A Fireman came out of retirement this morning

[daytime dave]

I was a volunteer fireman many years ago, in my local community. There weren't a lot of fires, but we also went on rescue calls and car crashes. We had lots of calls. It required lots of training. I had to resign when I divorced. I raised the children and there was no time to be a volunteer fireman.

Fast forward to last night. We had momma's family at our house for the third time during the Christmas holiday. I got home from work right as the first guest arrived. I made a huge batch of garlic bread as I had driven a co-worker home who usually walks or bikes. It was cold and he appreciated the ride. Driving past the bakery a second time was not an option. Garlic bread would go over with the crowd that had already eaten dinner. Another festive night drew to a close and I was exhausted. I went to bed early. Momma was up early to go to coffee with her brother. As she left, she was aghast that she had left a candle in the bathroom downstairs lit all night. I hadn't even known there was one in there, let alone lit. She left and I headed to the man cave to catch up on the internet and things here. I wasn't there 15 minutes and above me I heard a crash and thought "What did those %^&* cats break now. I was going to let it go for a while, but I went upstairs. I heard a vibrating noise and smelled smoke. I saw the shadow of flames as I rounded the stair case. The coffee table and rug under it were on fire. A large triple wick candle had gone unnoticed as well. It burned out the side of the body and molten wax was everywhere it could go. Not all of it was on fire yet. I was able to put plenty of water on it from the kitchen and it was out fairly quickly.

The crash was when the wax let loose and went all over the glass top of the coffee table, which was already heated from the candle all night. The glass broke and the fire spread. Luckily I was home, awake and went to see what it was right away. The vibrating noise was the old wired in fire alarm going off. It sounded more like a phone vibrator than alarm. It wasn't audible in the basement man cave area. The rug, the table and a few other things on the table were ruined. I ventilated the house and checked for more candles. I secured the house and went to take family to the airport.

I just got home from the store. Four new smoke alarms and two fire extinguishers came home with me. I am about to install them, but wanted to post this now.

Life is short. Be careful and thankful for what you have. The whole house would have gone up if I wasn't home or awake. Let my mistakes be a lesson to you all. The stuff could be replaced, but we can't. As life is short, I got a few other trinkets at the store. No new guns though.

[JEBar]

Life is short. Be careful and thankful for what you have. The whole house would have gone up if I wasn't home or awake. Let my mistakes be a lesson to you all. The stuff could be replaced, but we can't. As life is short, I got a few other trinkets at the store. No new guns though.

AMEN .... glad it wasn't any worse

[Bish1309]

Good story and lesson for us all to be more vigilant. Glad you saved the place.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

Glad to hear it all worked out well Dave.

I agree with all the Smoke Alarms. Some people laugh, but I have one in just about every room.

[tractortad]

That was a near disaster - agree with JEBar - glad that you are ok and damage wasn't any worse.

[Deadwood Dutch]

That is really scary! I am so glad that you could put it out and prevent any further damage, could have been a disaster. We have three smoke detectors wired in, one in each bedroom and in the hallway off the kitchen. I always try to check everything when
we go to bed or leave the house, no matter which time of year it is. Even if something overheats in the oven or microwave, the detectors go off and they are ear piercing, to say the least. All it takes is the slightest sense of fumes. Glad you are ok.

[Deadwood Dutch]

Double post

[daytime dave]

All new smoke detectors (4) are in place and check out. Two new extinguishers in place too. Momma showed me where the other two are which I didn't know we had.

[bandit1250]

Glad to hear you were able to avoid a disaster at your home. Thank God you were there to get it out. My father died in a house fire in '05. That was the worst day of my life.

[CT_Shooter]

I was a volunteer fireman many years ago... I just got home from the store. Four new smoke alarms and two fire extinguishers came home with me. I am about to install them, but wanted to post this now.

Life is short. Be careful and thankful for what you have. The whole house would have gone up if I wasn't home or awake. Let my mistakes be a lesson to you all. The stuff could be replaced, but we can't. As life is short, I got a few other trinkets at the store. No new guns though.

Thanks for the reminder and the story, Dave. My next door neighbor had been a volunteer fireman for his entire life. We watched in horror as his house was gutted by fire because of an unattended candle. It can happen to anyone. I'm so glad you heard some kind of an alarm, if not the one you installed today.

[PT7]

.....Life is short. Be careful and thankful for what you have. The whole house would have gone up if I wasn't home or awake. Let my mistakes be a lesson to you all. The stuff could be replaced, but we can't. As life is short, I got a few other trinkets at the store. No new guns though.

Thank God you were there to get it out.

That is really scary! I am so glad that you could put it out.....Glad you are okay.

AMEN .... glad it wasn't any worse.

...and all the other Henry Folk joining in and thankful that you and family are fine, Dave.

I'm going to print out your story to share with my KS daughter. She visits us each week, and one of the first things she does here after she settles in is to put out several scented candles because she enjoys them so much. Always has done that, even when growing up living at home. She has left here at times with the candles still burning....I tend to "warm up" when that happens.

She does the same in her home also, and I hope to encourage her to try to stop this, or at least curb it a lot. She lives with a couple, for whom she helps care for their very large and expensive home and their pets whenever they do their retirement travels. Would hate to see anything happen there.....first for the family, my daughter, their cute pets, and the home/furnishings, too.

Thanks for the good reminder, Dave. I join everyone in thankfulness to God for your being there and able to stop a really bad situation from happening.

[Les]

Wow! I'm so glad that you were there to deal with the problem. That could have become very nasty, very quickly.

[ace73]

I'm glad you're okay! I'm going to check my fire detectors and fire extinguishers now!
My wife is a candle fan too.....been times we had to turn around and go back home to blow out
a candle!

[DWD445]

Good reminder that you can never be too careful!! Glad everyone is ok.

[RanchRoper]

Very glad you and your family are ok. We've experienced a house fire and were fortunate as well years ago. Terrifying.

[daytime dave]

Thanks for all the kind sentiments.

Share this with anyone you want. I love candles. Had I known they were lit, I would have made sure they were out. I like scented candles best because they make a nice ambiance. They all go out when it's time for bed or time to leave the room for an extended time.

Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Sure as I knew it, momma threw out every candle not in a glass container. Little does she know I have a drawer full of them hidden away. They will come out when she recovers.

Enjoy your evening. I'm off to work.

[RetiredSeabee]

Glad to hear you were there and knew what to do. Tough reminder to check the house before turning in.
Worst I have discovered is leaving the garage door open overnight.

[Catherine]

Holy moly!

I am glad that you caught that mess.

My late husband was in his Volunteer FD almost his entire life shy of his military service (Out of the country.) and when he got cancer too.

Cate