MILWAUKEE (WISN) — A Milwaukee woman lost almost everything after her apartment caught fire. Now, her daughter is putting out a call for help.
The fire broke out at an apartment building near 41st Street and Morgan Avenue Friday around 11 a.m.
Charlette Day said she was cooking in her apartment unit on the second floor when she noticed her dog, Teddy, acting strangely.
“He kept trying to get my attention,” Day said. “He was barking, swatting me for attention.”
Day said at that point, she looked out her living room window and saw flames surging outside. She grabbed Teddy and ran.
She credits the dog with saving her life.
Her kitten, Stormi, which she had recently gotten for Christmas, died in the blaze. Day’s daughter said she came to pick up her mother Friday and was eventually let back into the apartment to recover any belongings.
“I saw her out in the cold — no shoes, no jacket, and so I went in the house for her,” Kiarra Day said. “And it hurt me to see the house like that because I couldn’t imagine my house being like that.”
“We did find my grandmother’s urn,” Kiarra said. “Somehow, it was salvageable. But everything else looked completely damaged.”
Day lived in the apartment with her fiancé and three kids. Now, they’re staying with her daughter.
Day said everyone in her building’s four units made it out unharmed, likely due to a passerby calling for help.
“There was a lady and her daughter walking by,” Day said. “I believe she was the one who called the fire department and was pounding on the door to get everybody out. I don’t know her name or who she is. I know she lives nearby, but that lady is an angel.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Day said she doesn’t have renters insurance. Her daughter started a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of her lost belongings and find a new place to live.
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Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.