DETROIT (WXYZ) — Following a report on 7 Action News, the city of Detroit cleared thousands of abandoned tires on the west side.
"When your story came out, we were pretty impatient we just forged ahead," said Detroit attorney Lawrence Garcia.
The nuisance property was a danger to people who call go to sleep at night in the Happy Homes neighborhood.
"It's a great example of Detroit government at work," Garcia said.
The big mess was off Ward near Schoolcraft Rd. A former tire disposal company went out of business and didn't clear the lot before taking off. The mounds of tires reached 15 feet into the air.
There was also a disabled vehicle and neighbors say a breeding ground for insects.
The before and after pictures of the site tell the story.
"I'm just so, so happy," said Happy Homes' neighborhood association president Charlotte Blackwell.
Crews hauled away and properly disposed of the tires.
The city said they tried to force the property owner to remove the tires a year ago through the court system. However, the owner filed an injunction.
Despite the effort, the city finished the job two weeks after 7 Action News reported about the eyesore.
"Let's stop complaining about what's not right and do what we have to do to bring our neighborhood back," Blackwell said. "I'm ready for the fight."
The price of the clean-up was $150,000 according to the city.
