Illegal dumpers pollute vacant lot on Detroit's east side

DETROIT (WJBK) - Complaints about Girardin Street caused a security guard across the street to contact FOX 2.

"They just open the gate, it is easy to open and they move it out of the way, and come right on in," said Keesa Brown who works across the street from the illegal dump.

"I can't even tell you the words (to describe the smell), it is awful, it is a hazard to your health."

Brown is a security guard at Mac Casting on the Detroit and Hamtramck border. Across the street is a vacant lot that has become that illegal dumping site.

"I see them (dump) all the time every day," Brown said. "They come and open the gate, they put their trailers in there, they dump their stuff off and they just take off."

Brown even snapped pictures of a suspected dumper and his vehicle. She says she's been trying to get a hold of the city for months.

"I have called the illegal dumping number," she said. "I have left messages no one will get back to me so I end up calling you guys."

FOX 2 contacted the city and told the whole story, sending pictures and talking about the horrendous smell. 

One of the employees said the smell was so bad one day they had to send workers home.

"It smells worse then a dead person ok," Brown said.

The city now has a team of people working on this problem - including people from the department of public works and the police department.

"I thank you guys for saving us," Brown said. "we're doing a progress cause you're here and you're don't a story about it."

And Keesa has a message to the illegal dumpers.

"Stop dumping over here, this is not a dump," she said. "We have a working company -  this is the not a dumping place."