My brother just called me to tell me that there was a fire in his house yesterday.
Apparently it started in the basement. He said that at 10:30am his girl friend was in the shower and he was in the bedroom waiting for his turn, and he saw lots of smoke coming up from the basement into the kitchen. He said it wasn't just a little.
He went down to see what was going on and he couldn't see 2 feet in front of him. Eventually he saw that his rainbow dog, Max's old bed was on fire and that the ironing board with clothes on it was catching on fire.
He didn't have a fire extinguisher and he couldn't find a bucket so he could throw water, and by this time the smoke was so thick and dense that he had to get out of there.
They called 911 and the fire department came.
Apparently there is about $20,000 smoke and water damage (the basement was unfinished and just a junk and workshop area. But the entire main floor is also damaged from the smoke. He said his walls look like they have cob webs hanging off of them.
They are staying in a hotel currently. Last night, tonight and tomorrow night. I offered them my bedroom and I'd sleep on the couch if they needed. But their insurance company has already set them up in a hotel and either tomorrow or the next day they are moving into a furnished apartment downtown that the insurance company is renting for them.
Apparently it will be 1 to 3 months before they can move back to their house. They were told that it's easier to rebuild a house than it is to clean up smoke and water damage.
Unfortunately they didn't have working smoke detectors, so they're extremely lucky that this happened in the daytime while they were awake and not at night while they were sleeping.
Both of my parents died in 1978 and my brother is the only real family that I have. I can't tell you the mix up of emotions that went through me when he called to tell me about the fire.
I'm so thankful that they are both alright. Things can be cleaned and replaced. That they are ok is the most important thing!
Apparently the cause of the fire was an outdoor extension cord they were using in the basement. It had overheated or something and set off the fire.
Then to top it off a water main broke in front of their house. The way the City here works is if the broken part of the water main is on your property, you are responsible for the repair of it even if it wasn't your fault. The main that broke happened to be on their property so he is reponsible for the cost of the repairs which is upwards of $3,000.00. However since they just had a fire that same day, the city is cutting them a break and not charging them for the repair. Which is extremely nice of them! I think it helps that he's a City employee employed by the transit system though.
Apparently it started in the basement. He said that at 10:30am his girl friend was in the shower and he was in the bedroom waiting for his turn, and he saw lots of smoke coming up from the basement into the kitchen. He said it wasn't just a little.
He went down to see what was going on and he couldn't see 2 feet in front of him. Eventually he saw that his rainbow dog, Max's old bed was on fire and that the ironing board with clothes on it was catching on fire.
He didn't have a fire extinguisher and he couldn't find a bucket so he could throw water, and by this time the smoke was so thick and dense that he had to get out of there.
They called 911 and the fire department came.
Apparently there is about $20,000 smoke and water damage (the basement was unfinished and just a junk and workshop area. But the entire main floor is also damaged from the smoke. He said his walls look like they have cob webs hanging off of them.
They are staying in a hotel currently. Last night, tonight and tomorrow night. I offered them my bedroom and I'd sleep on the couch if they needed. But their insurance company has already set them up in a hotel and either tomorrow or the next day they are moving into a furnished apartment downtown that the insurance company is renting for them.
Apparently it will be 1 to 3 months before they can move back to their house. They were told that it's easier to rebuild a house than it is to clean up smoke and water damage.
Unfortunately they didn't have working smoke detectors, so they're extremely lucky that this happened in the daytime while they were awake and not at night while they were sleeping.
Both of my parents died in 1978 and my brother is the only real family that I have. I can't tell you the mix up of emotions that went through me when he called to tell me about the fire.
I'm so thankful that they are both alright. Things can be cleaned and replaced. That they are ok is the most important thing!
Apparently the cause of the fire was an outdoor extension cord they were using in the basement. It had overheated or something and set off the fire.
Then to top it off a water main broke in front of their house. The way the City here works is if the broken part of the water main is on your property, you are responsible for the repair of it even if it wasn't your fault. The main that broke happened to be on their property so he is reponsible for the cost of the repairs which is upwards of $3,000.00. However since they just had a fire that same day, the city is cutting them a break and not charging them for the repair. Which is extremely nice of them! I think it helps that he's a City employee employed by the transit system though.