Leaders in the Summerhill neighborhood near Turner Field will hold a rally tonight (Thursday July 24) to call for the re-opening of Fire Station 7 in the West End. The rally will be at 5 p.m. in front of the Ormond Street home of Summerhill activist Mattie Jackson, whose home burned down last Friday.

Atlanta's oldest fire house was closed earlier this month to help the city meet its $14.6 million budget shortfall. Douglas Dean, president of the Summerhill Neighborhood Development Corporation, said he is calling on Mayor Shirley Franklin and the City Council to work to restore police and fire department funding that has been cut to meet the budget.

Atlanta Fire Department investigators said that the fire, which started at a house under construction next to Jackson's and damaged a total of five houses, was started by arson. Jackson, 86, had lived in the home for 42 years.

Said Gary Lamb, a neighbor of Jackson's, "7" would have gotten here a lot quicker."

The fire department said that fire engines were dispatched at 5:26 and reached the scene at 5:30.

A fund to assist Jackson has been set up. Donors can go to any Bank of America branch and can make contributions to the Mattie A. Jackson Contribution Fund. A bank spokeswoman said that donors must also specify that the fund is based in Georgia.

Said Dean, “White and black, rich and poor, people are coming from everywhere” to help Jackson.