Fire!

Meaghan, how terrifying for you! I'm so happy that you are all safe and sound!

Thank goodness everyone's okay. And bless you for the warning -- I'm going to clean out my lint hose right this minute!

I'm so glad to hear you are all OK.

Oh my, how scary!! I'm glad everything turned out okay!

Well, we're still working things out with the insurance company. I've been dragging my feet getting them info about the value of what was lost. So they called DH today to see where we were at with that. We're going to finish it this weekend and get it to them Monday. In the mean time, the ins. co cut the restoration people a check for $10,000! Lucky us, they can't cash it unitl Matt signs it too but damn! I guess the restoration people are claiming the took 8 truck loads from our apartment for cleaning. I'm sorry, but ALL our possessions (including the ones they cleaned on site and what we cleaned outselves) would only need 2, maybe 3 trucks so where did they get 8?! Not to mention they damaged some of our stuff worse than the fire (torn blankets, rusted pans, bent lamps) AND Matt and I did as much work as they did if not more!

I'm relieved for several reasons. First, this $$ isn't something we were dependant on (obviously, we've been with out it for almost 3 months now). I'm also VERY glad that I went with my gut and took out a 50K policy instead of the recomended 25 for renters.

Sorry, I just had to vent. I'm sick to think that they are taking advantage of other people in unfortunate situations by fleecing them cost wise.

Originally Posted by twstychik

I was always in the "it will never happen to us" school when it came to fires and other major catastrophes. Well, I was re-educated one week ago today. Long story short, I was on the couch about to take a nap with my 7 week old son when I smelled something burning. The laundry dryer was on fire! I called 911 stuffed Frankie in her carrier grabbed my son and ran out. Unfortunately Wickett had gone into hiding and I couldn't find him. The fire department was there in minutes and fortunately the fire was contained to the laundry room. DH found Wickett later under the couch a little smelly and VERY scared but otherwise fine. We are now living in the unit next door and one day at a time trying to put our life back together. We lost a lot to smoke damage but it always could have been worse.

I'll probably be scarce until things get back to normal. I'm just glad I still have a little more than a week of maternity leave so I'm not losing any pay while I put things back together in our new place.

Click to expand...

I am so sorry about the fire, and very glad you did "smell something burning". Gotta love that mama nose we all get. My husband still swears I smell things that aren't there, but my nose is usually right.

I did want to say I love your name. Our daughter's name is Meaghan....I was totally out of it when hubby spelled it that way. I'm glad to finally see someone else spells it that way too!

Its good to hear that you all are safe and sound. It must have been scary going thru that. And after reading this Im going to bug the BF to check our dryer vent again...(I make him do it once a month) and get out the air compressor and blow everything out...I have even gone as far as to wash our lint holder and clean out the inside of it with pipe cleaners and some wash clothes!! Im a paraniod person so I wont even let him run the wood stove at night in the winter because Im scare the chimney will catch fire!

Originally Posted by 3CatsN1Dog

Its good to hear that you all are safe and sound. It must have been scary going thru that. And after reading this Im going to bug the BF to check our dryer vent again...(I make him do it once a month) and get out the air compressor and blow everything out...I have even gone as far as to wash our lint holder and clean out the inside of it with pipe cleaners and some wash clothes!! Im a paraniod person so I wont even let him run the wood stove at night in the winter because Im scare the chimney will catch fire!

Click to expand...

Don't forget the exhaust tube/vent behind the dryer. We actually called maintenance to clean it today and DH saw something glowing under the dryer while it was running last night.

Thats what I make him clean out monthly...I have major fears and phobias about things happening in the house...I wont even sleep next to a window because Ill have nightmares that someones coming out of the corn field and going to mass murder our household.....Yeah Im a flippin weirdo..BF thinks so but he tolerates my weirdness...LOL.....

OMG Meaghan, I almost had a heart attack when I saw this thread resurrected - I didn't realize at first it had gotten bumped up again. *PHEW* !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by LDG

OMG Meaghan, I almost had a heart attack when I saw this thread resurrected - I didn't realize at first it had gotten bumped up again. *PHEW* !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click to expand...

Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Of course, Matt did see a "glow" under the dryer this week after a wet bag (for cloth diapers) got stuck and started to melt to the side. Both the maintenance guy and myself think it was just the heating element Matt is going to clean it all out tonight or tomorrow. The only reason I wasn't worried is because I didn't smell anything. I smelled the burning LONG before I saw anything.

Originally Posted by twstychik

Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Of course, Matt did see a "glow" under the dryer this week after a wet bag (for cloth diapers) got stuck and started to melt to the side.

Both the maintenance guy and myself think it was just the heating element Matt is going to clean it all out tonight or tomorrow. The only reason I wasn't worried is because I didn't smell anything. I smelled the burning LONG before I saw anything.

Click to expand...

Yikes! I would be a nervous wreck after what you've been though.

Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

Yikes! I would be a nervous wreck after what you've been though.

Click to expand...

Well, I heard the bag get stuck. I was lying under a sleeping baby so I had him go check it. I told him I didn't want to sound paranoid but that something in the dryer sounded different and I knew it wasn't right. I'm glad I said something. Then he mentioned the "glow" and my heart jumped into my throat. I didn't move but I was fully prepared to run out the door at his word. Of course, the first thing we bought before moving back in was a fire extinguisher so that's out on the dryer. I'm going to call maint. again today to have them clean it out.