Torrell Coleman,Verna Richards Obituary, Death;- Milwaukee firefighters are currently probing a tragic five-alarm apartment blaze in the Concordia neighborhood of Milwaukee. Fire Chief Aaron Lipski announced on social media early Monday that the death toll has risen to five.
The fire erupted shortly before 8 a.m. on Sunday at the Highland Court Apartments, located near 27th Street and Highland Boulevard. Four of the deceased have been identified as Torrell Coleman (40), Verna Richards (62), Mark Chaffin (76), and Maureen Green (67), who succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The identity of the fifth victim, a woman found in a hallway, remains unknown. The Red Cross is providing assistance to 100 residents displaced by the incident, as the building is deemed uninhabitable.
A shelter has been established at Holler Park on 6th Street for those affected. Individuals impacted by the fire are encouraged to contact 1-800-Red Cross for support. WISN 12 News captured footage of medics administering CPR outside the building, with some residents being transported via stretchers. The fire department reported that four individuals are in critical condition. Fire crews successfully rescued approximately 30 people from the third and fourth floors using ladders, while others, including Eddie Edwards, opted to jump to safety. Edwards recounted, “I wasn’t thinking about anything but getting away, saving everyone’s life.
It was a terrifying moment.” When asked if he jumped from the fourth-floor balcony, he confirmed, “Yes, and landed on my feet like a cat.” He also recounted catching a toddler thrown from a neighbor’s window, stating, “I told her to toss the baby to me, and I would catch him.” The Milwaukee Fire Department, along with various agencies, is investigating the fire’s official cause, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the State Fire Marshal’s arson dog present at the scene for approximately twelve hours on Sunday.
