and I thought I had problems......

figgie

Supramania Contributor
Mar 30, 2005
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Twin Cities, Minnesot-ah
As always, ones personal problems always seem so big and bad that nothing else can compare to them, that is until something worse happens to a fellow neighbor

I got a wake up call (well not really a call, more like an explosion followed by screams that I have heard before but only before someone dies) at 0130. One of the neighbors house was ablaze (yes, ablaze not on fire ablaze!). The movies do not serve any justice to the quickness and ferocity of a real fire. The intresting thing was, I did not even think about anything. I put on a jacket and a pair of shorts and went out barefoot to see if they were out and to wake the next door neighbors that were right next to the burning house. Temprature was 38 degree F.

Within 1 minute the ENTIRE house was engulfed in flames with black smoke billowing out from it. The stench of molten plastic combined with wood was bad. Luckily the folks that lived in there were awake when the initial explosion happened so they got out along with thier dog. By the time the fire trucks got there (which seemed like an eternity but was only 5 minutes), the house was roofless and the radiant heat from the fire was starting to melt the siding of the neighbors house. My though was, crap there will be two houses down. Just as the smoke started rising from the 2nd house as the plastic was starting to reach combusition limits. The firefighters got there and I kid you not. Within 30 seconds they had the hoses rolled out and water was spraying. Within 1 minute, they had the city's water supply hooked up to thier truck and the REAL hose work started. First they sprayed the neighbors house (where the siding was begining to melt) which they were able to save. Then proceed to extinguish the house which was on fire.

End result.

Their house was a total loss. Everything and I mean everything they had is gone. House + 2 cars. Chared to a cinder. The only thing they left with was what they had on thier back (literally) and thier very lives and of course their dog. By the time I got back into my house it was 0400.

wake up at 0700 and this is what it looks like in the day time. It is bad but at least everything (save for pictures) is replaceable. A life on the other hand is not but they live to rebuild once more.

Cliffs: Read the fucking story you lazy ass!
 

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figgie

Supramania Contributor
Mar 30, 2005
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they weren't

The guy was doing laundry. Folding clothes to be specific. The BBQ propane catching fire was because of the house fire, not the other way around.
 

Zach

ECUMaster USA
Apr 6, 2005
375
0
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TX
Nice Two Story home for sale, recent renovations. Open-air feel, lots of natural light. $15k OBO.



Juuuuust kidding. So glad they got out safely, that's good news for sure. At least they've still got what's important, a house and cars are just things at the end of the day.
 

suprahero

naughty by nature
Staff member
Aug 26, 2005
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Roll Tide
I'm glad nobody was hurt. Fire is a lot more extreme in person. I had a house catch on fire one time and our local fire department (voluntary) couldn't get it put out. We dont' have a fire hydrant within a mile of my house so they could only use what the truck could hold. Everytime they got it almost under control, they'd run out of water. If God hadn't decided to start a monsoon that night, they would have never gotten it out.
 

Clueless

Banned
Feb 22, 2006
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Columbus, Indiana
Have I ever mentioned that I caught my sister's bedroom on fire with her favorite blanket? :evil2:


Here's one of those, I feel like an asshole moments.
 

annoyingrob

Boosted member
Jul 5, 2006
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Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Wow, I had the almost exact same thing happen to me probably about 7 years ago. I was sitting on the computer, minding my own business, when I heard an explosion. I think nothing of it, figure someone popped a tire or something. Fast forward about 15 minutes, I look out my window to a wall of fire. "Holy shit the house across the street is on FIRE"

Fortunately it only burned down the garage, but the whole house needed to be gutted from the smoke damage. Cause of fire: hot exhaust on a leaky gas tank.
 

gtsfirefighter

SM Expert on White trash
Sep 26, 2006
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Weatherford, Texas, United States
It don't FF's long to get their equipment ready. It's the standard to protect exposures (other houses and structures) when a fire like that is out of control. They could only be defensive in that case.

It's a terrible thing what happened and all that matters is they got out alive. I could not imagine losing everything I own like that. Although I can think of one person I'd wish that on....


figgie;1156585 said:
Cliffs: Read the fucking story you lazy ass!

:biglaugh: That was funny!
 

rs4rush

New Member
Jan 25, 2007
701
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Kirkland, Wa
I saw somthing similar a few year's ago where a big ass barn had caught on fire. That was nuts seeing all the ash in the sky and sparks! Glad to hear nobody got hurt.
 

figgie

Supramania Contributor
Mar 30, 2005
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GrimJack;1157397 said:
The bushes on the front walk look fine. What are they, asbestos plants???

Seriously, though, stuff like this sucks.

holy crap I didn't notice!

stout suckers.

They are Juniper bushes. Evergreens. hell forevergreen through a fire! :eek: