I just finished fixing a small shed (converted dog house) for gasoline storage (for the lawn mowers) here at our home base. I usually keep it where ever the last place I use it, but I am remembering what my mama said, “God looks after his children, and some other foolish people.”
In Key West we lived in a duplex. The only thing joining the two units was the carport and storage area. One night I was up to use the bathroom and thru the bathroom frosted glass window I could see flames. I immediately yelled ‘FIRE EVERY ONE OUTSIDE’, I told Sherry to get the boys and I was going to call the fire department when I heard the sirens and the trucks arrive, they had been called.
The fire started where the neighbor had run a cheap power cord under his door to a freezer he had in the carport. We had only smoke damage inside but the storage room was destroyed along with some tools.
When the fireman broke the door off our storage shed he immediately yelled ‘GASOLINE’. I had two RED 10 gallon gas tanks stored in the storage building. I grabbed the chief’s arm and said, “It is water!”
He asked, “For REAL?” and I said yes. He could not believe it. There was a standing rule for the houses, any gas containers stored inside must be emptied and filled with water, very few people actually did it. In truth that was the first time I had ever done it, but it saved our house and car. Immediately I thought of what mama said, and at the time I felt God was looking after one of the foolish people.
Most humans think, “That will not happen to me.” Now I know fire happens.
I have one more fire story, maybe tomorrow.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Have you ever experienced a fire? My brother did, they lost most everything. That must be devastating, all your pictures, and things from your past.
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8 comments:
Scary....and so thankful that no one was injured.
That was scary! Glad it wasn't gasoline in those tanks! Glad too no one got hurt!
I didn't have experience a fire, but when I was growing up my mom left sausage cooking on the stove when we went to church. She had it turned on really low (it wasn't the best decision she had made, but she wanted lunch ready when we got home). Church ran long that Sunday because it was Palm Sunday when the Catholic church reads the whole passion of Christ in the gospel so we got out late. The water had boiled out and would have caused a fire if we were a few minutes later. Lots of smoke damage but nothing got burnt. She learned her lesson.
betty
I have never had a house fire,thank God but I did have a car,Chrysler Cordova catch fire, that I was driving with my young daughter. It was very scary! I thought it was run ng hot so pulled into a gas stationas my daughter and I hot hot it burst into flames under the hood!
Fires are scary, indeed. We had one here that started on the stove and could have taken the whole kitchen down. We were lucky like you.
My only 'close call' came at age 11. Away at camp in Colorado, a mysterious, middle-of-the-night explosion occurred in the caretaker's cabin right next to ours. When the counselors gathered the 80-some campers together to count noses, it was discovered up the hill in my bunk, sound asleep!
For some reason, I'm fascinated by fire - but (hopefully) wise enough to respect it.
Fire would be so scary standing watching everything you have go
up in smoke.. No matter how careful
we are things happen. One never
knows...
Once central heater went out. It was the coldest night of the year and I couldn't get a repairman until after the week-end. My daughter with her baby was visiting so I bought my first ever electric heater and had to use an extension cord to reach. Didn't even realize that was a no no. Found it in time as it had overheated and burned a hole in the carpet. Learned a lesson there.
Fire is a terrible thing and even though I've never had a fire, I'd never say never. Anything is possible. You were very fortunate there. It is important to do what is best for the safety of all and it's good you have a place away from your home to store the gas. I have an old gas can in the garage for the mower. Thankfully the garage is out back and not attached to the house.
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