Cleanup Continues in Detroit Neighborhood after Fires

DETROIT - Cleanup continues in a Detroit neighborhood destroyed by fire. The damage is blamed on high winds, downed power lines and a lack of manpower at the fire department.

The buzz of chainsaws can be heard as the smell of smoke remains heavy in the air. The sight of the devastation is all around. Meanwhile, neighbors are wondering how they’re going to pick up the pieces and move forward.

Utilities crews worked to restore power while burned out residents wait and worry trying to protect what they have left from looters.

’Everybody’s slowing down looking, and then you’ve got people asking about the metal and things of that nature,’ said James Jordan, whose home was destroyed by fire. ’We can’t do anything until the insurance appraisers come out.’

It’s a neighborhood in limbo near Seven Mile and Livernois. The El-Amin family had just moved into their new home on Tuesday when the fires started. They were lucky. Their garage and surrounding homes were destroyed, but their house made it through.

’The whole street was like a black cloud. We were just walking through smoke praying that everyone’s house wouldn’t burn up on the block because (the firemen) had such little help,’ said Judy El-Amin. ’They need to put some money into the fire department. The really do.’

’I would love to have more people, and I would love to have more equipment, but we have to live with what we have,’ said Detroit Fire Commissioner James Mack.

He says Detroit has been denied federal funds call SAFER Grants to better staff the fire department. He doesn’t know why they’ve been denied, but they’re applying again.

’We’re asking for 90 firefighters, and we’re hoping that we get those 90 firefighters because, like everybody keeps saying, we could use them. We just got to be able to afford them,’ Mack said.

Take it from the firefighters on the front lines, such as Sgt. Brian Allen, who was one of the people manning the hoses Tuesday night.

’We need that extra help just to protect us while we protect and serve the city,’ he said.

Firefighters are urging citizens to contact their senators and representatives in congress and tell them Detroit needs help.

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Contact Your Senators and Representative in Congress

Rep. Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick
Website: http://kilpatrick.house.gov/index2.aspx
Washington Office: (202) 225-2261
Detroit Office: (313) 965-9004
Detroit Office: (313) 965-9005
Downriver Office: (313) 297-6951

Rep. John Conyers
Website: http://conyers.house.gov
Washington Office: (202) 225-5126
Detroit Office: (313) 961-5670
Trenton / Downriver Office: (734) 675-4084

Find Other Representatives in Congress
Website: www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#mi

Sen. Carl Levin
Website: http://levin.senate.gov
Washington Office: (202) 224-6221
Detroit Office: (313) 226-6020

Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Website: http://stabenow.senate.gov
Washington Office: (202) 224-4822
Southeast Michigan Office: (313) 961-4330

State Sen. Hansen Clarke
Website: www.senate.michigan.gov/clarke
Phone Number: (877) 252-7537