Arson in the Northwest Community Organization area

A documentary about an epidemic of arson in West Town, and the lack of responsiveness from officials.

00:19Copy video clip URL A narrator describes West Town as being “made up of poor or middle class Latino families” and details the neighborhood’s geographical boundaries. “This area has been hit by over 600 fires in the past two years, and the residents feel that these fires are more than just coincidence.” Some visual distortion. The video, the narrator explains, will explore the problems caused by arson. 

00:58Copy video clip URL In an office, a man describes the problem of arson in the Northwest Community Organization area, where they’ve suffered seven fires in just the past four days, several of them causing fatalities, “and yet nothing was done.” 

01:40Copy video clip URL A woman describes her experiences with the fires and the lack of police action, in Spanish. 

03:44Copy video clip URL A “Focus Report” from Bill Kurtis, reporter for Channel 2 CBS about a fatal fire on Thomas St. that killed 7 people.

04:52Copy video clip URL Rev. John Larson an Father John Hillenbrand discuss the probability that buildings in the neighborhood have been burned down for insurance money or other financial motives. 

05:27Copy video clip URL A demonstration at which the speaker addresses landlords’ destruction and abandonment of buildings in their community, tying those to the recent epidemic of arson.  

06:24Copy video clip URL Static. Distortion. 

06:41Copy video clip URL The demonstration. The speaker decries the neglect and unresponsiveness of their local government representative. He asserts the need for productive solutions to hardship in their community. 

08:30Copy video clip URL Black. Some audible sounds. 

27:20Copy video clip URL Picture returns briefly. Focus adjustment.