The Good, The Bad, and the Unsure??

This photograph taken of the recent fire on Milledge Avenue is a great representation of good composition such as the rule of thirds, framing and leading lines. I love how sharp and crisp the smoke is in the photograph as well.
In opposition, this photograph is not my favorite. Although it has leading lines and I like the color, the background control...well, I don't think there is much! The photograph is overall too busy...
For this photograph I wasn't sure if it would be possible to make the picture on the cell phone more clear? I like how the person's head is out of focus, but could it be possible to make the sharpness of the device better??