A serial arsonist appears to be responsible for setting fire to as many as dozens of vacant houses on Detroit’s east side over the past month, brazenly targeting multiple homes at a time.
Mayor Duggan continues to deny serious problems plaguing the fire department as his administration retaliates against whistleblowers and lies to the media.
From Jan. 1 to July 31, fires damaged or destroyed more than 1,650 houses, apartments, commercial buildings, schools, hospitals and churches, according to Detroit-based Loveland Technologies.
Rigs broke down, hydrants malfunctioned and arsonists grew bolder in March, the most destructive month yet this year in Detroit.
Detroit is about to rejoin the nation’s leaders in arsons after we revealed last week that the city dramatically underreported the crimes to the FBI.
The city’s numbers are incredibly misleading and represent just a small fraction of the arson fires that are decimating neighborhoods, claiming lives and accelerating the exodus of residents.
The number of fires on Devils’ Night has plummeted since its peak in 1984.
Nearly 40 fires – most of them suspected arsons – broke out in houses, apartments and garages between Thursday and Friday morning in Detroit.
We are blogging details of every fire during Angels’ Night tonight to gauge the Detroit’s response and the severity of the arsons.
The cash-strapped Detroit Fire Department is expected to respond to dozens of arsons as Angels’ Night gets underway. We’ll monitor the action and provide up-to-the-minute updates on every reported fire.