At about 1 AM, I woke up a little bit dazed to a dull alarm. Since I’m a normally slow ariser, it took me a while to realize that it was the building fire alarm.
I thought it was a prank at first until I opened the door to the hallway and smelled smoke. I woke up my boyfriend, waited for him to get dressed (I had fallen asleep in my clothes) and headed outside. I live on the top floor (6) of an old hotel built in the 1920s (very thick concrete ceilings and walls).
We were taking a stairwell that had a glass wall separating it from the hallways on each floor. It got a bit more smokey until the first floor–when I looked down that hallway, I couldn’t see anything.
Shortly after we got outside, the fire engines had arrived. From what I gather, everyone got out okay. One of the live-in caretakers had gone around to a lot of the upper floors to pound on doors to get people to come out (I guess there used to be a lot of false alarms here).
After about an hour and a half, they got the fire under control (it was on the first floor on the opposite end of the “U” of our building from where I’m at). I’ve got my windows open to clear the last of the smoke.
So I’m thankful that it seems like no one was hurt and that none of my stuff was damaged. Now I just need to finally get renter’s insurance (I’ve been meaning to do it for a while, this is just the kick in the pants that I need).
Glad to hear you are safe! You must really be a sound sleeper. I usually am too, but an alarm wakes me right up! Did they find out what started the fire?
Also glad to hear you were OK. Last year, myself and a friend of mine were at a mutual friend’s apartment complex waiting for her to come out of her apt (she was running in to get something). We saw flames burst out of the window next to hers! Then a scream, then a little smoke, then nothing–apparently someone realized there was a fire and put it out somehow. :eek: That was scary.
Dude, turn off the computer and get out of there!! you don’t need to post everything in real time.
reads rest of OP
Oh, the fires out now. Well, nevermind
Glad to hear everything turned out all right. It’s those little brushes with death that keep us on our toes. Also, I predict in the future you’ll be very vigilant in checking the fire alarm batterys in anyother place you might live for the rest of your life.
Well, this morning I saw that an entire wing of the first floor was cordoned off with caution tape (open electrical lines and all that).
When I got back from work they let people gawk at it. They had ripped up the carpet and chopped away a lot of the charred walls. Evidently it was a cooking fire–the resident had a studio apartment and had his mattress close to the stove. Then once the mattress was on fire, he brought it out into the hallway. Coincidentally, right around the corner from his door is one of those fire hoses you see in big buildings. If it was me (and I had been thinking clearly) I might have tried that. But hindsight’s 20/20 and all that.
Someone who lived 2 floors directly above the fire said that he had smoke damage and that his radiator blew up (rusty water everywhere!)
I saw on the local news that one resident was treated for smoke inhalation and that a firefighter was injured.
That’s one of those aspects of human nature I’ve not figured out, yet. Why do people insist on messing with mattresses, chairs, sofas, etc. when they are on fire?
Leave it alone
Get out
Sound the building alarm/call 911
It’s a major league PITA when a burning something gets stuck in the stairwell, because then we’ve gotta get the &#$@% thing out of the way before gaining access to the other stuff that’s on fire. Grrr!
Anyway-glad you weren’t hurt. Have a safe Turkey Day, check your smoke detectors, get rid of extension cords, and all the other stuff I carry on about several times a year.
A second friendly kick in the pants from your friendly neighborhood insurance adjuster…
Get your damn renter’s policy. It’s not that expensive and when you live in an apartment, you are not only counting on not doing something stupid yourself, but you’re counting on every other tenant to not try to bake a turkey in a plastic pan or leave a candle burning near the curtains.
I handled a claim once in an upscale apartment building where only about half of the tenants had insurance. You would not believe the devastation. You were lucky … this time.
Notify campus administration. If they fail to take action, call the fire department. If the alarm was required by the local municipality, it must be kept in operating condition, otherwise the certificate of occupancy for the building is technically invalid.
Did they find out what started the fire?