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Neighbor's house burned up this morning

2K views 24 replies 20 participants last post by  80sDweeb 
#1 ·
This morning I looked out my front door to see if traffic was still backed up because of the bad weather, and across the street I saw smoke pouring out of my neighbor's garage, above the garage door. I called 911, and before I finished dialing I saw the son and the dog come out of the house. I was relieved to see him come out, I wouldn't have even known if he was home or at school - he was home only because his vocational education program was closed for some reason. He was in his room doing homework and the fire started in the garage, perhaps from some wiring. I don't know if they'll figure it out or not. Anyway, the firemen had a lot of trouble getting to the fire hall, and then the trucks had trouble getting to the fire, and then had challenges with the snow and ice, and the temp was dropping and wind blowing as they worked to put out the flames.

This neighbor is the kind of guy who's got (had) every tool you could ever need. He later said to me, "Why couldn't you have borrowed some of my tools yesterday?!" The garage was full of all kinds of propane tanks, gasoline cans, there were a couple snowmobiles on a trailer, plenty of cans of chemicals to keep a fire roaring and popping.

This first pic was taken 3 minutes after I called 911:

Car Wheel Vehicle Snow Tire


8 minutes later, things weren't looking good, and my kids were really freaking out (4 and 7 year old boys, and later my 10 year old girl woke up - they're home schooled):

Atmosphere Building Window World Atmospheric phenomenon


These videos were both taken within 15 minutes of my 911 call:

Hosenfeld's garage on Penfield Road burning - YouTube

Hosenfeld's garage on Penfield Road burning 2 - YouTube

Here's what was left once the fire was out:

Wheel Tire Land vehicle Automotive parking light Car


The house is condemned; fire, smoke, and water damaged beyond repair. I helped the son gather some rifles and shotguns from the basement so he could dry them off in the living room. He's in high school, but he was handling those guns with great safety, care, and confidence. They removed the guns to a relative's home, as the house has no power, and was to be boarded up (required by law.)

The son first tried to call 911 by land line, but the cordless phone didn't work - because the breaker panel in the garage was already burned and the power went out.

I need some LOUD smoke detectors for the more remote parts of my house (basement, garage, attic.) I also want to get some large fire extinguishers. You really can't argue that they're too expensive, after watching something like this - not that this could have necessarily been prevented, but who knows, with a loud detector screaming away, they could at least have had a huge head start on saving some of their belongings (tools, snowmobiles), and getting the fire put out before it spread from the garage to the back of the house and into the roof.

Oh, I also need to back up my computers more regularly, and put the backups someplace safe. Ooooh, I would be so dead if all the data in my home burned up...

I'm appreciating my warm house, with my family tucked safely in their beds right now. Also appreciating volunteers who battle fires in all kinds of conditions.

Scott in Penfield
 
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#2 ·
Wow, that is just awful. I hope they can get their lives back to some semblance of normalcy sooner than later. We just got a couple of new smoke detectors, but it certainly does make me question my readiness to do anything about it should those ever start blaring (when it's NOT due to the 'ol lady's cooking that is).

BTW: A little warning about that ear shattering screech in the first few seconds of the first video would have been nice.. hehe.
 
#9 ·
BTW: A little warning about that ear shattering screech in the first few seconds of the first video would have been nice.. hehe.
Yeah, tell me about it! I work from home, so these guys are my constant companions. This is why I may get a little long-winded in internet posts - at least I get to type to grown-ups!

Scott in Penfield NY
 
#3 ·
I need some LOUD smoke detectors for the more remote parts of my house (basement, garage, attic.)
There's one thing that I don't see enough of, and I don't know why - probably cost. But if you're concerned about hearing one in a remote area of the house, you should look into it. There are a couple of manufacturers out there that build a RF link into smoke detectors. If one detector activates in a remote portion of the house, it will immediately activate ALL of the smoke detectors in the house. They are available in both AC (hardwired) and DC (battery) models.
 
#4 ·
I think thats exactly what we just got Bob. I haven't installed them yet, but I saw something about wireless linking on there (I didnt pick them out). First Alert is the make I believe. They weren't really that much more expensive than other models. Somewhere around $30 per detector if Im not mistaken.
 
#5 ·
It must be the time of years for fires. The house two doors down from me burned down Tuesday. Again they suspect electrical or smoking. I was woken at 4 am and the blazing shot below was about 5 minutes after i got out of my house and checked on everyone. I had cinders landing on my roof, luckily we went with a metal one. The house was a multi family - 10 people being helped out by the Red cross there.
Atmosphere Fire Flame Heat Gas
Atmosphere Plant Window Building Pollution
Atmosphere Plant Automotive lighting Fog Window
Sky Window Building Tree House
Sky Tree Wood Asphalt Neighbourhood
 
#6 ·
It must be the time of years for fires. The house two doors down from me burned down Tuesday. Again they suspect electrical or smoking. I was woken at 4 am and the blazing shot below was about 5 minutes after i got out of my house and checked on everyone. I had cinders landing on my roof, luckily we went with a metal one. The house was a multi family - 10 people being helped out by the Red cross there.
Hey, I know that place next door. Spent many, many evenings there in my youth.
 
#8 ·
i bought some dual detectors and also RF, the kind that are linked via RF and if one goes off, they all do, well worth it!
I guarantee i have more detectors per square foot than 99% of the homes out there...can't help it.
escape ladder on second floor, fire extinguishers in multiple areas and most of all, an escape plan.

Shop Kidde Battery Powered Wireless Smoke Alarm at Lowes.com=

Shop First Alert Battery Powered Dual Ionization and Photoelectric Smoke Alarm at Lowes.com=

Rob (Director of Safety)
 
#11 ·
Holy cow. I read this this morning and then we had two fires called in on my street this morning and the sub station on Bailey Rd went up too. Tis the season for fires I guess.

That sub station has got be a nightmare, black as night smoke, high voltage coming in. I don't envy those guys working it.
 
#17 ·
For the Penfield fire - good thing the wind was blowing in the direction it was - otherwise, the house itself would have been a total loss (how bad was the interior damage - MCFW said there was some extension into the house).

The RG&E substation - likely a transformer fire (and that's a MAJOR substation coming off the NYPA hydropower lines). But they can shut the high voltage lines down remotely with a mouse click.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I need some LOUD smoke detectors for the more remote parts of my house (basement, garage, attic.) I also want to get some large fire extinguishers. You really can't argue that they're too expensive, after watching something like this
Preparedness is being ready, not a knee jerk reaction to something that happened nearby to remind you that, yes, your current system is potentially inadiquate and that you already do know where the weak areas are but up til now have been too lazy to bother actually doing anything about it.

That's like buying the onstar accident awareness option for your new car after the accident has already happened...

'Need' and 'want' for warning and safety devices shouldn't even be part of the program at this point if you've been in your current home for more than a week or so.
 
#19 ·
Anyway, the firemen had a lot of trouble getting to the fire hall, and then the trucks had trouble getting to the fire, and then had challenges with the snow and ice, and the temp was dropping and wind blowing as they worked to put out the flames.
While I understand weather partially to blame, part of the other issue is that it's not a law for people to pull over when the volunteer blue and green lights are blinking...

I'll never understand why that is either... if someone is volunteering to go into a potentially deadly situation (a fire, any situation where there is blood that could be contaminated, etc) people need to move the fug outta the way... what if slowy-mcgrandmason is the reason why the guy is 1 minute later than everyone else and the house burns down or the person dies...

Friendly reminder... when you see those volunteer lights, move over so they can get by
 
#20 · (Edited)
90% of the times I've seen the volunteer lights is when one of them flicks them on so they can get through a redlight that they were tired of waiting on. Not going to an emergency mind you, just wanting to get somewhere 3 minutes quicker.

Exactly why there is no law regarding moving for them. Everyone knows it'll get abused by billybob and bubba.
Just like the gaggle the next town over: go to thier local bar on any Friday or Saturday night and every swinging dick is there with a pager on thier hip and whoopie lights on thier truck pickling thier brain cells.
Nothing like a bunch of drunks driving at speed on public roads to go to a fire.
I will say that they're great at saving basements though.

EDIT:
The above isn't to be taken lightly either.
My wife, son in law, and several family freinds have been volunteers for various fire and ambulance services in this and nearby towns and counties but all have quit due to the abuse of power, infighting and general stupidity of those they had to work with.
Volunteers are great, volunteers who think that doing such makes them gods are ****heads.
 
#24 ·
90% of the times I've seen the volunteer lights is when one of them flicks them on so they can get through a redlight that they were tired of waiting on. Not going to an emergency mind you, just wanting to get somewhere 3 minutes quicker.

Exactly why there is no law regarding moving for them. Everyone knows it'll get abused by billybob and bubba.
Just like the gaggle the next town over: go to thier local bar on any Friday or Saturday night and every swinging dick is there with a pager on thier hip and whoopie lights on thier truck pickling thier brain cells.
Nothing like a bunch of drunks driving at speed on public roads to go to a fire.
I will say that they're great at saving basements though.

EDIT:
The above isn't to be taken lightly either.
My wife, son in law, and several family freinds have been volunteers for various fire and ambulance services in this and nearby towns and counties but all have quit due to the abuse of power, infighting and general stupidity of those they had to work with.
Volunteers are great, volunteers who think that doing such makes them gods are ****heads.
ya, wait til a cop finds them *cheating* they take that very seriously.
 
#23 ·
I'm glad everyone is ok, I hope they had fire insurance and nothing that was totally irreplaceable was lost.

My house burning down is a huge fear of mine, hopefully if it ever did burn the fire department could get it put out before all the ammo goes bang.
 
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