Detroit Firefighters injured in house explosion on East side

**cla1945** · September-22-12, 08:18 AM

Too bad the reporter didn't tell the whole story. The firemen had to call for police because the residents were threatening the firemen. Three injured firefighters doing their jobs and people out there harassing them....I can't believe the mentality of some.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/Detroit-firefighters-injured-in-house-explosion-on-east-side/-/1719418/16684774/-/p69inc/-/index.html

http://www.firefighternation.com/videos/audio-detroit-house-explosion

at 5:55 of the audio you hear the fireman requesting police assistance.

**reddog289** · September-23-12, 02:28 AM

Another case of where I can just shake my head.

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-23-12, 03:48 AM

Maybe the person has mental issues. Or is just really freaked out because the house in front of them just blew up.

Never really know until you hear it from the people involved.

**cla1945** · September-23-12, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

Maybe the person has mental issues. Or is just really freaked out because the house in front of them just blew up.

Never really know until you hear it from the people involved.

Hear it from the people involved??? I did hear it from the people involved...the firemen who were there to put the fire out, the firemen who were there that got injured, the firemen who were there to protect the very person you make excuses for.

If you listened to the audio, the firefighter requested police because of "civilians cursing at them, threatening to do bodily harm to them". That's plural in my book...not just one nut or a freaked out person. If the house blew up, why go after firemen? The last I knew, firemen [[AND police officers) are there to help you.

I get so sick and tired of seeing how so many people will try their hardest to make excuses for someone elses actions. I guess too many just don't want to take responsibility and just admit that there are many of those out there who want to harm others and they don't care who it is. The first step is to take responsibility and admit that is true.

**reddog289** · September-23-12, 01:50 PM

I cleary heard civilians.

BitterAndCynical · September-23-12, 01:59 PM

Just let it burn to the ground and start over.

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-23-12, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by cla1945

Hear it from the people involved??? I did hear it from the people involved...the firemen who were there to put the fire out, the firemen who were there that got injured, the firemen who were there to protect the very person you make excuses for.

Wow. YOU, cla1945, need to take your chill meds pal. Nothing like jumping on someone with an open mind to make yourself look like a bully.

I did listen to the recording. Twice.

Who knows what the hell was going on in that situation other than what was said on the radio. How many civilians were involved? Were any of them or their loved ones injured? Were any of their homes catching fire? How many of them were minors? Or elderly? Or mentally/emotionally incapacitated? Were any of the bystanders related to the injured firemen? Were any arrests made, or did the incident just fizzle out once some proper communication was established?

So you talked with the firefighters on the scene huh? Maybe you could be so kind as to share with the rest of us what the remaining details of this incident were from their perspective. That way people like myself have more to go on than just someone's unquestioning allegance to whatever the person in authority had to say in what amounted to a soundbite.

I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to crucify people on the basis of a 2 sentence request for backup. I dont give a crap if God himself made the call. There's just not enough info for ME to make an informed opinion about [[my opinion, that I'M entitled too). That was my point before you started having a field meltdown about me," trying my hardest to make excuses for others actions."

Emergency Personel are human beings too, subject to human error. Not all of their actions amount to the absolute best practice at helping to save others in certain situations, depending on the information they've been given while trying to deal with the emergency at hand. They have to do the best they can with what they've got. I learned that from other firefighters when I made an attempt to become a firefighter myself, once upon a time.

And BTW, I dont see how its my job to take responsibility for the actions of others. Especially when I dont know them, wasn't there, and don't make the policy decisions that affect all of the people involved in this situation.

**cla1945** · September-23-12, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

Maybe the person has mental issues. Or is just really freaked out because the house in front of them just blew up.

Never really know until you hear it from the people involved.

Don't get your panties all in a twist ....

First, I know what I'm talking about as far as the firefighters are concerned, take my word for it.

Second, it took you one entire paragraph to rationalize what may have caused
several citizens of Detroit to go nuts and threaten firefighters. I would certainly appreciate a fireman/woman's help, I would never threaten them while they were helping me or others. Don't you realize that all it takes is for a person to perceive that they are being disrespected for them to go for the jugular [[as we heard about last night at the "club" in Downtown Detroit.)

Third, It isn't your job to take responsibility for the actions of others...just don't make excuses for their dirty deeds. Just recognize that there are some idiots out there looking to do harm to anyone, everyone, for whatever reason.

I wasn't speaking about policy decisions being made by firemen, I was speaking about the actions of the civilians towards the firemen...there are no excuses.

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-23-12, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by cla1945

Don't get your panties all in a twist ...

Than be nice. You don't have to agree with me or like my second guessing, but you get more bees with honey than you do vinegar. I certainly wasn't shitty to you in my initial post.

You still havent told us what you know. Were these people the type that just "go for the jugular" or was there a reason these people started freaking out on the firefighters? Obviously something went down that wasnt being fully discussed over the radio. Besides the explosion obviously.

**cla1945** · September-23-12, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

Than be nice. You don't have to agree with me or like my second guessing, but you get more bees with honey than you do vinegar. I certainly wasn't shitty to you in my initial post.

You still havent told us what you know. Were these people the type that just "go for the jugular" or was there a reason these people started freaking out on the firefighters? Obviously something went down that wasnt being fully discussed over the radio. Besides the explosion obviously.

When people converge on the scene of a fire or a home invasion or a murder, they tend to rile each other up. They say things that are inflammatory towards the very people who are trying to help. They, more than likely, are the very ones who killed the person, or set the house on fire. They don't need reasons to do this because this is their mentality. There is no reverence for life, no respect for those men and women who are giving their all to Detroit. This is what happened at that fire. As far as I know, the situation was handled. This is an every day occurance in Detroit so it doesn't make the news as much as the murders do. Firefighters have been shot at, spit on, threatened with bodily harm every day...that never makes the newscasts or the papers. The people who die months later, after being knifed or shot are not counted in the "official" murder count....the city fudges the numbers all the time.

**wolverine** · September-23-12, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

Than be nice. You don't have to agree with me or like my second guessing, but you get more bees with honey than you do vinegar. I certainly wasn't shitty to you in my initial post.

You still havent told us what you know. Were these people the type that just "go for the jugular" or was there a reason these people started freaking out on the firefighters? Obviously something went down that wasnt being fully discussed over the radio. Besides the explosion obviously.

Please depart this thread. No one wants to hear your opinion. Not once have you said, "I sure hope the firefighters will be ok." All you've done is type dozens of sentences attempting to excuse the actions of those causing trouble on site.

I don't care who the civilians were. They were threatening firefighters. That's a problem.

**wakeupcall** · September-24-12, 06:11 PM

Hi everyone. I'm posting because I've known some Detroit firefighters over the years, and Im glad we have such great people sticking it out. Firefighters could never earn what they are worth. They had saved my house when the place next door to us burned down.

But I also agree that there isn't a whole lot of details about what happened on the radio, or what happened after. While people shouldn't be threatening other people, firefighters or not, people get freaked out and upset when things happen that's not within their control. That's just people being people. And I think it's good people ask questions about these things. They should not be told that they aren't welcome just because they don't agree or want to know more first. And Im sure the person who is posting doesn't wish harm to firefighters, or they wouldn't give others the benefit of doubt.

Is anybody on DetroitYes a firefighter?

**wolverine** · September-24-12, 07:52 PM

Sorry to react so aggressively earlier in my post. But I've read story after story...even in my hometown of Saginaw where neighbors have thrown bricks at firefighters trying to extinguish the flames.

I can't fathom a situation where firefighter would in some way do something wrong to provoke angry behavior at a scene of disaster. They're under strict training and procedures that keep them focused from distractions.

**detroiturbex** · September-24-12, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by cla1945

Hear it from the people involved??? I did hear it from the people involved...the firemen who were there to put the fire out, the firemen who were there that got injured, the firemen who were there to protect the very person you make excuses for.

If you listened to the audio, the firefighter requested police because of "civilians cursing at them, threatening to do bodily harm to them".

The very last part is from a different fire scene - there were several fires going on at the same time. Engine 9 was at a fire at Gratiot and Binson. Totally different part of the city.

I was at Lamont Street about 15 minutes after the explosion. I saw no cursing, no one even shouting, just firefighters doing everything they could in a very professional and calm manner. The residents I spoke with [[7 or 8 in all) were all very concerned about the firemen, you can hear them talking about it at the end of this video: http://youtu.be/_5cgwDKtY8M?hd=1&t=1m55s

Yes, some civilians got unruly and the police had to be called, but it was at a completely different fire, not connected to the house explosion.

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-24-12, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by wakeupcall

Im sure the person who is posting doesn't wish harm to firefighters, or they wouldn't give others the benefit of doubt.

Welcome to detroityes wakeupcall. Thank YOU for giving me the benefit of the doubt. You're right, I would never wish harm to firefighters for any reason. I didnt think I would need to specifically state that...

I will not be harassed off of this thread. This is MY town, hence the tag...

**wolverine** · September-25-12, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

Welcome to detroityes wakeupcall. Thank YOU for giving me the benefit of the doubt. You're right, I would never wish harm to firefighters for any reason. I didnt think I would need to specifically state that...

I will not be harassed off of this thread. This is MY town, hence the tag...

Yes, but the DYES wakeup call also applies to exaggeration. Which none of those critical of your post ever implied you "wished harm" upon the firefighters.

It's completely understandable to be a skeptic of the situation without all the facts, but it goes both ways. Making an immediate assumption that there could be some rationalized behavior of the civilians has some undertones and is likely to spark reaction.....especially when it applies to a conflicting situation involving people who allegedly are causing trouble and those who save lives.

I'll admit it was rude of me to suggest you stop posting in this thread. But I question why you posted exactly what you did.

**tarkus** · September-25-12, 07:48 AM

Not that anyone has asked but. My best friend was one of the firefighters in the house that exploded. He sustained 2nd degree burns over his face and neck but thankfully is more or less ok. By all rights he said we should have 3 dead fireman as the structure collapsed on them after the explosion. Thank you God for sparing them.

**jcdfde5** · September-25-12, 09:50 AM

You are hearing two different scenes on the radio...

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-25-12, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by wolverine

Making an immediate assumption that there could be some rationalized behavior of the civilians has some undertones and is likely to spark reaction.....especially when it applies to a conflicting situation involving people who allegedly are causing trouble and those who save lives.

I'll admit it was rude of me to suggest you stop posting in this thread. But I question why you posted exactly what you did.

Ok well, apology accepted. Im sorry for the lenghty rant.

I'm not sure what you mean by undertone. Do you mean like a racist or unpatriotic undertone? I think im just being realistic.

Unpredictable behavior can be rationalized depending on the circumstances, unless you don't believe in mental illness or someone standing up for justice. If someone wants to think that public servants come with halos, than OK, people can think that too. But one google search will bring up stories of FFs who have done less than heroic behavior. Is it prolific, no. And Im not saying that it takes away from the limitless heroic behavior that they do exhibit. I'm just saying, no one's perfect, and we are all humans, and some are not blessed with the gift of reason, individually or collectively. Especially in a city like Detroit, the metro area's dumping ground for the poor and mentally unstable.

The reason I posted what I did is because I believe the poor and mentally unstable deserve the benefit of the doubt as well. I guess I've been around enough challenged people living here as long as I have to take them into consideration. Call me a bleeding heart, or whatever...

And I didn't ask about the condition of the FF's, tarkus, because I already asked the firefighters down the street from my house yesterday. But thanks for the update.