Nov. 21--A second suspicious fire in nine days has destroyed another home at the Heidelberg Project in Detroit, on the day of the internationally known art installation's annual fundraiser.
Fire broke out at the "Penny House," a two-story home covered with pictures of pennies, on Mount Elliott at Elba at 3:05 a.m., Detroit Fire Senior Chief Doug Lyon said today. The blaze leveled the home.
It was part of an installation created by artist Tyree Guyton. Guyton, transformed his decaying, crime-ridden neighborhood into an interactive sculpture park that now draws about 300,000 visitors annually from around the world.
A Nov. 12 fire destroyed the House of Soul, a building covered with vinyl LPs. Fire first damaged the Obstruction of Justice house on May 3, then the home was burned to the ground on Oct. 5, according to the group. A few days later, fire damaged the Number House and the Penny House.
"There were seven (homes), and we're down to four," Heidelberg spokeswoman Katie Hearn said this morning. "It's disheartening obviously, but it doesn't seem final or tragic because it's part of it all. Tyree is always talking about how you can't fully enjoy the positive if you don't have the negative."
Hearn said a Heidelberg security patrol was in the neighborhood and noticed smoke coming from the Penny House.
"My guess is maybe they were at the other end of the block," Hearn said. "They said it was very quick. They didn't actually see anyone."
Detroit Fire Department Arson Unit Captain Charles Simms said investigators will be at the scene today. He said Arson Unit investigators have been looking into the blazes as suspicious since the Nov. 12 fire.
"We've probably been over there three or four times since the last fire, just going around the neighborhood, asking questions," Simms said this morning. "This could clearly be a case of three or four groups of kids setting these fires. At this point I would consider the possibility of him being targeted by an arsonist. We will continue to pay close attention to the Heidelberg Project area."
Simms said the department's manpower shortage limits investigators, but they intend to pursue the situation as aggressively as possible.
Guyton created the Heidelberg Project in 1986, slowly decorating abandoned homes with colorful designs and found objects.
Hearn said the group is trying to raise funds through a web portal to increase security at the site through Art from the Ashes: Securing a Legacy.
The group's annual fundraiser, "It's All About the D: Encore!," is 6 to 10 p.m. today at the Fine Arts Theatre, 3952 Woodward Ave., in Detroit. Hearn said there will be a special announcement at 6:45 p.m. For information , visit www.heidelberg.org/encore
For information on the events or donations, visit Heidelberg.org or call 313-974-6894.
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