Detroit Firefighters in the Hot Seat for Taking Selfies at Fires [VIDEO]
Several Detroit firefighters including the Deputy Fire Commissioner are taking heat for posing for pictures in front of burning houses.
The first photo of roughly 20 firefighters was taken in front of a home that was burning on New Year's Eve. That home has been in Deontae Higginbotham's family for 50 years, and Higginbotham tells WXYZ he was in the midst of a remodeling project.
"This is not a good look for them," he said. "They are called firefighters for a reason to put out fires not to take selfies."
Firefighters maintain that they had made sure everyone was out of the home and that it was unsafe for crews to battle the blaze from within.
The department's internal investigation says that someone made a suggestion that a photo be taken with the retiring battalion chief in front of the house.
As of late, a second photo has surfaced. This one shows Fire Commissioner Eric Jones posing with Deputy Commissioner Dave Fornell in front of a burning building in Detroit. That photo can be seen here. There is a question as to when the photo was taken. Claims have been made that it may have been snapped before the pair were employed in their current capacity.
A lawyer for the Higginbotham family says they may be taking the case to court. The family did not have insurance on the home.