,” said Lipski.

Residents of the other units could only stand and watch as the hours passed and the investigation continued, many not knowing what they have left.

“People need to check your smoke detectors, get batteries, change them,” said Lipski.

A firefighter did suffer minor injuries but is expected to be okay.

The Red Cross has been on the scene assisting the residents.

There were NO working smoke alarms in the apartment.

Sunday, December 21st, all four kids are still hospitalized and are in stable condition. They are not in ICU, but they are being monitored around the clock.

Police are still interviewing the adult who was home at the time of the fire. That man is believed to be the father of two of the children that were in the fire. He is currently in custody.

No word yet on the cause of the fire.

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Milwaukee police say four children are in critical condition after a house fire.
   The fire broke out on the home's first floor shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday. A 22-year-old man had to jump from the second story to escape the blaze. He's being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
   The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports firefighters rescued two unconscious children from the house and two other children escaped on their own. A firefighter also was hurt.
   All six of the injured were taken to hospitals.
   Deputy Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski says the two unconscious children were rescued "from one of the absolute worst areas they could have been in." Lipski says both children suffered severe smoke inhalation.
   The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Damage is estimated at $250,000.

A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of child neglect in connection with a house fire Saturday in the 1600 block of N. 22nd St., Milwaukee police reported Sunday.

Two unconscious young children were rescued from the house filled by smoke and flames. A total of six people were injured, including a firefighter and two other children who escaped the blaze on their own.

The cause of the fire was not released.

NO SMOKE DETECTORS WERE WORKING IN A FIRE THAT INJURED SIX

MILWAUKEE —A 22-year-old man was arrested in connection with a fire that injured six people Saturday night.

Police have not said whether or not the man is related to any of the victims or why the man was arrested.

Four children and two adults are in the hospital after being injured in the fire near 22nd and Mitchell streets.

Firefighters said two young children were unconscious when crews rescued them from the house around 5 p.m.

"On our arrival we had extremely heavy fire showing from a two-story, wood-frame dwelling with credible reports of people trapped inside the burning structure," said Aaron Lipski, deputy chief of the Milwaukee Fire Department.

Lipski said two other children and a man made it out of the house OK.

A firefighter was also injured.

Paramedics took everyone to the hospital.  

"We have absolutely no idea what the cause is,” Lipski said. “Not one of my firefighting companies in that search-and-rescue effort reported a working smoke detector."

Keneyette Anderson lives in the home but in a different unit than the five victims.

Anderson was doing some volunteer work at a nearby school when the fire broke out.

"Somebody drove us over here real quick and there was just fire coming from the back, smoke, windows, they are breaking our windows,” Anderson said.

Anderson said her family is looking to the Red Cross for assistance.

"All the windows are busted. It's cold. We got five kids together so we're not going to be able to stay here but I think Red Cross is going to help us out and we'll have to go from there."