I've just had a very frightning and upsetting day.  There was a fire in my building.

Nobody was hurt, and we are all back in our own homes tonight.  The local fire chief said a lot of it was due to me being home and keeping a calm head. (And that's my silver lining for still being unemployed, I guess).

My daughter and I had just gotten up, and were still not completely dressed when the alarms went off.  I opened the back door and all was clear.  But when I opened the front door the hall was full of thick smoke.  I told my daughter to put her winter coat on over her pj's, and go out the back door.  I called the fire department while simultaneously stuffing our cat into his too-small-for-him-now carrier.

On my way out, I pounded on everyone's back door and yelled "GET OUT!! FIRE!!".  There was only one other person home in the building, and elderly lady who doesn't speak much English, but she understood "fire" and also got out.

The fire department was already pulling up by the time I got around to the front of the building, and it was all over and out in less than five minutes. It seems a downstairs neighbor had not put a cigarette out completely; it rolled out of the ashtray and landed on a foam chair cushion.  They had already left for work, and knew nothing of this.

My daughter was really scared, but she did as she was told and went straight to our designated meeting spot, four doors down the street in front of the dumpster.

As I said, everyone is ok, and my neighbor only lost one chair cushion.  It could have been much worse if I had not been home.

Please, everyone, I urge you to make a plan on how to get out of your house if you don't already have one, and pick a place for everyone to meet.  The first thing the fire department asked me was: "Is everyone out?".  I was able to say yes.  After you have a plan, make a second one on what to do if you can't get out the front door, and what to do if both doors are blocked.  If you have children, practice it with them, and keep quizzing them on it.

I'm still shaking from the adrenaline rush, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to relax enough to sleep tonight.  I keep thinking I smell smoke.

thank GOD you and eveyone else are ok!!  And great going for keeping a level head and getting everyone out safely!

Oh, Lord, I hate to hear that.  But at least you're OK…  :)

You deserve a hero's salute!  :)

Thanks for the reminder on fire safety too!  :D

My dad was a fireman and my brother currently is one...me? I'm petrified of fire....so thank you for the reminder and if I may echo SS's sentiment, thank GOD you and everyone else got out safely!!

It's also a good thing to have your chimney cleaned before you light that first fire of the year and also replace the filter in your furnace before you use it....small things that can prevent fire that a lot of people don't think of after a long summer....

Thanks guys.  I'm still shaking, even though it's been over for several hours, now.  I guess I'm one of those people that stay calm in a crisis, and fall apart later.

Thanks for the chimney reminder, Jonman.  I don't have one now, but we used to have a fireplace where we used to live.  It's one of those things that you don't really think about til it's (almost) too late.

A lot of the basic fire safety stuff was drilled into me when I was in Kindergarten.  A classmate was badly burned when his little brother (or sister) was playing with mom's or dad's matches.  Everyone got fire safety drilled into them back then, which is probably why it's as natural as breathing to me now, thirty years later.

It's never too early to teach the kids...

Well done Xena

I am a Deputy House Warden at the building where I work, and it is obvious that the major contributor to any problems we may have in the future will be (a) apathy and (b) unpreparedness.

I'm glad to see you had neither of those qualities when it came time for action.

Great Job


FB  ;)


PS  The common cause of fire tragedies (as in greater loss than necessary) where I live seems to be houses that have fire detectors installed but either the battery had run out or been disconnected...

If people have these things please check them.......

XenaKat I commend you for being able to keep a level head in a situation like that!  You are a very smart woman!

Last month was Fire Awareness Month and my daughter's second grade class had to fill out a Fire Safety Guide at home, showing a designated escape plan for the family in the case of an actual fire.  I'm so glad that she is becoming aware of all this now.

I'm glad you made it out safe...and I hope that you keep an eye on your fire extinguisher and smoke detectors every month, as recommended by the fire marshals.  Be safe!   :D

Our group always has fire drills once in a while.

Wow...that is scary.  I am glad it worked out ok.  

Could I recommend electric smoke alarms.  I have 2 in my house and I love them.  I don't have to change batteries.  I have been here 8 years and they both are still working.

XenaKat I am so glad that you and your daughter made it out safely as in addition to the others in your building. It sounds like you have taught your daughter the plan in case of a fire and she followed it well.