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Flint Firefighters Battle Fires as Layoffs Start
FLINT, Mich. - Crews battled at least five fires in Flint on Thursday, the same day the city began laying off a quarter of its firefighters as part of an effort to close its estimated $8 million budget deficit.
The early morning fires broke out at four vacant homes and an empty 4-story apartment building, Battalion Chief Andy Graves said. They follow four fires at vacant homes Wednesday that Graves said left one firefighter injured when a ceiling collapsed and another firefighter burned.
"They're all being investigated as suspicious," Graves said.
Mayor Dayne Walling said Wednesday that barring a last-minute agreement with unions, the city expected to lay off 23 of 88 firefighters and 46 of 150 police officers, nearly a third of the city's police officers.
A message seeking comment was left Thursday morning for a city spokeswoman.
Some Fire Department layoffs took effect Thursday as firefighters came off duty, Graves said, while others were to take effect Friday. Flint is closing two of its five fire stations as part of the cost-cutting effort.
A firefighters union official said Walling's layoffs were an open invitation to arsonists.
"The mayor painted a pretty appealing picture for them," said Mark Kovach, vice president of Flint Firefighters Union Local 352. He said the layoffs leave Flint with half the firefighters it needs to adequately do the job.
The battered industrial city has been hard-hit by the loss of tens of thousands of auto industry jobs over recent decades. Its population has fallen to about 115,000 from a peak of about 197,000, leaving behind crumbling neighborhoods and vacant homes.
A person of interest was spotted at the scene of some of the fires Thursday, but Graves didn't know whether investigators spoke with that person.
A message seeking details was left Thursday for police.
The firefighters injured Wednesday were treated at a hospital and released, Graves said. Kovach said one had second-degree burns and the other had a concussion from a roof collapse.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The early morning fires broke out at four vacant homes and an empty 4-story apartment building, Battalion Chief Andy Graves said. They follow four fires at vacant homes Wednesday that Graves said left one firefighter injured when a ceiling collapsed and another firefighter burned.
"They're all being investigated as suspicious," Graves said.
Mayor Dayne Walling said Wednesday that barring a last-minute agreement with unions, the city expected to lay off 23 of 88 firefighters and 46 of 150 police officers, nearly a third of the city's police officers.
A message seeking comment was left Thursday morning for a city spokeswoman.
Some Fire Department layoffs took effect Thursday as firefighters came off duty, Graves said, while others were to take effect Friday. Flint is closing two of its five fire stations as part of the cost-cutting effort.
A firefighters union official said Walling's layoffs were an open invitation to arsonists.
"The mayor painted a pretty appealing picture for them," said Mark Kovach, vice president of Flint Firefighters Union Local 352. He said the layoffs leave Flint with half the firefighters it needs to adequately do the job.
The battered industrial city has been hard-hit by the loss of tens of thousands of auto industry jobs over recent decades. Its population has fallen to about 115,000 from a peak of about 197,000, leaving behind crumbling neighborhoods and vacant homes.
A person of interest was spotted at the scene of some of the fires Thursday, but Graves didn't know whether investigators spoke with that person.
A message seeking details was left Thursday for police.
The firefighters injured Wednesday were treated at a hospital and released, Graves said. Kovach said one had second-degree burns and the other had a concussion from a roof collapse.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jim Tilbe on
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When you lose one quarter of the department, that means that all of the young firefighters have been laid off. This creates a very dangerous situation for those left behind, and the city itself.
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Permalink Reply by Wayne Martin Harvey on
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Laying off of essential service personnel is surely not the way to fix a budget. Has there been a lay off of other personnel such as plumbers and electricians and local government councilors?
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Permalink Reply by Rusty Hampton on
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11 sanitation workers are supposed to be laid off and trash pick up changed to every other week, I don't see that lasting
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Permalink Reply by Derrill on
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Unfortunately our brothers and sisters from Flint have been dealing with staff reductions for years. In 2003 they had 126 firefighters and now the city will reduce their staffing to 65! This is hard for us (firefighters) to comprehend, but this is the political wave of the present and future. There is no light at then end of this tunnel.
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