Philadelphia Weekly

SCREEN

"Burn," New Doc About Detroit Firefighters, Screens in Philly

By L.K. Murray

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Jul. 24, 2012

Death and danger are nothing new for firefighters in Philadelphia. Two of the city’s bravest lost their lives in a Kensington warehouse fire in June, and earlier this month, a vacant factory in Northern Liberties owned by Tower investments endangered others as it burned to the ground. The more than 40,000 abandoned properties here are playgrounds for criminal activity – especially arsonists.

It’s the same issue firefighters in Detroit face and is the subject of Burn, a documentary that carries an executive producer credit for actor/comedian Denis Leary.

While the film focuses on Detroit with a film crew embedded with an engine company, it highlights problems many cities face across the country. A declining economy leads to abandoned homes. The loss in tax revenue leads to cuts in fire budgets and reduced staffing.

In the first two days of shooting alone, filmmakers shot 21 separate fire scenes. They’d spend an entire year with Engine 50.

BURN: Sneak Peek (Winter 2011) from BURN on Vimeo.

Only four showings of Burn will be held in Philadelphia: Tuesday and Wednesday, July 24 and 25, at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St. The ticket price is $20. For more info, please visit detroitfirefilm.com.