Last Night my World was on Fire
I am overcome by emotion right now. Its nighttime and I'm sitting amongst sprinklers and the spinning reflections of fire engine lights. I can't hear myself think over the sound of the engines- there are at least 11 of them. The smoke has cleared for the first time in the last hour. Things are much less hectic now.
Just 2 hours ago, I was lying on the couch feeling sluggish and indifferent. I lay procrastinating about exercise. In the distance- I heard loud cracks nothing unusual for the day after the forth of July. A few minuets later I sat up. Something wasn't right in the air I could feel it. And now I could smell it.
I ran outside with no shoes on. The sky was black with smoke. There was a ton of it. A few people had begun to gather outside, pointing their fingers toward the sky. I reached the curb; the house on the corner was engulfed in flames. I ran back to the house and searched frantically for my phone to call 911. Naturally (for those of you who know me well) it was nowhere to be found. I closed all the windows put the dog on a leash – WHERE THE HELL ARE THE CATS?? I grabbed my camera and ran back outside with no time to stop for shoes. Still no sign of 911. The over-stuffed garage attached to the house on the corner was collapsing in onto itself, the wood was cracking wildly. I was in total awe . "STUPID DRY Southern California!!" I thought to myself. Outside panicked neighbors ran garden hoses into the street barely long enough to reach at the blaze.
Finally 911 arrived. I relentlessly shot pictures as the police blocked off my street. I decided to run back to the house and find my phone –call Mark my backyard neighbor Fred and my landlady Jen. No luck I went back outside—the firefighters climbed on the houses roof and began to chain saw it off. With each sinking of the blade, out spat more flames. I was overcome with sadness. I was angry with the old lady who lived in that house for keeping it so cluttered. Suddenly there was a loud explosion (a gas tank?) as I was running back home when my neighbor yelled.
"The fire jumped"
These are some of the scariest words you'll ever hear.
If a fire jumps it can start a whole other fire, and only the wind chooses where. And for those of you who know Angelino Heights (my neighborhood) practically all the houses are historical landmarks made of old wood.
The house directly across the street from me was now on fire as well. I had a fire to my right and one in front of me.
I couldn't breath the smoke was every where. My surroundings were completely gray.
As I watched my house be rolled in police tape, I knew I had to do something and fast. I ran in the house. I started to gather my things.
WHAT DO I GRAB?? I had all the animals together and ready to go. I decided I should turn on all the sprinklers and get them on my roof….somehow.
I was able to find my phone when it rang, it was Mark – he was at work and had no idea what was happening.
Hearing his voice, I began to cry. I was a mess.
I frantically hung up and my neighbor Fred called. I yelled
"Get down here now!"
"They wont let me" he told me
"I don't care, tell them I need help, tell them you live here, tell them something just get down here!" I screamed
This can't be happening I thought, I must keep it together. Most of the neighbors were evacuated with their pets-the firefighters in action were so amazing. Mark was calling and calling feeling helpless.
I sat with my camera, our pets, my cell phone and car keys on the porch for about 30 minuets. My feet were blistered and my face stained with tears. I was in a dreamlike daze as I watched the firefighters tame the flames. I was worried about the air the animals were breathing so I put them back inside. I felt sick from the smoke. My hair smelled like burnt wood. Black stuff was coming out of my nose.
Nearly 100 firefighters were on the scene by then. They were each incredibly brave and skilled. They were victorious. Both fires were under control in under 2 hours. Countless in clean up lie ahead. The house across the street was intact. The fire fighters began chain sawing the first house down weary of gas leaks. The sounds and smell were giving me a horrible headache. I sat and watched them tear down the rest of the crumbled house, pulling out mattresses, photo albums, burnt flowers, a grandfather clock, and melted dolls. Years of memories lay burnt and twisted through out my street.
The most important thing was that no one was hurt
My house smells like a chimney and that makes me happy, things were looking so much worse for while.
I am so grateful to the LAPD
They are incredible
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