Detroit fires down during first Angel's Night

The number of fires during the first day of Angel's Night in Detroit were lower than year-over-year statistics, Mayor Mike Duggan's office announced today.

More than 3,500 volunteers signed up to patrol this year; only 1,700 volunteered in 2013. Between midnight Wednesday and midnight Thursday, there were 28 fires in Detroit, down from 33 during the same timeframe in 2013, the city said in a news release. Of this year's total, seven fires have initially been deemed suspicious, whereas 16 were labeled as such last year. 

In a statement issued Thursday, Fire Commission Edsel Jenkins said: “Our volunteers already have done a great job keeping our neighborhoods safe, and we know they will be ready for Angel’s Night tonight."

During that 24-hour period, the city says the breakdown of the 28 fires is as follows (with the amount labeled as suspicious in parentheses): Occupied structures, 11 (2); vacant structures, 12 (3); vehicle fires, 2 (1); garage fires, 1 (1); and, trash fires, 2 (0). 

City officials have encouraged residents during the rest of the week to turn on their outside lights from dusk until morning, report suspicious activity to the Detroit Police Department, and to place refuse containers or bulk items at the curb before 7 a.m. only on the morning of collection day.l 

To volunteer for Angel's Night, the city asks anyone to call 313-224-4415 or visit the city's website at detroitmi.gov.

In this week's Metro Times, we zeroed-in on the issue of arson in Detroit. Check out those stories here, here, and here.