Residents of St. Francis experienced a scare as the exterior balcony of a two-story apartment building collapsed on the evening of August 17, trapping some tenants temporarily. According to a CBS58 report, the incident occurred near S. Whitnall Ave. and S. Kansas Ave. around 8 p.m. The St. Francis Fire Department promptly responded to the scene, with the collapse causing the only staircase for tenants to exit to be blocked for four of the units.
Fire Chief Nicholas Poplar, during a press conference, highlighted the department's efforts to ensure all occupants of the building were accounted for. "The biggest thing in something like this is making sure that we are accountable for everybody," Poplar said. After the collapse, as obtained by CBS58 three individuals were evacuated with the assistance of fire personnel using ladders, while another resident, who was experiencing health issues, remained sheltered in place until it was secure to bring them out.
In an interview with WISN, tenant Jonathan Conveconacker described the incident as abrupt, comparable to a flash of lightning. "It kind of happened for just a few seconds, and I just kind of went back to what I was doing. I didn't think anything of it," he recounted. After the incident, Conveconacker noted, upon riding his bike, the extent of the structural damage. The Milwaukee Fire Department's Heavy Unit Rescue Team also helped analyze the structure and, along with the St. Francis Fire Department, deemed two exterior walls to have structural fatigue, warranting a safe zone to be established. The details of previous inspections and history of the building are expected to become public as the inquiry moves forward.
