Community Angels’ Night Efforts Successful; Fires Below 100 for 4th Straight Year


DETROIT, MI - The years where Detroit would suffer through hundreds of fires during Halloween week appear to be over. For the fourth year in a row, Detroit experienced fewer than 100 fires during the three-day Angels’ Night period, Mayor Mike Duggan, Fire Commissioner Edsel Jenkins and Police Chief James Craig announced today. The city closed out this year’s campaign with 97 reported fires of all types from Wednesday, October 29th through Friday, October 31st.

With only a few exceptions, Angels’ Night fires have declined steadily since the 1980s when they peaked at more than 800 over the three day period. Since 2011 the number has held in the 90s after a busy 2010 when 167 fires were reported.

Of the 97 fires reported this year, fewer than half – 43 – have been deemed suspicious, according to Fire Department investigators. The majority of the reports were non-suspicious fires in occupied homes, vehicle fires and trash container fires.

“The entire Detroit community came together this week,” Mayor Duggan said, thanking the more than 3,000 volunteers who patrolled the city in cars, on bikes, and on foot. “The day will come when we’ve removed all the abandoned buildings from this city,” the Mayor added. “Until then, we will continue the Angels Night community effort.”

The Mayor also thanked the nearly 50 major sponsors who supported the Angels’ Night campaign, including Comerica Bank, Marathon and Rizzo Environmental Services, as well as White Castle, which offered free meals to all volunteers.



The Mayor, Chief Craig and Fire Commissioner Jenkins each praised the work of fire fighters and police officers in keeping the city safe over the past three nights.

Below is a breakdown of fires by type over the three day period, as well as the numbers from the final night of the campaign. Of the total number of fires in each category, ones that are deemed suspicious are shown in (parenthesis.)

FINAL NUMBERS
Time Period: 12:01 AM Oct. 29 – 12:00 AM November 1
Total Fires: 97 (43 suspicious)

Occupied Vacant Vehicle Garage Trash
Structures Structures Fires Fires Fires
31 (5) 43 (27) 10 (8) 3 (2) 10 (1)


DAY THREE (October 29th)
Time Period: 12:01 AM Oct. 31 – 12:00 AM November 1
Total Fires: 31 (12 suspicious)

Occupied Vacant Vehicle Garage Trash
Structures Structures Fires Fires Fires
11 (1) 11 (8) 3 (2) 1 (1) 5 (0)


Additional Stats
3,900 Patrol and community group volunteers who participated in the Angels’ Night Effort
500: Approximate number of Abandoned Vehicles towed leading up to Angels’ Night
47: Number of Fire Net teams during campaign
24: Curfew Violators picked up (down from 41 last year and 126 the year before)
3: Arson suspect arrests

$50,000: Cash donations to Angel’s Night campaign
 Comerica Bank, $6,500
 Marathon, $5,000
 Rizzo Environmental Services, $5,000
$40,000: Value of in-kind contributions
 White Castle provided free burgers and drinks to volunteers.

Angels’ Night Fires Trend

YEAR FIRES
1984 810
1994 354
2010 169
2011 94
2012 93
2013 95
2014 97