Wayne County Training School
Police, Fire and Rescue Reports
Compiled by Hugh Jordan III
Photo Credit Richard Story
August 16, 1937
In an attempt to save her roommate Darphelia Cheeks of 2818 Beaubien St, Detroit Michigan from jumping through a window from a room in their cottage at the Wayne County Training School August 16, 1937. Viola Brandyberty of Twenty Third Street in Detroit, also 16 years old gave her life. Violas death according to Dr. A.M.Astimiter (questionable spelling) who performed a post mortem at the facility believes the cause of death is from acute heart dilation caused by anesthesia. Twenty-Five girls lived in the cottage at the time of her death.
Incident that leads to Violas death.
A flower pot was thrown through a glass window breaking it out of a door of the cottage. Ms.Cheeks was attempting to jump from the opening. Viola tried to stop her and that is when she was pushed sustaining a severe laceration to her right hand. She died while an anesthetic was being administered. E.H. Williams, Chairman of the institution has asked that an investigation be handled by the prosecutor's office for this case.
December 30, 1947
Carl Shrader escapes from the Wayne County Training School
February 1948
Sixteen year old Carl Schrader of 3295 East Congress Street sat glumly in the Detroit Juvenile Detention Center Sunday looking back on a short and unsuccessful career in crime. Saturday night Carl pocketed a .32 caliber revolver and set out for the Northville-Wayne County Training School from which he escaped on December 30, 1947. His intent was to free a friend of his. According to Wayne County Sheriff Road Patrol Lieutenant Joseph Gaga. Carl forced Miss Sarah McClellan at gun point to admit him onto the grounds of the training school. He compelled her to take him to the dormitory where his pal Ralph Cariveau, 16 was sleeping. On the way to the dormitory Carl held up Leonard Luedtke, a caretaker at the facility and robbed him. When he found his pal, Ralph refused to leave with him. Carl then held the revolver to Ralphs temple and pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired. Carl cocked the revolver again firing it randomly into the room shooting Ray Hahn, a 21 year old resident in the leg. The nurse was then forced to drive Carl away in her car. While driving in the car, Carl fired two shot wildly at random into the air. Miss McClellan persuaded Carl to let her out of the car near Ann Arbor. McClellan was able to call police from a nearby home and as police closed in on Carl he crashed the car into a tree and after a brief foot chase he was apprehended. He still had the revolver on him with only the misfired round in the gun. Carl admitted to sheriff deputies the shooting of a resident of the school, that he tried to kill his friend, the kidnapping of the nurse and to stealing her car.
October 19508
Carl Shrader 19, of 3295 Congress Street escaped Friday from the Michigan Reformatory for Boys in Ionia, Michigan. He was sentenced to the facility in December 1949 after kidnapping a nurse, attempting to kill an inmate of the Wayne County Training School and shooting another inmate. Mr. Shrader was captured at Buffalo & East McNichols Streets at 9am Sunday morning. Patrolman with the Detroit Police Department that arrested Shrader stated that he still had his prison clothing on. When caught Shrader was driving a car that he had stolen from Canton Street in Detroit. Reformatory officials had alerted Detroit Police to guard the homes of two woman in the Detroit area after Shrader escaped. According to another inmate of the reformatory, Shrader had told him that if he ever escaped he was going to "Kill that girl". Police felt Shrader who was sentenced to 4 years for Felonious Assault might try and harm Mrs. Sarah McClellan 35, a nurse of the Wayne County Training School in Northville because she was instrumental in his conviction, after he had kidnapped her.
1956
A fire was reported in the kitchen of one of the buildings when a maintenance worker was reportedly warming a floor wax on a gas stove and the vapors ignited causing considerable damage. The worker sustained burns to her arms.
Fiscal Year 1958-1959
The fire department became its own entity in July of this year seperating from the medical department. The department consists of one Chief of Fire and Safety working a forty hour work week and seven platooned firefighters working a fifty-six hour work week in twenty-four hour shifts. These men acted as both public safety officers in a dual role of firefighters and police officers. Each member wears a uniform and a badge while on duty. The duties of these public safety officers is to answer emergency calls, perform fire inspections in all the buildings, carry out supervised fire drills with central school children, parking details, traffic control of vehicles entering the property, and the supervision of the ten boys that live in the fire hall.
January 11, 1960
Source: The Northville Record
A large fire struck the stately home that once housed the assistant superintendant for the Wayne County Training School complex. Mr. Percy Angove and his family near Five Mile Road. The house was originally built in 1925 and was recently turned over to the State of Michigan for use with the Plymouth State Home complex that ws recently constructed at the Five Mile and Sheldon road intersection.
It had not been occupied for quite some time since Dr. Thorlief Hegge the former educational director of the training school retired after living in the home for 30 years with his family. He retired last year leaving the house to sit vacant before being given to the state in July 1959.
The fire was reported at 8pm and assistance was requested from the Village of Novi and Plymouth Township shortly after the Northville fireman arrived. The blaze was visible for miles as hundreds of curious spectators came by thinking it was the St. Johns Missionary on fire. Wayne County Sheriff units were called to assist crowd control at 3am.
After investigationg the blaze Northville's fire chief Bill McGee believed that the fire started due to a faulty fuse box but he admitted that he could not rule out arson as a possible cause as well. It is estimated that the loss was around $30000. To rebuild the home it might take as much as $50000.
The State of Michigan had plans to renovate the home as a staff residence for the Plymouth State Home.
Fiscal Year 1959-1960
The department responded to eleven fire calls and ninety emergencies.
Photo Credit Hugh Jordan III
August 27, 1960
Cottage 4: False Alarm.
October 30, 1960
Comfort Station: Waste paper basket fire.
December 8, 1960
Central School Building: False Alarm.
December 28, 1960
Main Garage: Oil and gas in the sewer.
February 1, 1961
Cottage 14: Rags on fire in the basement.
May 20, 1961
Grass fire west of Sheldon Road.
May 25, 1961
Grass fire north of the granary.
May 29, 1961
Brush fire southwest of the dairy.
Fiscal Year 1960-1961
The department responded to 307 additional emergency calls that included troublesome children, assist the medical department, trouble with mechanical equipment, icy roads and road washouts. Fiscal year ran from June 1 to May 31.
September 7, 1961
Truck fire at Five Mile and Sheldon Road.
September 13, 1961
Comfort Station: Waste paper basket fire.
September 21, 1961
Poultry Building Fire. (Farm Area)
October 27, 1961
Dairy Barn: Fire in the hay mow.
November 13, 1961
Truck fire on Sheldon Road north of the main entrance.
February 2, 1962
Mill Room. Band-saw fire.
March 24, 1962
Cottage 17: Fire inside a wall.
April 24, 1962
Superintendants Residence: Kitchen fire.
May 6, 1962
Cottage 11: False alarm.
May 6, 1962
Cottage 10: Fire in the basement shoe and coat room.
May 31, 1962
Tree struck by lightning near playground.
Fiscal Year 1961-1962
The department responded to twelve fire calls, nine false alarms and 365 additional emergency calls on faciltiy grounds and is a member of the Western Wayne County Mutual Aid Program.
August 20, 1962
Cottage 4: False alarm.
September 4, 1962
Cottage 13: False alarm.
September 13, 1962
Cottage 11: False alarm.
November 20, 1962
Childrens Living Center: Smoking adding machine motor.
November 30, 1962
Nursery: Grass fire.
January 12, 1963
Cottage 7: False alarm.
February 1, 1963
Nursery: Brush fire.
February 26, 1963
Cottage 10: False alarm.
March 10, 1963
Cottage 3: False alarm.
May 22, 1963
Called to Five Mile and Sheldon Roads for a vehicle accident. Car vs. pickup truck.
June 18, 1963
Central School Building: Clothes on fire in a dryer.
Fiscal Year 1962-1963
The department handled 574 additional emergency calls. Additional duties now include transporting of children off the grounds to hospitals or places of employment.
1963
Fred Hembrey Fire and safety chief for the Wayne County Training School fire department. He has been an employee at the facility for 26 years.
Fiscal Year 1964-1965
The department responded to four fire calls, 574 additional emergencies and performed 164 fire inspections. Maintenance programs at the complex were included for the Gamewell fire alarm system, the fire engine, and 3,700 feet of firehose.
Fiscal Year 1965-1966
The department responded to four fire calls and five false alarms on the property, one call for assistance to the Plymouth Township fire department, and two calls to assist at the Plymouth State Home and Training School along with 570 additional emergency calls on the facillity grounds.
Fiscal Year 1966-1967
The department responded to two car fires, 2 malfunctioning electrical boxes, 1 grass fire, 5 false alarms and 587 additional emergency calls on facilty grounds.
October 8, 1969
A three-alarm fire at the Wayne County Training School on Sheldon Road was reported early Wednesday morning. The fire alarm was activated at 4:30am to the county fire department onsite and when they arrived on scene, the fire was already consuming much of the large barn. Assistance was requested from the fire departments of Northville and Plymouth Township. The barn was completely destroyed as the two departments arrived on scene while they assisted to protect two smaller barns that recieved only minor damage. Arson was believed to be the cause of the suspicious fire because Plymouth Townships fire department had already fought two other barn fires in the area earlier in the morning. Plymouth Township's fire truck had actually left the scene of one of the barn fires to come assist with this fire. The remains of the charred barn were still smoldering this morning.
Fiscal Year 1970-1971
The department responded to twelve fire calls, Nine false alarms and 709 additional emergency calls on facility grounds.
May 28, 1972
Cottage 19 engulfed by flames
Sunday night around 7:30 in the evening, a fire was reported to the training school school fire department in cottage 19. The fire was on the second floor of the two-story building in a students room. Most students were home for the holiday weekend, but still some remained at the school and were quickly evacuated from the building without injury.
Photo: Courtesy of Northville Historical Society
May 28th, 1972
Boys from the WCTS fire hall battle flames at Cottage 19
Mutual aid was requested at 8:07 pm from the Northville Fire Department and the Plymouth Township Fire Department. As Both departments quickly arrived, they aided fire fighters from the training school in extinguishing the room contents blaze.
Photo: Courtesy of Northville Historical Society
May 28th, 1972
Later that night fire fighters were again called to another fire that was found in the three story central classroom and gymnasium building on the second floor. This fire was reported at 10:00 pm and by 10:30 mutual aid would have to be called again from the City of Northville and Plymouth Township fire departments.
Photo: Courtesy of Northville Historical Society
May 28th, 1972
The south end of central school
As firefighters were fighting the fire addtional fire alarm pull stations were being activated in other areas of the building by an unknown person.
The three departments finally brought the fire under control limiting the fire damage to a classroom and a hallway but the building suffered extensive smoke and water damage.
Photo: Courtesy of Northville Historical Society
May 28th, 1972
A boy suspected of starting the two fires is photographed and held by security.
Wayne County officals stated that inspection of both buildings showed no structural damage and repairs would be made as soon as possible. Arson is being investigated as the cause of both fires.
Photo: Courtesy of Northville Historical Society
May 28th, 1972
Photo: Courtesy of Northville Historical Society
Fiscal Year 1971-1972
The department responded to five fire calls, six false alarms and 664 additional emergency calls on faciltiy grounds.
Fiscal Year 1972-1973
The department responded to six fire calls, twelve false alarms and 939 additional emergency calls on facility grounds.
Northville Township Fire Department
The department responded to six fire calls, twelve false alarms and 939 additional emergency calls on facility grounds.
Northville Township Fire Department
Northville City fire fighters along with the newly formed Northville Township Fire Department train in rooftop and ladder operations at the abandoned site.
Photo Credit: Richard Story
Northville Township Fire Department
1965 GMC truck with a 3,000 gallon water tanker trailer.
Photo Credit: Richard Story
Northville Township Fire Department
1960 Ford John Bean pumper parked outside one of the buildings during training on the grounds after the facility had closed.
Photo Credit: Richard Story
January 15, 1979
A fire early Tuesday morning damaged the old Granary Building located on the grounds of the Plymouth Center for human Development near Five Mile and Sheldon Road. Northville Township firefighters had the blaze under control within an hour but the damage was estimated to be about $20,000. Damage was contained to the lower level that was used for storage of maintenance equipment and supplies to the facility.
March 1980
The Northville Township fire department has been granted use of the maintenance building located on Sheldon Road. The Wayne County Board of Auditors recently approved fire chief Robert Tom's request. The building is part of the former Wayne County Child Development Center and has not been used by the county road commission in more than two years. The building will be used as fire station number 3 for the Northville Township fire department and will house several pieces of apperatus.
Early 1980's
Photo Credit: Northville Record
November 4, 1984
A fire was reported by a resident at around 10:30 at night. They reported that a fire was burning on the second story of a building at the Wayne County property located at 16300 Sheldon Road. Northville Township Police arrived on the scene first and reported that it was the building being used by the Northville Jaycees and had hosted the communities haunted house this year. They reported that the fire was burning in the southwest corner of the second story. When the fire department arrived they extinguished the flames in short order and reported that two seperate fires had been set in adjoining rooms on the second floor. The Northville Township fire department ruled the fire as arson.
January 30, 1985
A Michigan state trooper was patrolling the grounds of the Wayne County Child Development Center at 07:15 in the morning when he came across a fire that was burning inside one of the buildings. He reported the blaze to Northville Township and soon the fire department was on scene. Chief Toms of the fire department believed that the fire had been burning since last night. It was confined to the basement and his firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly. Arson is to blame after it was determined that piles of trash had been set on fire in multiple locations.
February 26, 1985
Arson is suspected at a blaze that gutted a portion of the main school building at the abandoned Wayne County Child Development Center on Sheldon Road in Northville Township. Shortly before 1:30pm an unidentified caller reported smoke and flames were coming from a building on the property. It was difficult get firefighting equipment to reach since piles of dirt have been placed on roadways to block traffic from entering the site and fire hydrants have had the water shut off to them. This required the department to bring water on site in their tanker trucks. Firefighters battled the blaze for about an hour before it was brought under control. While they spent an additional two hours investigating and cleaning up the site. The fire was reportedly started in a corner of a classroom formerly used for sewing instruction. It had several cupboards hanging on the walls and furniture was piled in the middle of the room.
March 3, 1985
A large fire was reported to the Northville Township fire department at 19:01. The fire was in the laundry building of the Wayne County Child Development Center. Firefighters responded to the blaze and extinguished the flames that destroyed most of the roof on the building. Arson was believed to be the cause since the building had no utilities connected to it.
March 28, 1985
A large 20 bay garage that was occupied by the Northville Township water department caught fire and the entire building was destroyed. By the time Northville Township firefighters were called to the scene the building was fully involved at 14:57. The building collapsed in on itself as water was being used to put out the flames. Property loss to the structure was estimated to be at $65,000 and Northville township lost $18,000 in equipment stored there.
April 7, 1985
Firefighters were called to the auditorium building on the abandoned Wayne County Child Development property when a fire was reported in the bowling alley. As the fire was being fought in the old building a second fire was found burning in a seperate location in the stage. Northville Township fire department had 17 men fighting the fire and they used 2 engines, 2 tankers, a squad and two ladder trucks to contain the blaze. The fire was finally extinguished after a little more than three hours. Estimated $80,000 in damage was done structurally to the building and an additional $20,000 was lost in contents. Arson was suspected once again but could not be proven.
April 13, 1985
At 18:24 a fire was reported in the three story gym building. It was reported to be on the second story of the building. When Northville Township Firefighters arrived, they advanced hose lines to the fire and extuinguished it. The fire was confined to a closet area on the southwest corner of the building. It was determined that arson was the cause of the fire.
April 17, 1985
Northville Record News Article Click Here
June 1985
A fire was reported to Northville Township police at 13:27 in the afternoon at the abandoned facilty located at 16300 Sheldon Road. Flames were reported to be coming from the second story of the gymnasium building on the former Wayne County Child Development Center property. Northville Township firefighters were on scene to fight the blaze for approximately three hours. the fire was extuinguished and upon investigation, arson was determined to be the cause.
July 10, 1985
Fire was reported by an anonymous caller to be burning on the third floor of a three story building in the middle of the abandoned property to the east of Sheldon Road at 16:52 in the afternoon. There were no working hydrants on the property and this made fire fighting efforts difficult because water had to be shuttled to the scene by a tanker truck. Firefighters brought the fire under control in a reativly short period and an estimated $35000 in damage was caused to the building.
July 30, 1985
In what was becoming routine for Northville Township firefighters, a fire was burning on the third floor of the central school building at 21:50. The fire was quickly brought under control and the department used 17 men, 3 engines, a squad, and a tanker for waters. Damage to the building was limited to an estimated $5,000
October 18, 1985
A fire was reported in the administration/medical building towards the north end of the property, east of Sheldon Road. The fire was relatively small and was contained to the first floor of the two-story building.
November 4, 1985
A fire was again reported on the second story of the central school building of the Child Development Center. As firefighters made entry onto the fire floor, they would encounter an obvious set point in a classroom. This was determined to be the cause of the fire, proving without a doubt that this fire was arson. No suspects could be located and no arrests were made in connection with this blaze that caused $20,000 in damage.
Northville Township fire department
Photo Courtesy: Hugh Jordan
November 4, 1985
For the second time today, Northville Township firefighters had to be dispatched to a fire located at 16300 Sheldon Road. Upon Arrival they found a two story dormitory cottage on the vacant Wayne County Child Development Center property burning. The fire was reported at 22:36. The fire department quickly extuinguished the fire. The building was completely destroyed in the blaze while the department had twenty-one firefighters on hand operating three engines, one ladder truck, an equipment van and a tanker. The cause of the fire is listed as arson.
November 15, 1985
Fire was again reported this month at the former Wayne County Child Development Center when a suspitious fire was reported in the chapel building. Firefighters found two seperate blazes burning inside the building when they arrived. The first fire was reported to have been set on the stage area and then extended throughout the floor and stage area. The second location was under the stage. The building was destroyed in the fire with a reported fire loss to the structure of $75,000 and another $5,000 in contents destroyed. This fire was classified as arson by the fire department.
December 1985
Fire Chief Robert Toms reported to Northville Township officials that every fire that the department responded to was costing them a minimum of $150 on average. He expressed his concern over conditions of the buildings located at the site and worried that these arson fires were going to continue without end.
April 3, 1986
The fire department was contacted by a guard from the Plymouth State Home. He reported two grass fires burning near the former fire hall on the grounds of the Child Development Center. When firefighters arrived they found a fire burning in a two story educational building nearby at 01:53 in the morning. The fire was confined to a classroom and an east end gymnasium.
April 5, 1986
Fire was reported in a two-story residential cottage just after 7:00 in the morning. The fire was burning on the first floor in the lounge and living room area of the building.
May 12, 1986
A fire on the first floor of the medical building was reported about 21:00 hours and firefighters were on the scene for an hour as they extuinguished the blaze.
August 2, 1986
A fire was reported on the second story of the three-story central school building at 22:11 . Firefighters would remain on the scene several hours and used 75,000 gallons of water to extuinguish the flames.
August 18, 1986
Northville Township firefighters responded to a fire at the abandoned buildings located at 16300 Sheldon Road to find a fire burning in a second story kitchen area. The fire was reported at 10:41 in the morning and was well involved upon their arrival. Mutual aid would be requested from the City of Northville and Plymouth Township Fire Departments.
August 31, 1986
Fire Department officials responded to a reported fire burning in the lobby of the adminstration Building on the grounds of the Wayne County Child Development Center Sunday afternoon just before 5pm.
