Keepin' The Home Fires Burnin'

**Before I start this post I want to say that we are all fine, unharmed, healthy and warm.  Enjoy the read.

Thursday evening I came home, as usual.  Stoked the fire, as usual.  Let out the dogs, as usual.  I took care of the dinner dishes that I had been too lazy to tackle the evening before, which is unusual.  I was doing dishes, laundry, and watching something on the computer.

I needed to soak one of my pans, the reason for my lazy delay in the first place.  I sat in the chair, computer on my lap, Ches at my feet.  Cash and Maggie (the neighbor dog) playing in the yard.  As I was watching I heard a dripping, or maybe a sizzle.  I glanced at the faucet.  Nothing.  I glanced at the fire place.  Fire!  In the wrong place.  Panic.  I let out an expletive.  And went into action.

I first replaced my pajama pants with real pants.  Jeans.  Slipped on my Uggs, shooed Ches outside, which confused her, dialed Brent.  No answer.  Panic.  Dialed 9-1-1.  All I have to say, is thank God for 9-1-1 dispatchers.  She kept me calm, kept me even, soothed my frazzled nerves.  I got out the dogs, put them in the car, and proceeded to back away from the house to give the fire truck room, if needed.  Said a prayer that it wouldn't be needed.  Was obviously frazzled, got the car stuck.  Left it there, running, with dogs inside.  Sent Maggie home, and she miraculously listened.  Did another silent Hallelujah.

When the operator was satisfied that I wasn't going to stay in the house, and that the fire personnel were on their way, I hung up.  Dialed Brent.  Got Steve (his co-worker and friend), and once I heard his voice, LOST MY MARBLES.  After I shouted that the house was on fire, about 3 times, I hung up.  At this point I was nearing a panic attack, and needed someone to calm me down.  I was alone.  I called my Mom.  Which in hindsight, only made her panic.  But she managed to calm me down.  The stove pipe was neon orange and glowing.  I had managed to save the dogs, the computer, the camera and the guns.  To be honest, I couldn't think of anything else that was that important.  We weren't inside.

I grabbed a coat for myself.  And some gloves.  It was -10 and I'd been outside for about 10 minutes in a thin t-shirt before I noticed that I didn't have a coat.  Once I'd grabbed a coat, and still on with my mom, I decided to head down the driveway with a flashlight, to signal the people coming to help.  I started out, forgot a gun, and headed back for a gun.  All the while my mom is trying to convince me that I can't go, I'll be eaten, or something.  That I should drive.  I had to cop to the fact that I got the car stuck.  Luckily I didn't have the where-with-all to be embarrassed.

I hung up and headed down the driveway, in the dark, sobbing, with a pistol and a phone.  By the time I reached the end of the drive way I got the giggles.  It may have been hysteria, but giggle I did.  As I stood there, calmer, pointing my strobing flashlight in every direction, seeking for glowing eyes in the dark.  Phew.  Relief.  Soon I saw headlights.  More headlights and FINALLY, heard the sirens, horns.  Utter relief.

Delta Junction has a volunteer fire department.  Let me tell you, they reacted quickly.  I saw the first, second, and third set of headlights.  Volunteers coming from their homes, to help me at mine.  I walked back to the house, and two firemen were already inside.  I just stood outside and watched.  Soon the big truck with lights flashing was there, and I could breathe.

I stood there, talking to my husband, whom I begged to drive carefully and assured that the whole house wasn't in flames.  Tried reaching our landlord.  And couldn't.  And waited.  Thankfully the men were much calmer than I was, and kind.  Considerate.  Conscientious.  Turns out that while the fire was very hot and very real, they managed to put it out quickly, all while being contained in the stove pipe.  Phew.

In the end we lost some drywall, and some insulation.  We'll need to replace the pipe all the way up through the roof.  But we are lucky.  Fortunate.  Blessed.  It could have been so much worse.    I have attached some photos of the damage.

This is the discoloration of the pipe and ash on top of the stove.  

The stove is fine.  In perfect condition, just coated in a fine ash.

This photo is the top of the pipe, where they cut  out the wall to access the insulation.

This is two pieces of charred foam insulation and the rope that goes around the top of the pipe.  

You can see the black charring on all of the pieces.

Our deepest gratitude and heartfelt thanks goes out to the volunteer firefighters with the Delta Fire Department.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!