Indian Village House Fire Question

**Detroit** · April-09-10, 03:50 PM

Does anyone remember hearing about a house fire in Indian Village back in March 1975? I was wondering if anyone knows whether the house was torn down or gutted and rebuilt. I was told that the fire was reported in the news media but have not been able to find anything on it. I know that 2 adults and 1 child were killed in the fire. Any help would be appreciated.

**detroitbob** · April-09-10, 05:03 PM

There was a fire in the first block of Burns [[n of Jefferson) the huge "field" stone house on the west side of the street. Has been restored. don't remember about any deaths reported, but if memory serves correct this happened in that period.

Bearinabox · April-09-10, 06:02 PM

Gotta love that handle. I am Detroit and so can you!

**Krawlspace** · April-14-10, 09:52 AM

I have a copy of the news coverage from the Burns fire on VHS tape.
My family lived in IV from 1975 until 1997. My father went to help other resident volunteers clean debris and water out of the house after DFD finished their work. I agree with detroitbob that the house has been restored and there were no deaths, however I think that fire was in '77 or '78. I do know of another fire from that same time that occurred on Seminole where family members did die from smoke inhalation. I grew up as friends with some relatives of the family involved, but it wasn't spoken of often. I recall the house was on the block south of Vernor on the west side, but I could be mistaken. To my knowledge the house was repaired and still stands.

Interesting side note on the Burns house: it was originally built in England I believe, and then dissembled, shipped to Detroit, and rebuilt in IV. The twist was that during reassembly, the owner had the blueprints held up to a mirror, reversing the entire original layout of the home.

**EastsideAl** · April-14-10, 11:46 AM

My family's house on Seminole caught on fire in 1979 due to some faulty electrical work. Our attic and roof burned pretty extensively, and there was some water damage from the fire hoses, but there were certainly no injuries at all. It was all repaired within a few months.

I honestly don't remember another fire on Seminole during that time, but I also was absorbed in my late teen life and wasn't around there all that much in those days.

**Detroit** · April-15-10, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Krawlspace

I have a copy of the news coverage from the Burns fire on VHS tape.
My family lived in IV from 1975 until 1997. My father went to help other resident volunteers clean debris and water out of the house after DFD finished their work. I agree with detroitbob that the house has been restored and there were no deaths, however I think that fire was in '77 or '78. I do know of another fire from that same time that occurred on Seminole where family members did die from smoke inhalation. I grew up as friends with some relatives of the family involved, but it wasn't spoken of often. I recall the house was on the block south of Vernor on the west side, but I could be mistaken. To my knowledge the house was repaired and still stands.

Interesting side note on the Burns house: it was originally built in England I believe, and then dissembled, shipped to Detroit, and rebuilt in IV. The twist was that during reassembly, the owner had the blueprints held up to a mirror, reversing the entire original layout of the home.

I am guessing that it may be the fire on Seminole... The home was owned by Wilbur Willis. His wife, Vera, their daughter in law, Lorraine and a child also named Lorraine died in the fire. It was started by a cigarette couch. Does any of that sound familar?

**Krawlspace** · April-15-10, 11:33 AM

Yeah, Detroit, that is indeed the fire and the folks involved.
I was wondering what you might be researching this for?

Also, here is the link to the video of the news coverage of the Burns fire.
You can see my father in the yellow hard hat sweeping out debris.
The coverage begins at 0:50.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYUnW9w71f8

Props to my brother for transferring and posting it.

**EastsideAl** · April-15-10, 02:22 PM

I remember the Willis family. But I don't remember the fire, which may mean that it happened after I left town in the 80s. Their house was just south of Charlevoix on Seminole and that house is still standing and occupied, so I assume the fire damage was repaired.

**Krawlspace** · April-15-10, 02:34 PM

Same family, but a different branch and house involved in the fire. The house off Charlevoix was not the one involved.

**Detroit** · April-15-10, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Krawlspace

Yeah, Detroit, that is indeed the fire and the folks involved.
I was wondering what you might be researching this for?

Also, here is the link to the video of the news coverage of the Burns fire.
You can see my father in the yellow hard hat sweeping out debris.
The coverage begins at 0:50.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYUnW9w71f8

Props to my brother for transferring and posting it.

Wilbur was the brother of my grandfather. I was told about the fire many times over the years and my father remembered it was on the news or in the paper... I was just trying to find any coverage of it. I am working on a Family history. I never met any of the relatives on that line except for the second cousin that caused the fire when he fell asleep on the couch. Wilbur and Vera's oldest son, Robert [[who died a few months back) still owned a house on Seminole, but I was not sure if it was the same house, just repaired.

**Patrick** · April-15-10, 07:20 PM

Awesome, Dr. Brunk is even being interviewed at the end!

**Krawlspace** · April-16-10, 10:07 AM

Different house entirely. I spent the better part of my teen years and several of my 20's at that house as I was best friends with Bob and Judy's sons John & David. I think Judy still lives there, possibly with their youngest, James and his wife.. The second cousin you mentioned lived there for a long time as well, before moving to the Michigan and Lonyo area. We spent a lot of time over there too. He has since passed, although I don't know when, according to Bob's newspaper obituary.

**Detroit** · April-16-10, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Krawlspace

Different house entirely. I spent the better part of my teen years and several of my 20's at that house as I was best friends with Bob and Judy's sons John & David. I think Judy still lives there, possibly with their youngest, James and his wife.. The second cousin you mentioned lived there for a long time as well, before moving to the Michigan and Lonyo area. We spent a lot of time over there too. He has since passed, although I don't know when, according to Bob's newspaper obituary.

Yeah, Growning up my grandmother and I use to go over to visit Larry over at the Michigan and Lonyo area. He use to always get mad that my grandmother actually came to that neighborhood. He was certainly an interesting guy. My grandmother always talked about going over to Robert's house since her son lived on W. Grand Blvd, but unfortunately we never made it over there.

**Krawlspace** · April-21-10, 11:26 AM

Yeah Larry was quite an individual.
I learned to drive when I was 13 and he was too inebriated to go to the liquor store. He bought me a Juggs magazine to thank me and complained all the way home that I was driving too close to the parked cars. All this in a 1975 Chrysler New Yorker.
I also recall chasing some ne'er do well women he had living there out after they robbed him. He would tell us of using empty beer cans to tig weld kick plates in the Chryslers he was building on the Jefferson Plant line.
One day I might tell you about the time he wanted to teach my younger brother how to play Pinochle.
Many, many good memories from that family.

**laughin888** · April-25-10, 10:07 PM

I used to live in the house in question, it was 1022 Seminole. My Aunt Vera died in the fire along with her daughter in law & granddaughter. My parents purchased the house after the fire and fixed it up. We lived there for about 3 years before selling. The house indeed still stands. In fact, it will be one of the houses featured in this year's home & garden tour. I'd love to go back and see it.

Has anyone ever heard the ole ghost tale about the crying woman of Indian Village? I often wondered if it took place at that house. My Aunt Vera would have survived but she went back in to save her granddaughter and neither of them made it back out. I wondered if the crying woman was my Aunt. God bless her soul.

**sumas** · April-26-10, 04:40 AM

My sister and her ex almost bought the house after the fire. My sister decided against it because it bothered her that a child died there.

**Pam** · April-26-10, 07:44 AM

The house indeed still stands. In fact, it will be one of the houses featured in this year's home & garden tour. I'd love to go back and see it.

I just checked the site and tickets are on sale now for this year's tour.

http://www.historicindianvillage.org...ardentour.html

**Detroit** · April-30-10, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by laughin888

I used to live in the house in question, it was 1022 Seminole. My Aunt Vera died in the fire along with her daughter in law & granddaughter. My parents purchased the house after the fire and fixed it up. We lived there for about 3 years before selling. The house indeed still stands. In fact, it will be one of the houses featured in this year's home & garden tour. I'd love to go back and see it.

Has anyone ever heard the ole ghost tale about the crying woman of Indian Village? I often wondered if it took place at that house. My Aunt Vera would have survived but she went back in to save her granddaughter and neither of them made it back out. I wondered if the crying woman was my Aunt. God bless her soul.

Could you please contact me off the board. My email is mtwillis2005@yahoo.com

Thanks

**Christie Willis Crolley** · March-15-16, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit

Does anyone remember hearing about a house fire in Indian Village back in March 1975? I was wondering if anyone knows whether the house was torn down or gutted and rebuilt. I was told that the fire was reported in the news media but have not been able to find anything on it. I know that 2 adults and 1 child were killed in the fire. Any help would be appreciated.

This was my family. My grandma Vera, my sister Lori [[Lorraine) and my cousin Patty all died in the fire. Somebody posted that it was Vera's daughter in law but it wasn't. It was her granddaughter who happens to have the same name as my mom. So it was one adult [[my grandma Vera), one teenager who was my sister Lori [[age 15) and one child [[my cousin Patty). My grandpa Wilber and my Uncle Larry are the only ones who made it out of the house alive. The house was never leveled it was restored.

**Honky Tonk** · March-16-16, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by Christie Willis Crolley

This was my family. My grandma Vera, my sister Lori [[Lorraine) and my cousin Patty all died in the fire. Somebody posted that it was Vera's daughter in law but it wasn't. It was her granddaughter who happens to have the same name as my mom. So it was one adult [[my grandma Vera), one teenager who was my sister Lori [[age 15) and one child [[my cousin Patty). My grandpa Wilber and my Uncle Larry are the only ones who made it out of the house alive. The house was never leveled it was restored.

I'm sorry for your tragic loss.

**Christie Willis Crolley** · March-16-16, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I'm sorry for your tragic loss.

Thank you, my family never was the same after this tragedy. But by the Lords goodness and grace I go on.

**laughin888** · October-14-17, 08:54 PM

My understanding is that Larry's wife died which would've been Vera's daughter-in-law, Lorraine and their baby Patty. My parents bought the house after the fire and restored it.

**Hallamhouse** · December-26-17, 07:57 PM

No, it was not Larry's wife that died in the house fire. It was my grandma Vera, my cousin Lorraine, and my cousin Patty. Patty and Lorraine were cousins and Vera was their grandmother.

Originally Posted by laughin888

My understanding is that Larry's wife died which would've been Vera's daughter-in-law, Lorraine and their baby Patty. My parents bought the house after the fire and restored it.

**Meddle** · December-27-17, 11:50 AM

OK, so we have Detroit, Christie and Hallam all stating they are family members yet they don't seem to be in contact with each other and post here a couple of times.

Am I misreading, or are you all in contact with each other?