MILWAUKEE — An "intentional act" cannot be ruled out as the cause of a fatal fire that occurred Sunday morning at the Highland Court Apartments near 27th and Highland, according to Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski.
Lipski and other city officials provided an update on Tuesday regarding the 5-alarm fire, which claimed the lives of five individualsand left six others hospitalized.
Lipski would not go so far as to say the fire was "suspicious," but noted that a fire that claims five lives deserves to be thoroughly investigated.
Lipski reported that more than 100 firefighters from multiple agencies responded to the fire and completed 48 ladder rescues and at least six hands-on rescues in which firefighters carried victims out of the building. He also said firefighters guided "dozens and dozens" of people through the thick smoke.
The fire chief stressed the need for updated sprinkler laws, noting that the apartment building was built before 1974, making it exempt from current sprinkler requirements. The building did not have any working sprinklers. Lipski noted that the city would not have seen the number of casualties from this fire had sprinklers been installed.
Lipski said the building is not a total loss; however, it is not currently safe for residents to live in. He expects the investigation and inspections to last approximately another week.
The cause of the deadly blaze remains under investigation, but officials cannot rule out the possibility of an intentional act. This tragic fire has shaken the community, and authorities are working diligently to determine the exact circumstances surrounding this devastating incident.
