Detroit's fires on Sept. 7, Hollywood's playground, budget cuts or natural disasters?

On September 7, 2010, Detroit, Michigan had 85 fires in one night. Mayor Dave Bing called it a natural disaster in a 4 hour period.

The fires were in three Detroit neighborhoods. In Rush's northwest side neighborhood has brick homes and the properties are kept up, if you go several miles east to Robinwood there you will find the heaviest damage to vacant houses.

This scene on Robinwood Street was repeated throughout Detroit on the evening of September 7th, 2010. Detroit's worst fire since the 1980's was caused by collapse of hundreds of power lines, that could of been fixed if the Detroit Fire Department was not under-staffed due to DTE’s neglect of the power grid and the city’s cutbacks to fire protection. Over the ensuing four hours,fierce winds and dry conditions spread the fires, destroying or damaging at least 85 structures.

Some houses are separated by vacant lots where homes once stood. The neighborhood is among Detroit's most desperate. The other fires spread across various parts of the east side also are among the poorest in Detroit. There was no lost of lives during these fires, but a lost of homes.

In a city with it's troubles. A third of working age adults are jobless. Foreclosure rates are high and so is crime. The city has wrestled for years with blighted neighborhoods filled with abandoned and ramshackle houses and trash-filled vacant, lots with overgrown weeds. In a city where it has already been effected by the take over the auto industry which led to a high crime rate, deep budget cuts and high foreclosures is this what is to be left of Detroit? In doing budget cuts in cities and states, do we need to cut the essential services that the people in those areas need?

A burned home is seen through a remaining entryway of another home on Detroit's east side, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010. Wind-whipped flames swept through at least three Detroit neighborhoods, destroying dozens of homes, including many that were vacant, officials said. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Residents had stated that they called 911 were some did not get any answer and some were on the line for 90 minutes . Is Detroit becoming Hollywood's playground now? Two weeks after these fires, ABC debuted it's new show this evening September 21, 2010 as Detroit 1-8-7.

TV Reviews

'Detroit 1-8-7'

When: 10 tonight, ABC.

Starring: Michael Imperioli.

'Glee'

When: 8 tonight, Fox.

Starring: Jane Lynch.

'Undercovers'

When: 8 p.m. Wednesday, NBC.

Starring: Boris Kodjoe.

How can we ever forget the lost of a 7 year old , Ayana Jones in the making of an A&E show. Is reality shows going to continue to contribute to the lost of lives and homes and towns and cities across the USA? When a city or a state has fallen is it time to make a t.v. show about it or do we show love and help bring it back up?

James Jordan points to the devastation in his neighborhood

Did this happen to Detroit for profits for Hollywood? Should anyone profit off of the loss of a community or city and state? We seen that happen with Katrina, in New Orleans. http://www.newser.com/article/d9i3uic80/detroit-mayor-defends-response-to-85-fires-fanned-by-high-winds-terms-them-natural-disaster.html http://www.firetrainingsite.com/article-sept-7-detroit-how-many-fires.html http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/wind-whipped-fires-add-608878.html http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/sep2010/fire-s17.shtml