A Fire Took My Neighbor

[Clove]

This was my Tuesday night:

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/7605/1002940.jpg (http://img707.imageshack.us/i/1002940.jpg/)

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6100/1002943k.jpg (http://img42.imageshack.us/i/1002943k.jpg/)

Taken from my front porch about 20 minutes after I came home from work. One neighbor is in serious condition with burns (down from critical) the other is dead.

1) There were no functioning smoke alarms. People make sure you have smoke alarms installed and make sure THEY HAVE BATTERIES.

2) The area in front of the house was iced over because the adjacent property did not shovel their snow. This impeded rescue workers. People, police your property in the winter; it could save your life, it could save your neighbors'.

3) The fire was started by a cigar. People, don't be dumbasses- don't smoke in bed.

That is all.

[Nieninque]

Sorry about your neighbour :(

[radamanthys]

Glad it wasn't you, mate.

[waywardgs]

Most fires like this- started by lit cigarettes or cigars- have a secondary factor, either sleeping pills, alcohol, or the like- that cause people to pass out and not notice the fire. It's unfortunate and sad. I've seen a few like this as an EMT and red cross volunteer. It's a good thing the fire didn't go further than it did and wipe out a young family or something. Glad you're safe.

[Skeeter]

People were too busy saving their animals to save your neighbor.

[Drisco]

Jeez how many firefighters were there. I count 9 in uniform and one guy in blue

[Alfster]

The neighbors to my parents house (the one i grew up in) lost their "garage" and basically second house to a fire on new years day. My parents lost a small section of their woods, but had the emergency personnel been a bit later, they easily could have lost their house too.

Sucks to hear man.

[Clove]

Glad it wasn't you, mate.Me too, though it helps that I have smoke alarms and don't smoke. Honestly I am thankful though, I live on a tight, one-way city street and our properties are packed together. If it had become a blaze it could have spread to surrounding properties.


Most fires like this- started by lit cigarettes or cigars- have a secondary factor, either sleeping pills, alcohol, or the like- that cause people to pass out and not notice the fire. It's unfortunate and sad. I've seen a few like this as an EMT and red cross volunteer. It's a good thing the fire didn't go further than it did and wipe out a young family or something. Glad you're safe.Unfortunately I wouldn't be surprised if there was an intoxication factor (which only makes it more pointless and sad) but the fact that there weren't smoke alarms is problem enough. A room can fill with smoke in seconds and a smoke alarm's "nose" is far more sensitive than your own.


People were too busy saving their animals to save your neighbor.I save my own first.


Jeez how many firefighters were there. I count 9 in uniform and one guy in blueNever take your police, fire and emergency services for granted. I'm blessed to have excellent professional police and fire response. Less than 3 minutes from the call we had 3 hose trucks, a ladder truck, EMT and police support. Two ambulances arrived a couple minutes later.

[AnticorRifling]

I can't feel a ton of sympathy here. Sure it sucks that someone died but damn you mentioned everything that makes this avoidable and not an accident:

Smoke alarms - their fault

The area in front of the property - Ehh I don't live in an apartment building so I don't know on this one but I shovel my driveway, and the sidwalks to the left and right of me because I want rescue crews to be able to get to my house or my neighbor's, not because I like them but because I don't want their burning shit to burn my shit.

Smoking inside - Always smart to have fire in bed.

[Clove]

It was completely avoidable, I posted it to remind you all to be responsible with your safety.

As for the sidewalks, they did shovel the sidewalks. The adjacent property uphill from it didn't shovel theirs, so the snow melted, ran down hill and iced over creating an ice-field for the emergency workers to walk on. The ladder truck couldn't be used because of power lines. Luckily the firefighters were able to access the building without having to use ladders but the ice did slow them down and the fire marshall observed that had they needed ladders the ice would have made a bad situation much worse. Keep your sidewalks clear for your sake AND your neighbors'.

[Asile]

I'm so sorry to hear about the losses. The fires that could have been avoided, and the losses that could have been avoided, are the worst because you know they didn't have to happen.

Glad you've got such awesome EMS personnel where you are, Clove. Much love to the folks who devote their lives to that line of work.

[AnticorRifling]

All this could have been avoided if they played WoW. They'd know staying in fire is bad.

[Clove]

Maybe it's me. But maybe votive candles on the stairs leading to the property aren't the best memorial for my neighbor who was killed in the recent house fire. I'm just saying a wreath or flowers would be better.

[Kuyuk]

nm

[Asile]

Maybe it's me. But maybe votive candles on the stairs leading to the property aren't the best memorial for my neighbor who was killed in the recent house fire. I'm just saying a wreath or flowers would be better.

Unless they're the battery-powered votives. Regular wax candles does seem a little.. off.. in this case.

Of course, I'd rather see the money spent on the candles/wreaths/flowers donated to the local fire/rescue squad or another organization that helps victims of house fires (my personal preference being the Red Cross). But that's just me.

[Clove]

Oh believe me they're open flame candles. People are stubborn.

[Clove]

Seriously. Someone lit candles in jars and left them on the steps overnight. Seriously.

[Cephalopod]

Seriously. Someone lit candles in jars and left them on the steps overnight. Seriously.

Irony is a good bedfellow of Darwin's.

[TheEschaton]

Is it awful that I read the title of this thread and wondered about the usage of the word "took"? And then made several off-putting jokes in this thread before erasing them and posting this?

[Celephais]

What's awful is that you deleted them.