'My tenants love me': Milwaukee landlord from fatal apartment building fire on Mother's Day speaks

Yahoo

12-05-2025

The landlord of the Highland Court Apartments, where five people died and others were critically injured in Mother's Day fire that rendered the building uninhabitable, is speaking out.
Geraldine "Jeri" Robinson told the Journal Sentinel May 12 that she was staying at her apartment at Highland Court the night of the fire, when chaos ensued.
"Somebody, as I understand, the guy had an accelerant that was thrown in his apartment," she said. Officials have not confirmed Robinson's account of what happened that night.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office released the names of the victims May 12 and Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski has been providing updates, but law enforcement officials, which now includes the ATF and State Fire Marshal, have provided very little information on the incident.
What is known is that no building-wide sprinkler system was in the 85-unit apartment complex, located at 2725 W. Highland Blvd. Certain buildings constructed before 1974 were not required to have sprinklers, according to Lipski. Robinson said she has owned the building since 1987.
First responders dragged out or rescued dozens of tenants. Witnesses described tenants jumping from higher floors to the ground below and using the balconies to climb down. The deadly blaze drew about 22 fire engines and eight ladder trucks, including units from Wauwatosa and West Allis.
Robinson said she is aware of which unit the fire started in and the living arrangement was a "girlfriend-boyfriend" situation.
"It started on the third floor," she said. "They did significant damage to the third floor. One of the people in that apartment threw an accelerant and the other person is in the hospital. It looked like somebody was burned really bad."
Robinson said the building had smoke alarms in the units and fire exits. "Every floor has two or three fire exits," she said.
Robinson reiterated the use of an "accelerant," which would make fire safety steps less effective. She added the building was inspected quarterly and "we never had a problem."
While the building did not have sprinklers in its living areas, it did have one in its parking structure. The parking structure's sprinklers had led to a building code violation notice for repeated failures to be up to city standards, records show.
Robinson said the fire department may allow tenants to return May 13 to get personal belongings, stressing the need for residents to get medications. A nearby shelter has been set up for tenants.
Robinson spoke of a heroic effort from first responders and her neighbors as firefighters rescued about 30 people from the fire.
"Everybody sees a need and they jump in and do it," she said. "I sat out there with my tenants all day until it was time to go to the shelter. My tenants love me."
Jerome Reeves, who lives on the building's fourth floor, was among those saved from the blaze. He told the Journal Sentinel that Robinson was a "good landlady," whom he has known for years.
Robinson said she has owned several properties in Milwaukee County, including 3970 N. Oakland Ave., the tower across from Shorewood High School.
"This is my last (property)," she said. "I'm getting rid of them all."
Milwaukee police asked anyone with information to call them at 414-935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-Tips or use the P3 Tips app.
Jessica Van Egeren and David Clarey contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Landlord discusses fatal Mother's Day apartment building fire