Written by Tanya Terry/Photos by Tanya Terry
At approximately 10:45 a.m., on Wednesday, October 19, flames burst out at Atherton East Apartments.
Chief Raymond Barton of the Flint Fire Department talked to the Courier about the incident.
Barton stated someone informed the fire department there were four units on fire. When firefighters arrived to the site, which was once a public housing complex,, however, only one unit was on fire.
One unit in the apartment complex had heavy fire, causing its roof and walls to collapse. The fire also caused outside damage to a unit that was adjacent to that unit.
According to Barton, one of the arson investigators is looking into the matter. If the investigator finds arson was committed, it will be considered a crime. That information goes to the police department.
“A fire doesn’t just start like that,” Barton said.
Barton said, however, “there were no witnesses or anything to help.”
Barton said the Flint Fire Department calls fires of this nature suspicious. However, only a licensed investigator can call it an arson.
“We rule them as suspicious.,” he added. “We turn them over to the arson investigator. Then, if they find anything to deem it as arson, then at that time it’s classified as arson.”
Barton pointed out even when buildings are vacant, fires themselves cause environmental hazards.
“Then, you have people with respiratory issues and all those things,” he said.
Barton informed the Courier because it was a vacant structure, there were no injuries and there was not much additional information, the state would not be getting involved.
The Atherton East complex was abandoned prior to the fire.
In 2018, Flint received a $30 million federal grant to tear down Atherton East and build mixed-income housing in a different location.
