Keith Alan Luko, a 44-year-old Milwaukee resident, faces felony charges including arson of a building, first-degree reckless injury, and six counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety after allegedly setting fire to his apartment complex. The blaze erupted around 6 a.m. on January 17, 2026, at West Fardale Avenue near 27th and Loomis, fueled by gasoline poured in the hallway, which Luko confessed was due to anger over neighbors smoking marijuana.
Incident Details
Firefighters rescued second-floor residents amid heavy flames at the front entrance, with surveillance footage capturing Luko moving belongings via a sleigh-like device before igniting and fleeing the scene. The pre-sprinkler-era building sustained severe soot, smoke, and charring damage, rendering all eight units uninhabitable and displacing about 25 people, per the Red Cross.
Injuries Reported
Five victims aged 9 to 94 were hospitalized: a 9-year-old girl with a broken pelvis after being thrown from a second-story window, her parents with cuts and bruises, Luko’s mother with scrapes and a broken ankle from escaping, one with severe smoke inhalation, and another with leg lacerations. The child’s mother described intense door heat and hallway smoke during the escape.
Arrest and Charges
Police located Luko about five miles away near West Howard Avenue and South 99th Street, where he admitted to the arson; he is due in court following his initial appearance. Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski noted the building’s lack of mandatory sprinklers contributed to the fire’s spread.
