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Firefighters Let House Burn Because Owner Didn't Pay Fee

Posted by samzenpus on from the deadly-serious-homeowner's-association dept.

Dthief writes "From MSNBC: 'Firefighters in rural Tennessee let a home burn to the ground last week because the homeowner hadn't paid a $75 fee. Gene Cranick of Obion County and his family lost all of their possessions in the Sept. 29 fire, along with three dogs and a cat. "They could have been saved if they had put water on it, but they didn't do it," Cranick told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. The fire started when the Cranicks' grandson was burning trash near the family home. As it grew out of control, the Cranicks called 911, but the fire department from the nearby city of South Fulton would not respond.'"

4 of 2,058 comments (clear)

  1. Why not just bill him? by mark-t · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Okay... so he didn't pay the money right then and there. What's the problem? If he doesn't pay it by a certain date, they can tack it onto his property taxes (plus interest), which if he doesn't pay, he loses his home. Seems simple. Actively *choosing* to not respond to a situation such as this, that was well within their ability to attend to, *REGARDLESS* of whether or not they were getting paid properly for it shows an absolutely horrifying level of poor ethical values among those firefighters, IMO.

    --
    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
  2. Re:Nope, not kidding. by roman_mir · · Score: 0, Redundant

    How is that a no win situation?

    Pay your service fees if you wish to receive your service.

    It's a win-win.

    --
    You can't handle the truth.
  3. Re:You're kidding, right? by Tangential · · Score: 1, Redundant

    The City of South Fulton doesn't have the authority to issue fines to people who don't live in their town.

    Exactly.

    I think the system they have set up seems like the most appropriate way to handle it.

    --
    Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain
  4. Re:No, that's not it at all by Fnkmaster · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Insanity. There should be taxes collected at the county or state level that fund this fee then. If people don't pay the taxes, the county can file liens on their houses with penalties, just like they do in my city.

    I'm all for the free market, but making a public good like firefighting or police service an opt-in fee is stupid and results in dumb, avoidable tragic circumstances.