The fires came one after the other.
A few minutes after one abandoned house was torched shortly before 10 p.m., another was set afire. This happened six times in less than 30 minutes near Meyers and Schoolcraft on Detroit’s west side.
Many of the homes burned to the ground because firefighters had to travel as far as 18 minutes away.
No injuries were reported.
With fewer firefighters and investigators, arsonists are getting bolder. The fires are burning longer and causing more damage, which causes homeowner insurance to rise.
Other stories from our yearlong investigation of the fire department:
Firefighters who need emergency gear better cross fingers
Detroit investigates just 20% of suspicious fires, underreports arson
Arson investigators a no-show at Detroit fire-bombing
Police, ambulances unable to respond to weekend emergencies
Thieves loot Detroit fire station of beds, belongings, TVs
Bing administration covers up depth of fire crisis; 27 dead
Arsonist strikes 6 times in 13-block area of Detroit, overwhelming firefighters added by Steve Neavling on
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Steve Neavling
Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.
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