Homeowner whose house burned in Detroit firefighters' selfie files lawsuit

Deonte Higginbotham was furious after Detroit firefighters took a selfie in front of his burning home on New Year's Eve. 

The photo of Higginbotham's house burning in the background New Year's Eve went viral. That was over 6 months ago, yet the homeowner says he hasn't heard a thing from the city.

"An apology or something, no one has reached out to us about anything," he said. "I don't know what is going on, they just let our house burn down to the ground and they haven't said anything to us."

The 17 firefighters, who posed in the picture celebrating a fire chief's retirement have been disciplined. But no details of the punishment were ever released.

"We have radio traffic where Ladder 13 knew it was an occupied dwelling," said attorney Steve Haney. "If this this was an abandoned house I still think it is horrible that you have firefighters posing for a commemorative photograph in front of burning structure of any building in Detroit. But the fact that they knew the structure was occupied, it is beyond troubling." 

Haney filing the lawsuit on behalf of Deonte and his family. They are going after the city and its fire department claiming the firefighters were negligent that night.

Pictures show Higginbotham was in the middle of renovating his family's home on Green Street when it caught fire. He wants them to be compensated for the house that was lost.

"I felt for the family, it was the principle, really. It is not a big money case, the house was probably not worth a lot in the first place but there is certainly some relief that I believe they are entitled to, from what the conduct of the firefighters were."

But Haney believes it goes beyond that, saying this would not happen in a neighborhood with different demographics.

"People can argue and disagree but I don't think this would happen in Livonia or happen in Plymouth," Haney said. "You have 17 white firefighters standing in front of a black family's house burning down. It is what it is." 

Initially the Detroit Fire Department said at the time they thought the house was vacant and that the fire was too dangerous to fight on the inside.

Detroit Fire Commissioner Eric Jones said at the time the photo was not professional, but said at this time he cannot comment on pending litigation.