OMG!! Fire!!

Okay so I’m still totally freaked out, I can’t get back to sleep so I’m going to write this down so maybe I will feel better. First, let me say that there were no, repeat NO, casualties. No one even needed to be taken to hospital that I could see.

BF and I were woken up this morning at 5:30 by people honking horns. I thought they were just idiots until someone yelled “FIRE!!”. BF got up quick and looked out our bedroom window and saw flames shooting up, reflecting off the neighbor’s windows. Now we live in a row of townhouses so the first thing we do is grab some clothes and see if it’s the end of our row burning. Luckily it wasn’t. I guess I should explain how our lots are organized. On our side of the street, there are rows of townhouses, all perpendicular to the street. Each in pairs of two, so our townhouse faces another row, divided by a nice courtyard, the back our units have a laneway separating us from the next set of two, and allowing access to our garages. There are maybe twelve of these sets? And each set contains about 60 units each.

On the other side of the street it’s different, the row faces the road. Set back by the sidewalk and a little lawn area. It was a couple of those upper units (they’re divided into 4 levels) that were burning, the roof decks I think. But it was seriously scary, flames were shooting up really high, there was black smoke billowing everywhere. The wind was blowing towards us so I was totally scared that a spark or two might make it across the street and ignite one of our rows. Luckily the firecrews were way fast and got it under control in a hurry, maybe 15-20 minutes after the first alarms started going. But standing and watching what you know is someone’s house burn is terrifying. You can’t do anything yourself, you can only watch.

After it was pretty much over, the fire department still had to tear down a few things to make sure there were no sparks left that could potentially restart the fire, I tried to go back to bed. But I couldn’t, all I could think about was what if it had spread to ours, what would I do? Okay first, the cats and the important document folder I keep (we have a fire safe but it’s tiny and can’t hold 8 1/2 by 11 sheets flat so I keep my special documents in a folder that I can grab right by my bed). But what next? I have soooooo much stuff that I can’t grab everything. Our computer first, but what then? I have family pictures, jewelry, the OOAK painting that bf made and gave me one Christmas, my Windstones, our Lord of the Rings swords, my books (I have over 1500). I can picture myself shoving Windstones into whatever box…just get them out. And I’m a pretty serious bibliophile…what signed, first edition books?? How much will fit in the back of our car??

I keep imagining what I would come back to if we didn’t have time to grab anything but the cats and my purse. The memories all lost. My possessions reduced to ashes and cinder. That’s what I see everytime I close my eyes right now. It’s 10:00 am now and I’m still freaked. So forgive my rambling, I just needed to get this out. Thanks for reading and I hope I didn’t freak anyone else out. Time for a sedative and a nap for me, just have to try and turn my brain off.

Thanks guys. Writing it down did help. And the nap helped too. 🙂 Definitely going to be moving some things around so they’re within reach if we have to get out quick.