3 dead, others injured in Wisconsin apartment building blaze

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Three people have died as a result of a fire at a senior apartment building in southeastern Wisconsin that also injured several others, officials said.

Kenosha Fire Chief Christopher Bigley said in a statement Tuesday the entire building was filled with smoke and the west side was consumed by flames when firefighters arrived around 9:30 p.m. Monday at the Saxony Manor apartments.

Kenosha police officers had evacuated several residents before firefighters arrived. Once on scene, fire crews used their ladder trucks to rescue two residents who were trapped in upper level units.

Evacuated residents were kept warm in Kenosha Transit buses.

Firefighters contained the blaze in about 30 minutes. Fire crews conducted secondary searches and found two people dead. One of the two appeared to have died from a medical event, officials said. A third adult died later at a hospital of injuries sustained in the fire, according to the statement.

Authorities say several others were taken to hospitals, including a Kenosha police officer who suffered from smoke inhalation.

Saxony Manor, a 16-unit building that offers apartments for income-eligible people age 62 and older, is run by the nonprofit Mercy Housing. Kate Peterson, a spokeswoman for the managers, said they are working closely with authorities on the investigation and are taking steps to help residents who were impacted by the fire.

“We’re devastated that residents lost their lives due the fire at Saxony Manor and are praying for the safe recovery of the residents who were injured,” Peterson said in a statement.

Two people were unaccounted for, but fire officials don’t believe they are in the burned building. The Kenosha Fire Department is working with building management to locate them.