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Devil's Night: Detroit's Arson Reckoning
Episode 85
Each October, the city of Detroit braced for three nights of chaos known as Devil’s Night—a grim tradition of arson and destruction that peaked in the 1980s with hundreds of fires set across the city. But behind the headlines and the flames lies a story of resilience, strategy, and a community that refused to burn.
In this episode, we take you inside the rise and fall of Devil’s Night—how economic collapse, political scandal, and desperation turned mischief into mayhem, and how Detroit’s residents, firefighters, and city leaders fought back through the “Angels’ Night” campaign.
We’ll trace the legacy of those fire-filled nights and ask: what happens when a city becomes known not for its industry, but for its inferno?
Listen to You Should Be Here on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The new season, Cases that Haunt us is out now!
The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified.
Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:
Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes.
Listener discretion is advised.
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at [email protected] We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review.
If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet.
Sources:
Maciak, Barbara, PhD, MPH, et al. (1999). Preventing Halloween Arson in Urban Settings: A Model for Multisectoral Planning and Community Participation. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. JSTOR link
Zaharan, Sammy, et al. (2019). Hidden Costs of Blight and Arson in Detroit: Evidence From a Natural Experiment in Devil’s Night. Ecological Economics, Volume 158, pp. 266–277. ScienceDirect link
Anonymous (2021, October 31). The Devil’s Night: On the Ungovernable Spirit of Halloween. Ill Will Editions. illwill.com/devils-night
Chafets, Ze’ev. (1990). Devil’s Night and Other True Tales of Detroit. Random House.
LeDuff, Charlie. (2013). Detroit: An American Autopsy. Penguin Books.
View all episodes
By lilpyrogirl
5
5151 ratings
Episode 85
Each October, the city of Detroit braced for three nights of chaos known as Devil’s Night—a grim tradition of arson and destruction that peaked in the 1980s with hundreds of fires set across the city. But behind the headlines and the flames lies a story of resilience, strategy, and a community that refused to burn.
In this episode, we take you inside the rise and fall of Devil’s Night—how economic collapse, political scandal, and desperation turned mischief into mayhem, and how Detroit’s residents, firefighters, and city leaders fought back through the “Angels’ Night” campaign.
We’ll trace the legacy of those fire-filled nights and ask: what happens when a city becomes known not for its industry, but for its inferno?
Listen to You Should Be Here on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The new season, Cases that Haunt us is out now!
The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified.
Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments:
Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Jenny Mercer and Laura Pisciotta, for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes.
Listener discretion is advised.
Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated
Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com
Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at [email protected] We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review.
If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet.
Sources:
Maciak, Barbara, PhD, MPH, et al. (1999). Preventing Halloween Arson in Urban Settings: A Model for Multisectoral Planning and Community Participation. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. JSTOR link
Zaharan, Sammy, et al. (2019). Hidden Costs of Blight and Arson in Detroit: Evidence From a Natural Experiment in Devil’s Night. Ecological Economics, Volume 158, pp. 266–277. ScienceDirect link
Anonymous (2021, October 31). The Devil’s Night: On the Ungovernable Spirit of Halloween. Ill Will Editions. illwill.com/devils-night
Chafets, Ze’ev. (1990). Devil’s Night and Other True Tales of Detroit. Random House.
LeDuff, Charlie. (2013). Detroit: An American Autopsy. Penguin Books.
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