April 1, 2021
For Immediate Release:
Brown Deer, WI: This morning at approximately 9:25 a.m., the Bayside Communications Center received a call
from an occupant on the first floor of 9500 N. Green Bay Rd in Brown Deer reporting heavy smoke and a
possible fire in a multi-story condominium complex. Shortly after this first call, several additional residents
began calling 9-1-1 to report the fire and advise they were trapped in the building. Fire and law-enforcement
units were dispatched immediately.
Brown Deer law enforcement officers arrived on scene shortly after being dispatched and reported heavy
smoke and fire in the front entryway and a first-floor unit. Additionally, they reported a number of residents
on the second and third floor had their heads out of their windows and were yelling for help. Fire units
arrived shortly after and began immediate efforts to rescue the trapped individuals and initiate fire attack.
Crews were quickly able to effect rescues of all trapped occupants and bring the fire under control. Given the
number of people who needed to be rescued and the number of injuries reported, the incident commander
requested the call be upgraded to the 2nd Alarm to bring additional resources to the scene.
In all, eight individuals were evaluated for injuries and smoke exposure on the scene. One person was
transported with non-life-threatening injuries to Ascension Columbia-St. Mary’s Ozaukee. The remaining
seven patients were evaluated and declined transport to the hospital.
There is extensive damage to the entire structure. The building is considered uninhabitable at this time.
According to information provided by the management company on the scene, the structure contains thirty
separate living units – primarily made up of condominiums, with some rentals mixed in. Several of the units
are currently vacant and the management company estimates between fifty to sixty people regularly live in the
building currently. The American Red Cross is assisting those displaced with temporary shelter needs. The
total loss is estimated to be approximately $1,000,000.00.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by the North Shore Fire/Rescue Fire Marshal and the
Brown Deer Police Department. Preliminary findings indicate the fire began in a first-floor unit. No further
information about the cause or origin will be released at this time.
During the early stages of the incident, crews reported they did not hear more than a few smoke alarms
sounding despite the presence of heavy black smoke throughout much of the building. This should serve as a
reminder to ensure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside and outside of
every sleeping area.
North Shore Fire/Rescue was assisted on scene by the Milwaukee Fire Department, the Wauwatosa Fire
Department, the Brown Deer Police Department and Milwaukee County Transit. For more information
regarding this incident, please contact Battalion Chief Dan Tyk, at 414-357-0113 ext. 1513 or
dtyk@nsfire.org.