No holiday break: Detroit firefighters battle fires across city

Several fires break out across the city on Thanksgiving

DETROIT – It's no holiday for Detroit Firefighters. Their day began well before dawn fighting another fire at the Heidelberg Project. Security there reports they saw a suspect run from the "War House" at the project around 5:15, moments later the house was fully engulfed in fire.

It is the fourth house at the project to be destroyed.

Detroit arson investigators along with federal authorities are working to catch the person that is destroying artist Tyree Guyton's work.

Fire crews also had their work cut out for them this morning at Victoria and & Mitchell. That's where a fire at a vacant house jumped and burned the house next door.

On the west side, another fire woke people up on Stout Street.

Fire broke out inside an occupied home, but the renter there is on vacation. He'll return to a total loss.

The home next door was packed with family members in town to celebrate Thanksgiving. They're giving thanks to the Detroit Firefighters who made sure the fire didn't spread to their home.

"That's the first thing I told the firefighters. Please spray my house. And they did." The woman living next door tells Local 4.

Meantime, Detroit Firefighters are thankful for a $24 million dollar grant headed their way from the Department of Homeland Security. The grant money is set aside to make sure fire departments have adequate staffing.

The money will help Detroit Fire hire 150 badly needed firefighters.


About the Author:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.