Entry for January 07, 2007

My next door neighbors house burnt down this morning. I was awoken up with my fiance' yelling up the stairs, "WAKE UP THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR IS ON FIRE!" I scrambled out of bed and grabbed my slippers and flew out of the house. I was half way down the stairs when I heard my neighbor Phyllis screaming. She's a large woman with numerous health issues and I thought she was trapped in the house. I ran out the door ready to go into the house and get her. I saw the moment I opened the door that everyone was out of the house. The flames were rolling, glass was exploding out of every frame. I ran to Phyllis and helped her into our house. The heat was enormous out there. All four of them were in their nightclothes, no shoes, no shirts on the men. They needed to get inside out of the weather and out of the smoke that was totally engulfing the area. The firefighters arrived withing moments of the call, the EMT's shortly after. They took Phyllis to the E.R. She was overwrought with smoke inhalation and emotions. Her daughter and son-in-law were visiting for the weekend and they were okay, as was Clifford, her husband. The dog and the cat left us this morning in the fire. The firefighters found them and they will be buried behind the house. I went through our house finding shoes and clothing for everyone. I called the American Red Cross. They came out within an hour and a half. They were dynamic in their work. The gentlemen got a place for the family to stay for the next few days and arranged for them to have money for clothing and personal things. They were absolutely wonderful in taking control of the situation.

I live in a very small community. The outpouring of generosity I witnessed was overwhelming. The fire broke out at 8:45, by 10:00 sitting on my table were checks and cash, clothing and toiletries. By the time Phyllis got back at 1:00 calls had come in for homes they could move into, security deposits waived, furniture to outfit the homes (whichever one they wanted). There was a call for them to come to dinner when they were ready to eat. The VA Chapter in town came down and wrote a check to help get them by. There were tens of dozens of people in and out of my house until about 3:30 this afternoon, bringing food, clothing, money, prayers and condolences.

I looked at the side of our house and realized how hot that fire burned when I saw that the vinyl siding melted and buckled on our house. The roof flashing warped, the roof has spots of melted shingles and soot and ash cover everything. My insurance adjuster will take care of our house.

Everyone is gone now. I sit and look out our kitchen window and see the devastation and loss. I realize how fortunate we are to live in a community like this, where the compassionateness of our neighbors, our friends, our town is priceless.

humbly I smile...

love me later ... tj