Sunday night we went through an experience and will continue to go through this experience as we move forward that I hope none of you will ever have to go through. We were awoken at 10:45pm to a odd noise then a quick beep like a smoke detector went off. I'm a light sleeper so jumped up an opened the bedroom door, which is upstairs. The house was filling with toxic smoke. I ran down stairs, opened the outside door that leads out in to our garage. There were flames shooting up out of the roof and corner of the house. The garage door must have been tripped when the wire melted and was opened. That was the noise that I heard. I yelled up to Karen to get Jasper, call 911 and get out of the house. I was going for the garden hoses. Our land phone was dead, burnt wiring I'm quessing. We both have cell phones but in a panic mode I ran across the street and rang the door bell and got the neighbor to call 911. I'm in my underwear running around trying to hook up hoses from the backyard which is completely dark. The neighbor happened to have a large fire extinquisher which really helped keep the fire under control. After the extinquisher was exhausted we both were using hoses. I had to stop and get both cars moved as Karens was in the garage, close to the fire.
The house was filling with smoke as the fire was moving up the chase. We have 25 foot ceilings in our A-frame with an attached garage.
Now I always thought that if this ever happened, not thinking in a million years that it ever would, that I would try and save items that we simply can't replace. So of course, I run up stairs, holding my breath and go back in to our bedroom where a big part of my antique lure collection is. I grab the doube wide case that if very big and bulky, turn around and can't even see the door the smoke was so bad. A moment of panic set in. Now this is not just smoke but toxic, nasty stuff from burning insullation and plastic coated wiring, etc.. I run down and out and put them in my car, make 2 more trips back up and grab more cases and some pants. The fire trucks, 10 in all, finally show up and we are no longer able to get back in the house.
The firefighters saved some of our family pictures and paintings on the wall. They were pretty good about it. They first had to fiqure out where the fire was and where it was moving to before they would use water. Ripped much of the ceiling out as the fire went through the roof, bashed holes in walls, etc. The fire was under control after 2 hours or so. Major fire, smoke and water damage. The fire chief mentioned that if we hadn't contained the fire with hose and extinquisher that the house would have probebly burnt to the ground. It was amaxing but the Red cross shows up with food, water and clothing. The red cross finds us a hotel for the night. We show up at 3am and don't sleep a wink.
Next morning we show up. I call my insurance company and with in hours there are people all over the place. They get the ball rolling and fast. So many helpful people.
Damages:
All of our clothes had to be removed and will be cleaned with a special process.
Most of the furniture is gone. A few of our antiques can be refinished. The smoke and water damage is amazing. We had just had a new and beautuful antique style oak wood floor installed along with new carpet. I have been doing tons of work on the house.
All of the my musky lures and rods were in the basement which are ok. Lots of water damage to the basement because it all runs through the floors and down hill.
We will now be out of our house for 3-4 months and living somewhere else?
After this long and drawn out story which I apologize for, I am sitting at the Howell library, still smelling of smoke and spewing this out but I wanted to actually make a point.
The important point that I wanted to make was that I hope all of you have a fire plan for you and your families and make sure that you have a large fire extinquisher ready and available. We are all safe including the cat which we couldn't find. My lungs are burning a bit from the smoke but were are ok. This still really hasn't fully sunk in yet. This morning we were eating breakfast at a diner in Howell and we read the article in the Press Argus paper titled, "Fire burns couple out of home". I received a phone call from the Red cross stating that a man from Brighton saw the article and wanted to help us out. I don't even know th guy. Amazing!
House fire
Moderator: Cyberlunge
-
Jim tenHaaf
- Posts: 3126
- Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:48 pm
- Location: Kentwood
- Contact:
-
Larry Porter
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 9:40 am
- Location: Hastings MI
-
Kingfisher
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:45 am
- Location: Muskegon, MI
- Contact:
-
somethinfishy
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2005 8:02 pm
HELP
Tim,
I read your story. Call my cell at 248-425-8065. I can give you some clothes and stuff tonight. Or just to talk. Say hi to Karen. Terrible stuff but glad you are OK. My folks house burned to the ground 10 years ago. Devasting, but they recovered and rebuilt. Call me. Cooper.
I read your story. Call my cell at 248-425-8065. I can give you some clothes and stuff tonight. Or just to talk. Say hi to Karen. Terrible stuff but glad you are OK. My folks house burned to the ground 10 years ago. Devasting, but they recovered and rebuilt. Call me. Cooper.
somethin fishy
-
Chris Barton
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 4:27 pm
- Location: Nashville, MI
house fire
Tim,
My neighbors had a chimney fire back in mid Feb. and the house filled with smoke. It is amazing how much damage is caused by the smoke and water. They are moving back in this weekend. You have my cell number, please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
Glad to hear everyone is safe.
My neighbors had a chimney fire back in mid Feb. and the house filled with smoke. It is amazing how much damage is caused by the smoke and water. They are moving back in this weekend. You have my cell number, please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
Glad to hear everyone is safe.
I really appreciate everyone's kind words and willingness to help out. I will certainly let you know if we need anything.
The fire was determined to be electrical, faulty wiring, a wire gone bad.
I was there again today going through and itemizing all of the items that are not salvagable. All of our cloths, all of the appliances and just about everything has been removed and taken to storage for cleaning, refinishing, etc.. They start drying out the place with fans as they removed some of the drywall to get air in behind. The new floor has been ripped out along with all of the carpet.
We will be living in a hotel until they find us a house or Condo for 3-4 months.
We'll be ok!
Thanks again and Fish on!
The fire was determined to be electrical, faulty wiring, a wire gone bad.
I was there again today going through and itemizing all of the items that are not salvagable. All of our cloths, all of the appliances and just about everything has been removed and taken to storage for cleaning, refinishing, etc.. They start drying out the place with fans as they removed some of the drywall to get air in behind. The new floor has been ripped out along with all of the carpet.
We will be living in a hotel until they find us a house or Condo for 3-4 months.
We'll be ok!
Thanks again and Fish on!
-
kid coulson
- Posts: 1976
- Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 11:20 pm
- Location: grandville MI