Several fires burning structures across Detroit

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit Free Press

Posted: 7:28 p.m. Sept. 7, 2010 | Updated: 7:46 p.m. today
Several fires burning structures across Detroit
FREE PRESS STAFF


High winds are fueling fires burning at dozens of homes in multiple neighborhoods throughout the city of Detroit.

Detroit Fire dispatch reported that as of 7 p.m. there were no reports of deaths or serious injuries from fires at 20 locations.

About 20 structures were reported burning in the area of Quinn Street near 7 Mile and Van Dyke on the city’s east side and spread over three side streets. Fires also have been reported at other locations on the city’s east side, including McClellan and Berry and McClellan at Murray.

Near Detroit’s border with Hamtramck, fires are reported at Carpenter and Fenelon and along Luce and Bloom, and Moenart streets, where a total of at least 15 fires are reported. On the city’s west side, multiple houses are ablaze at Curtis and Livernois.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20100907/NEWS02/100907050/1318/Several-fires-burning-structures-across-Detroit#ixzz0ytNHd46l

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Just when you thought nothing else could happen.

[maryf]

1. wow, how much can they take?nt

[stevedeshazer]

2. Yikes. That is scary.

Detroit certainly has had it's share of misfortune.

Enough piling on the D. Hope something good happens.

[wookie72]

3. Of course, October 30th is coming up... nt

[antigone382]

4. These fires were apparently all caused by downed powerlines

Tree branches have been snapping off due to high winds, snapping powerlines and spreading fires very quickly. Freakish and tragic, but apparently accidental.

[wookie72]

5. That's a little comforting.

Although I'm guessing that with unemployment high, Devil's Night might be pretty scary this year.

[spartan61]

6. I didn't realize that Detroit

still had Devil's Night.

[wookie72]

7. I think it has calmed down

But a lot of places have a "mischief night" the night before Halloween. Detroit's is the only one I know where arson was part of the "festivities."

[spartan61]

9. It sure doesn't make any sense,

does it? I remember hearing about it when I was a kid growing up Downriver.

[wookie72]

10. I admit that I only heard about it

because our Canadian cable showed Detroit TV in the mid 80s.

[alfredo]

12. In the early seventies there were a lot of abandoned homes

west of Wayne State University. If devil's night didn't get them "lightning" would.

[wookie72]

14. Wow, what a depressing place to live nt

[alfredo]

15. That's why I left.

I felt I was pushing my luck living there.

[Romulox]

19. Your posts to this thread are ignorant and misinformed. You're now backpedaling. nt

[wookie72]

21. The only thing I was misinformed about

Was the nature of this fire. Calm the hell down.

[Romulox]

23. And the date. By 53 days. nt

[wookie72]

25. All I said was that it was "coming up."

53 days isn't that long - less that two months.

So maybe Devil's Night hasn't been so bad lately. But the economic conditions aren't great.

[wordpix]

27. one phrase: infrastructure spending

I wonder how old and decrepit those powerlines were

[Romulox]

18. This has nothing to do with Devil's Night (check your calendar, RTFA)

:hi:

[wookie72]

20. Dude, chill

I realized that this had nothing to do with Devil's Night. That doesn't change that it could be a pretty bad one this year, with more people unemployed and desperate.

[Romulox]

22. Nope. You don't get to casually shit on my community based on sloppy suppositions.

:hi:

[wookie72]

24. "casually shit on my community"

No, that was the government and GM that did that. Whatever.

[shraby]

8. In the subsequent pages of the story, the major problem

is the lack of fire departments and equipment. They've had to close down a lot of them.

[alfredo]

11. Devil's night came early this year.

But this time it is the economy setting these fires.

[IndianaGreen]

13. Great video coverage at the link

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/detroit-fire-battling-several-blazes-20100907-wpms

[Bozita]

16. link to Detroit Fire Dept. radio feed ...

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=805

[Cal Carpenter]

17. Winds whip up at least 85 fires across Detroit

This makes me sick to my stomach. :(

Winds whip up at least 85 fires across Detroit
Firefighters battle downed power lines, hot weather

BY CECIL ANGEL, MELANIE D. SCOTT, BILL LAITNER, GINA DAMRON and SUZETTE HACKNEY
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS


Detroit firefighters had to battle strong winds, hot and dry conditions, downed power lines and a lack of equipment and manpower at the same time they fought about 85 fires that erupted in four hours Tuesday afternoon.


No fatalities or serious injuries were reported, though dozens of homes were destroyed -- including 18 vacant houses, two occupied homes and nine garages in the Van Dyke and 7 Mile area. American Red Cross volunteers were helping dozens of residents who were burned out, spokesman Gary Krupczak said.

Fire officials blamed most of the fires on downed electrical wires, though the cause of some fires remained under investigation. DTE Energy, which reported as many as 50,000 people without power due to the winds, said Tuesday night it had launched its own investigation.

The National Weather Service said wind gusts up to 40-50 m.p.h. had combined with a lack of rain and other factors to create "explosive fire growth potential."


more...


http://www.freep.com/article/20100908/NEWS01/9080487/1318/Winds-whip-up-at-least-85-fires-across-Detroit

[snooper2]

26. Appears Mother Nature is taking the land back

nt

[Doremus]

28. Where are the fires in the well-to-do neighborhoods?

Guess they conveniently didn't have to close any fire depts. in those neighborhoods, huh?

Wow, how lucky can you be. :sarcasm:

[wordpix]

29. freep.com? Maybe the Free Press needs a new URL