Photo appears to show Detroit firefighters posing in front of burning house

‘If this photo is verified, discipline will be in order,’ fire commissioner said

DETROIT – There is controversy surrounding a photo showing Detroit firefighters posing in front of a house that’s engulfed in flames.

The photo has not been verified but is believed to have been taken Tuesday night.

UPDATE: Detroit firefighters who posed in front of burning house for picture will be ‘held accountable’

“I just think if they’re on duty like that they shouldn’t be posing in front of a house that’s on fire,” a woman said. “They need to be worried about putting the fire out.”

The home was vacant. Local 4 has been told the picture was supposed to be a sentimental moment for Battalion Chief Gary Fisher, who was retiring.

The flames were so high firefighters couldn’t fight them from the inside and could only treat the blaze from the outside, defensively.

“There are a lot of ways to celebrate a retirement. Taking a photo in front of a building fire is not one of them. We will investigate this matter and follow the facts where they lead us. If this photo is verified, discipline will be in order,” Fire Commissioner Eric Jones said in a statement.

Officials have not determined what caused the fire.


About the Authors:

Victor Williams joined Local 4 News in October of 2019 after working for WOIO in Cleveland, OH, WLOX News in Biloxi, MS, and WBBJ in Jackson, TN. Victor developed a love for journalism after realizing he was a great speaker and writer at an early age.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.