DETROIT (AP) β The number of fires in Detroit over the recently completed three-day Halloween period was among the lowest in years, city officials said.
Only 52 fires were reported between Thursday and midnight Sunday, with about two dozen believed to have been suspicious in origin, Mayor Mike Duggan's office said in a news release. Last year, 97 fires were reported.
Duggan credited volunteers and the annual Angels' Night anti-arson campaign with keeping fires down.
The Angels' Night campaign is a long-running response to what used to be known as Devil's Night, the day before Halloween. In 1984, Detroit had more than 800 fires during the time period.
More than 4,000 people volunteered to help patrol Detroit streets and neighborhoods this year. Residents also stepped up to monitor any suspicious activity around the thousands of vacant houses and buildings, and city officials continued a curfew to keep youth off streets during overnight hours.
"I can't say enough about the dedicated volunteers who have come out year after year," Duggan said Sunday. "This is their accomplishment. This was a total community effort."
Firefighters responded to blazes in 10 occupied and 25 vacant structures. There also were 14 garage fires and one vehicle fire.
Two people were arrest in connection with arsons. Police also picked up 14 minors age 17 or younger for violating curfew.
