A film that documents the dangers faced by one of the busiest fire fighting units in America will be showing in theatres across Iowa this month. “BURN” follows Detroit’s Engine Company 50 as they battle both fires and city hall. John Jensen, a Des Moines firefighter who helped organize screenings of the film in a dozen Iowa cities, says Detroit has one of the highest arson rates in the world.
“The economic downturn has left all these houses and buildings (in Detroit) abandoned and there’s people just going around setting them on fire,” Jensen says. “They have 500 structure fires a month.”
The firefighters in Detroit are put at an even greater risk due to a lack of funding and broken down equipment. Jensen film saw “BURN” while attending a conference in Phoenix.
“It was very inspiring to me because, in the movie, one of the (firefighters) is injured in a wall collapse and he becomes paralyzed. They follow him through his rehab,” Jensen said. “It hit me right in the heart.”
Tickets to see “BURN” at theatres in Iowa are $15. A portion of the profits from the film will go the Leary Firefighters Foundation, an organization founded by actor Dennis Leary which purchases new equipment for firefighters.
“Burn” in Iowa theatres:
Marshalltown, Plaza 9 Theatres, April 10 & 11 at 7:30pm
Spencer, Southpark 7 Theatres, April 10 & 11 at 7:30pm
Ankeny, Speingwood 9 Theatres, April 10 & 11 at 7:30pm
Indianola, Paramount 7 Theatres, April 17 & 18 at 7:30pm
Carroll, Carroll 5 Theatres, April 17 & 18 at 7:30pm
Algona, State 5 Theatres, April 17 & 18 at 7:30pm
Cedar Rapids/Marion, Collins Road Theatres, April 23 & 24 at 7pm
Centerville, Cinema 4, April 24 & 25 at 7:30pm
Oskaloosa, Penn Centre Theatre, April 24 & 25 at 7:30pm
Atlantic, Atlantic I & II, April 24 & 25 at 7:30pm
Muscatine, Palms 10 Theatres, April 24 & 25 at 7:30pm