At least 4 dead, 4 injured after Milwaukee apartment fire, officials say – EVOL

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Calling 911: What you need to know

Calling 911 is for emergencies only, but what counts as an emergency?

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At least four people are dead and four are in critical condition after a five-alarm apartment fire on Milwaukee’s near west side.

First responders arrived at Highland Court Apartments, 2725 W. Highland Blvd., around 7:45 a.m. on Mothers Day. In total, about 22 fire engines and eight ladder trucks responded to the fire, including units from Wauwatosa and West Allis.

Approximately 30 people were rescued by ladders or dragged out by firefighters. Urgent 911 calls indicated some people jumped from the second floor to escape the building.

The four-story, 85-unit building was built in 1968 and was not required to have sprinklers or standpipes, Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said.

“You make absolutely no mistake: That dramatically impacts the survivability in this building once a fire starts,” Lipski said.

Buildings constructed before 1974 with certain sizes, shapes, dimensions and occupancy were not required to have sprinklers, he said.

“It’s the grandfather clause. Nobody was required to go back and make that building fire-safe, and you result with this today,” Lipski said. “We have fought this fight for many, many

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