MILWAUKEE — In the middle of the night, a raging fire tore through an eight-unit apartment building, forcing residents to flee with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Now, many are left wondering where they will go next.
Angela Perkins, who had called the building home for nine years, stood outside in shock, watching everything she owned go up in flames.
"My feelings are crushed right now," Perkins said, her voice heavy with emotion.
Perkins had been asleep with her two young boys when the fire broke out in the apartment next to hers. She awoke to an unbearable sight—flames creeping under her door.
"When I saw the flames coming through my door, that's when I realized I had to get my kids and me out of there," Perkins said.
Watch: Fire tears through Milwaukee apartment building, leaving residents homeless
She grabbed her children and tried to escape, but thick black smoke blocked their path.
"I got up to peek my head out the door—black smoke just hit me. So I hurried up, closed the door, ran and got my kids. We couldn't go out the front door, so I had to go out my window," she recalled.
Milwaukee firefighters arrived just in time, rescuing Perkins and her children from their balcony. But the loss is overwhelming.
"Terrifying. Never experienced anything like this in my life. I'm just in awe. Everything I have is gone," she said.
Dale Kazee, another resident, also barely made it out in time.
"I see this stuff happen on TV, but when it hits home, you can't believe it," Kazee said.
Kazee was lucky—he woke up just in time to get himself and his granddaughter to safety.
"The fire broke out in an apartment upstairs—I don't know which one. I just thank God my granddaughter and I got out safe," Kazee said.
Fire officials have not yet determined what caused the blaze, but the American Red Cross is stepping in to help those left homeless.
"It's the Red Cross culture—making a difference when people have lost practically everything in their lives," said Curtis Marshall, a representative from the organization.
For Angela Perkins and her two boys, that help can’t come fast enough. They started a GoFundMe to help them afford a new home.
"That's my hard-earned work—just gone. Just gone," Perkins said, staring at the charred remains of her home.
Please consider donating here:https://gofund.me/b99b2af7
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
