We’re learning more information about a fire last month on Detroit’s west side.
The house was vacant, and a body that was inside was not found until Wednesday. It is believed to be the son of Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer.
The person was identified as Michael Dwyre through fingerprints. The cause and manner of death are pending with the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The house fire was on October 26 on Bramell. We are told Southfield Police were following up on a missing person’s report and had information about that house.
The body was found two and a half weeks after the fire. No search was done on the day of the fire or even the next day.
There are vastly differing opinions why this is happening over and over in Detroit.
Detroit Firefighters’ Union President Mike Nevin tells 7 Action News, “That would be determined by the chief or arson squad. If arson goes out and says we’d like you guys to get in there and go take another look at this thing, that would be great. But right now we’re undermanned and overtaxed right now and those steps are being missed in our fire department.”
But Chief of the Department Robert Distelrath says Nevin is wrong, “So this circumstance has nothing to do with staffing. The standard box alarm compliment was dispatched. The chief did not request any more resources.”
This is the second time this year that Detroit Fire left behind a body in a house fire.
The body of 18-year-old Kevin McGriff was found five days after the fire was put out at another house on the west side, the gruesome discovery made by a family member with a flashlight.
Ashley Zayti described it to 7 Action News in March, “She flashed her light to go out, and she screamed 'oh my God, someone’s in the house!”
She says he was right out in the open.
Chief Distelrath gives us this reply, “No I wouldn’t say this screams incompetence. There definitely was a failure in procedure.”
But Union President Nevin says it comes down to staffing, “The department has us moving so quick, we are so understaffed and undermanned, and we’re doing too much.”
