Fire Prevention At Its Scariest

[HPNPilot1200]

Well I thought I was in for a great day off yesterday. I went out on my dad's boat, the lake was empty and calm, and the weather was perfect. After a few hours of relaxation, I unfortunately came home 5 or 10 minutes before the biggest, most devastating structural house fire I had ever witnessed. I would have never expected to see something like this practically in my own backyard.

Unfortunately our neighbors lost their home, a tragic event in itself. Add on the fact that these fine individuals just lost their son this past April to a drunk driver in Florida and it really makes you feel for them.

I unfortunately witnessed the entire house go up in flames -- from the start of the fire to the end. It took a good 2 to 2.5 hours to put the blaze out. Fortunately everyone is okay and the 4 animals trapped inside the house were safely rescued by a family member just as the fire started. About 10 fire departments responded (Wilton, Westport, Weston, Ridgefield, Georgetown, New Canaan, Darien, and a few others) and tackled the blaze as best they could, while trying to salvage any pictures and other family memories of their recently deceased son trapped inside the house.

The media can set a small house on fire with the fire department there to put it out as a demonstration, but let me tell you, there is no fire prevention/awareness like witnessing and feeling the heat of a large house fire. It's definitely a scary scene and I have absolute respect for the men and women who sacrifice their lives every day to save ours if the call comes in.

The whole event has me thinking in a different perspective today. In fact, after watching the entire operation yesterday for hours, I may even explore the opportunity to join the volunteer fire department come November when I turn 18.

It's a dangerous world out there -- be safe.

Best,
Jason

 

[Skip Miller]

Jason, I also had the house next to mine burn to the ground, but that was back in the 1970s. It is indeed scary and sobering. To this day, I am hyper-sensitive to "hot" smells - it was a few years later that I came home and smelled that hot-bakelite smell that indicates an electrical fire. It drove me crazy until I found it - an exterior outlet had shorted out due to rainwater infiltration, and it actually burned up. Combination of brick exterior and the circuit breaker saved the day.

Do you know what caused the fire you witnessed?

My condolences to the family. A tough break for a family that didn't need it, for sure.

-Skip

 

[HPNPilot1200]

Do you know what caused the fire you witnessed

All I heard was that the fire was called in by Sandy Wood, Tim's (homeowner) daughter, who spotted the flames licking at the outside wall off the deck (near the kitchen) while looking out the window of the nearby cottage on the property.

Should hear something from the fire marshal shortly, though.

 

[CJones]

So sad for the family.

A buddy I graduated high school is/was a firefighter in our hometown. A couple of weeks before our 10-year H.S. reunion back in June, he and another FF were inside a small ranch-sized house that was ablaze. My buddy was hit with by a flashover while walking through the living room. They had vented the windows, roof, etc. like they were supposed to to allow the hot gases to escape, but the house still exploded with them inside. My buddy ended up with 3rd degree burns on his hands and back and 2nd degree burns on his face and head. He'll be in therapy for at least a year. It was one of those 'fluke' things that happened when it wasn't "supposed" to happen.

It's sad that it requires events like this to put things into perspective for us. Good luck with the volunteer FF, Jason. Once I get settled into one place for an extended period of time, I'm planning on getting involved with the rescue/paramedics.

 

[EdFred]

Lost my second floor to a fire 8 years ago. Was displaced for 9 months as the house got rebuilt.

 

[steingar]

Some friends of mine had a particularly wild party while we were in college. They woke up the next day with hideous hangovers to discover the house next door had burned to the ground without waking them.

This is definitely sad, but certainly not tragic. No one was hurt, and the wee beasties were saved. At the end of the day the house is just stuff, and can be replaced; that's what insurance is there for.

 

[HPNPilot1200]

Do you know what caused the fire you witnessed?

The Fire Marshall just released information that the fire originated from the spontaneous combustion of cloths [FONT=face=][FONT=Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]used to refinish outdoor teak furniture[/FONT][/FONT] that was left on a shelf. It sure doesn't take much.

 

[mikea]

Some friends of mine had a particularly wild party while we were in college. They woke up the next day with hideous hangovers to discover the house next door had burned to the ground without waking them.

This is definitely sad, but certainly not tragic. No one was hurt, and the wee beasties were saved. At the end of the day the house is just stuff, and can be replaced; that's what insurance is there for.

When I was a teen I woke to the smell of burning wood, looked around, my room wasn't on fire so I fell back asleep. the next day I told a lame joke to a neighbor one door over about it before I realized it was his house that burned.

 

[JoeSelch]

The Fire Marshall just released information that the fire originated from the spontaneous combustion of cloths [FONT=face=][FONT=Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]used to refinish outdoor teak furniture[/FONT][/FONT] that was left on a shelf. It sure doesn't take much.

Linseed oil?

 

[rottydaddy]

It is sobering to see a fire actually begin and how quickly it can build... once while doing a brief stint as a radio taxi driver in Union City I was parked on "the stand" (the area of the main street where we sat waiting for calls) when a Chinese guy came tumbling out of a little 2-story apartment building above a storefront and ran towards me yelling "Fuega! fuega!"
This was rather confusing ("why is a Chinese guy yelling at me in spanish, and what does 'fuega' mean again...perhaps he's Filipino... hmmm...."), but I immediately saw some flames lick out of a window on the second floor, and realized he wanted me to radio it in to the dispatcher, which I did. He was a smart fellow, despite assuming I spoke Spanish.

By the time the pumper got there (from a few blocks away) the whole damn place was blazing away...a total loss. Fortunately, everyone inside piled out immediately, and the FD contained it fairly quickly. I think it was a kitchen mishap that ran amok.

 

[KennyFlys]

In the Navy, I recall a rather vivid video on why not to allow rags to lay, particularly if moist. It was worse if they held any kind of accelerate.

 

[Capjac]

I know I do not post here often, but I do enjoy reading what is written, following everyone's aviation (and non-aviation) tales, learning a bunch about flying and frankly, look upon everyone as friends I have not met, so that is why I hope this P.S.A. is ok. I have spent most of my working life in the fire service and have seen first hand the devastation a fire can cause, in fact my brothers house burned two years ago, so we are not immune! So, here are some tips to help everyone be safe:

Candles: These are quickly becoming one of the leading causes of accidental fires. Do not leave them unattended, even for short periods of time. Be aware of other combustibles around where you place the candle.

Cooking: Another leading cause of fires. Once again, do not leave things on the stove unattended. (Sidebar for Joke- Smoke detectors are not supposed to be used as cooking timers)

Electrical: Too many "don'ts" to begin. Besides the electricution hazard, the fire hazard is real. Avoid the multiple plug in "zip" cords and adapters. If you need more outlets, add them or use power strips with breakers in them. Building codes can seem to be worthless, but they were born from experience and have their roots in life safety, check with an electrician if you have questions.

Oily Rags: Yes, this is quite common, spontaneous combustion. Oily rags in a pile will begin to heat up. After you are done hang them outside to dry or spread them outside to dry. Not all oils will cause a problem, check the label of the product you are using for direction.

Renters: Get renters insurance! It is cheap and keep in mind that if you cause a fire, even accidentaly, the insurance company for the owner/landlord will try to get money from you. On top of that, you may not believe you have much in the way of possessions, but you would be surprised. If you are bored one night, start adding up each item you posess and what it would cost to replace it.

Smoke detectors: They do save lives. Also, most people do not realize that most smoke detectors have a life limit, usually ten years. Once again, they are cheap. Put one in every bedroom, hallway and level of the house. Do not put one close to the cooking area, you will be apt to remove the battery if it goes off a lot!. Also, there is a big "issue" over which smoke detector to buy (two different activation methods, ionization or photoelectric), either works, read the box or if you do not want to do that they make dual detectors.

Arson: Turn them in! Our insurance rates are high because of it. Arson for profit hurts us all. (Sorry my investigator background just came out)

Last, for those of you with kids, LISTEN TO THEM! Most fire departments have programs in the schools that teach kids both fire safety and survival. I have found they are very smart and listen better than us grown ups most of the time. Talk to them about escape plans.

Sorry about the soapbox, but I spend my days preaching this stuff and responding to calls. Everyone be safe, I want to meet you all soon.

Tim Gibbs

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

Jason...Maybe you can tour the fire station and ask some questions to the firefighters to get ahead of the game if you are interested. Also...start reading up on EMT-Basic stuff.

 

[flyersfan31]

First of all, Jason, every day for you is a day off!!!!! Just wait'll you have to work for the man full-time. You'll see.

Scary story. I went through the same thing in HS. One night in Feb, wake up at 2am with my mom yelling "Kids, wake up, get out of the house, the neighbors' house is on fire!!!" I heard everything but "neighbors'" so you can bet I boogied. Got outside, across the street was fully enveloped. Place burned to the ground. Cause? Oily rags from floor refinishing. Fortunately the family (with 2 little kids and nice dog) had moved in with other family because of the (!) fumes in the house.

I know exactly how you felt. Very, very scary and unsettling to watch a house burn down. Thank goodness everyone got out. I can't imagine seeing something like that, plus having a death involved.

 

[Everskyward]

there is no fire prevention/awareness like witnessing and feeling the heat of a large house fire.

That is true. One evening, back when I lived in Missouri, I heard some pounding on the door to our apartment and someone yelling that the building across from us was on fire. I went to the window and saw this orange glow. Of course the first thing I did was not to evacuate like a normal person would. I, the budding photojournalist, had to take this picture from the balcony. You could really feel the heat. The poor guy in the picture was trying to put the fire out with a garden hose....

This fire totally destroyed one building of six units. Luckily it didn't spread to the other buildings in the apartment complex.

 

[The rogue]

My uncle used to work in a paint store. You would be fired on the spot if you left rags around with any type of paint solvent on them.

I can't remember which kind it is that will set itself on fire, but he said that you can get a rag with this solvent on it, put it in a bucket, and if it is disturbed at all (like knocked over) you get a fire going right away. Pretty Scary Stuff!!!

--Matt Rogers

 

[gprellwitz]

Thanks Jason, Tim and everyone for the reminder!