Scary night last night!

[Terry57]

Last night when I went downstairs to let the dogs out, I glanced out my kitchen window and there was a fire truck in the alley directly behind my house. Reg went out to see what was going on, and there was a fire in the garage almost directly across from our garage...it was literally 30 feet away from our truck.

The people who lived there had had a sewer back up and had a couple of couches and other stuff that had gotten ruined sitting on their driveway next to their next door neighbor's garage. That is what had caught on fire, and also caught a huge tree and the neighbor's garage on fire. Thank goodness it rained almost all day yesterday because who knows how bad it could have been if it had been dry here recently.

The firemen were able to get it out completely out in a short time. Then the police came around door to door and talked to all of us neighbors to see if we had seen anything, and if we had seen people walking down the alley. I asked her if it was arson and she said that they didn't know yet, that an arson investigator would come out to investigate.

I am praying that it was natural causes as that is terrifying if it is an arsonist in our neighborhood.

I am working on a plan of action in case something should happen, figuring out how I could get all my animals out in a crisis. Thanks, Victoria, for your thread about this very thing.

 

[JerseyWendy]

YOWSER, Terry! That's some frightening stuff right there.

I hope and pray it was NO arson. And I'm certainly glad that none of you were affected by the smoke.

 

[getwozzy]

Holy moly!!! Super scary!!!! [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33] so glad the firemen were able to put it out and that everyone's ok!

Definitely is an eye-opener and how important it is to have an emergency evacuation plan!

 

[GW.Joe]

WOW, Completely Crazy.... Thank goodness it rained, could of made all the difference !!
Anyone have a security camera in the area? maybe across the street?

Joe

 

[Terry57]

No, no security cameras that face that way. The police officer was excited when she saw ours in the front, but unfortunately we had not added one in the back yet. That is definitely on the to do list now.

 

[GW.Joe]

In one of the buildings I manage, we also live, I have 12 network cameras, best thing I ever did, We know everything that goes on (we live in a zero crime town, but people still do dumb things) The one in the lobby is in a smoke alarm, so they don't know we are watching, we have rooms that are private (just for us) on other floors so I like to keep an eye on my kids for their safety (like my kids music room in the basement unit that is mine) Our exercise room is in another area of the building, all the cameras can be seen from the internet, couldn't live without them !!

 

[riddick07]

That is scary! My mother dated a fireman ( the fire chief actually haha) when I was younger and he would take me with him sometimes on calls. It was amazing how fast they can get out of control. I remember the one time they had to let it burn it self out for some reason or another. It's why I'm so wary about how to get them out!

I definitely think the pillow thing would work for birds and cats. We were thinking something with stronger material though so harder to chew through incase you can't release them right away.

I hope it was a regular fire and not arson.

 

[RavensGryf]

Terry!! That is so frightening!!! I'm so sorry that happened so close to you. I don't think very many people really have a solid action plan in case of emergency. It takes a scare to wake us up! Good luck getting a plan organized my friend. Praying your family and pets will always be safe.

 

[Terry57]

That is scary! My mother dated a fireman ( the fire chief actually haha) when I was younger and he would take me with him sometimes on calls. It was amazing how fast they can get out of control. I remember the one time they had to let it burn it self out for some reason or another. It's why I'm so wary about how to get them out!

I definitely think the pillow thing would work for birds and cats. We were thinking something with stronger material though so harder to chew through incase you can't release them right away.

I hope it was a regular fire and not arson.

I loved that idea about the pillowcases, but stronger material sounds like a good plan. I wonder if burlap sacks would be safe? I don't remember hearing anything one way or another about burlap and birds.

It certainly did happen fast! I had been downstairs looking out that window 15 minutes before I went and saw the fire truck, and there was no smoke or anything. By the time I did see the smoke, half the garage and a tree were up in flames. Still no word about natural or arson yet

Definitely a wake up call for sure!

 

[MomtoPercy]

Yikes!! That is not what you want to have happen in your neighbourhood, let alone just across the street! I do hope there aren't any criminal types hanging about that will upset the neighbourhood So glad the smoke didn't get to you or your fids!

We had an industrial fire here over the weekend, a factory burn down. It wasn't close to where we live but of course the wind blew that thick black smoke everywhere. We rushed to close all windows and put fans on to blow any smoke away from Percy and little Jack. Smoke is so insidious - it can harm us and our fids before we even realise it.

I like your emergency plan idea - definately should be creating one of my own!

 

[Betrisher]

Ack! Terreeeeeee! How awful! There's nothing as scary as fire, is there? Remember when I had the little one in my kitchen? That was bad enough. But to have a fair-dinkum large house fire going on within coo-ee of your home - how AWFUL!!! You're absolutely right to be plotting an escape plan for just-in-case and yes, we should all have such a plan in place for our companions' safety. Thanks for the timely reminder! :22_yikes:

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm glad everything was ok though.....that was scary......My back neighbor was burning brushes and such in his backyard which could of caused fire if it were to catch the trees on fire and it could of easily reach my shed. My other neighbors called the fire station and they put a stop to that as it is illegal to burn stuffs in the yard here.

 

[RavensGryf]

I am constantly on 'stove patrol'... :52:

My ex's teenage daughter would cook and leave the electric stove on accidentally on a fairly regular basis!

Now, we have moved in with my dad who is very elderly and can't remember things. He has left the gas stove on lately on more than one occasion in the past couple months!

Hubby had done it once or twice also!

I'm constantly checking the stove and making sure all paper and flammables are always clear away.

 

[MikeyTN]

I am constantly on 'stove patrol'... :52:

My ex's teenage daughter would cook and leave the electric stove on accidentally on a fairly regular basis!

Now, we have moved in with my dad who is very elderly and can't remember things. He has left the gas stove on lately on more than one occasion in the past couple months!

Hubby had done it once or twice also!

I'm constantly checking the stove and making sure all paper and flammables are always clear away.

That's quite worrisome to deal with.....I think you should make a big sign says to turn off the stove before leaving it!!!!

 

[RavensGryf]

That's quite worrisome to deal with.....I think you should make a big sign says to turn off the stove before leaving it!!!!

There is a sign there, but I think it's time to make a new one, and in big red letters. As long as my dad is able to keep living at home, I will never be away overnight. The way the set up is, nothing flammable is usually within a foot of the stove thank goodness. I feel it's okay cause I'm constantly vigilant. Why do I keep living in households where this is even an issue?!! Is this common?

 

[Terry57]

I have an awful phobia of fire, and I check to make sure I turned off the stove multiple times. Sometimes when trying to go to sleep, I will have to go check one more time to make sure it is turned off. I think I am a little OCD with that.

 

[GW.Joe]

I ended up getting these "wireless smoke detectors" they are all connected to each other (I have 6 of them), if one goes off they all do, I LOVE THEM !! I even have them in the basement for early warning

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-SA501CN2-Wireless-Operated/dp/B000FBQC1K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1402515425&sr=8-2&keywords=wireless+smoke+detector"]First Alert SA501CN2 ONELINK Wireless Battery Operated Smoke Alarm, 2-Pack - Smoke Detectors - Amazon.com[/ame]

 

[labell]

Oh Terry how frightening! I am glad it didn't get closer to your place. I also have a phobia of fires. I think it is always important to have a evacuation plan in place for people and pets in case of any type of an emergency including fire!

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Fire moves quickly and is scary when it is not controlled (like in a pretty fireplace). My neighbor had a kitchen fire about a year ago (his daugher started a grease fire on the stove and i think she tried to pour water on it--not good). Their whole kitchen was gutted in no time and my whole house smelled.

Hopefully the fire was not arson and you will feel better once the investigation determines the cause. I know i'm weird with this but i have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers all over the house. I'd rather be safe!

 

[Terry57]

Okay, I am officially terrified. Reg just started mowing the grass in the backyard, and saw that my next door neighbour's garbage was on fire.He put it out, and now the fire dept. and police are out there. 2 fires in one neighbourhood in this short of a time period? How can that be a coincidence?

Here a link to the original report about the first fire, and the police said this one will definitely make the next paper.

http://eedition.sprucegroveexaminer.com/doc/Spruce-Grove-Examiner/sprucegrove0613-2014/2014061201/39.html#38