House fire!

[jansman]

Life is never dull here at Chez Jansman. Last night we sat quietly, me reading and Her Maj knitting. Youngest was plugged in to her i- pod. Then next doors smoke alarm went off for about a minute. Our dog went bonkers ( he knows what that alarm means- that is another story!). We both looked at each other as the alarm was still going. I ran out back and looked over the wall to see smoke pouring from the kitchen. I shouted Jan to call the fire brigade but she was ahead of me and was knocking the doors of neighbours to alert them. We are in a terrace of five. The family next door were our, and the oven and its contents left on and forgotten.

The brigade turned up in about ten minutes and broke in and sorted the job, but what a mess.

After a cup of tea, my wife said " we need to get some Winter clothes in that hotel bag" what a woman!

Oh yes, and youngest just rolled her eyes and tutted. I suppose two out of three ain't bad.

[cumbrianish]

Hope you're all ok and glad your neighbour had a smoke alarm!

[Yorkshire Andy]

Glad it didn't spread to yours this is one reason I keep a stirrup pump and 2 full buckets in the shed... Quick portable water one bucket with the pump in and the other to relay water from whichever tap or rain butt is close ..

Oh you could use a hose pipe...... But try running a hose from your tap to the back bedroom through several doors and tight turns.....

[Arzosah]

Glad you're all safe! How horrendous

[Deeps]

Glad it didn't spread to yours this is one reason I keep a stirrup pump and 2 full buckets in the shed... Quick portable water one bucket with the pump in and the other to relay water from whichever tap or rain butt is close ..

Oh you could use a hose pipe...... But try running a hose from your tap to the back bedroom through several doors and tight turns.....

If you have someone else with you, you can use them as a 'hose handler' (oh err missus) its a system that's used on ships/submarines. There are a few other considerations, electrically isolating the house if you're determined to throw water about being one, smoke a biggy too.

[Decaff]

Good grief lucky you were home to deal with it! How on earth do you go out forgetting you have the oven on with your dinner inside?!
Glad all is OK and yes, definitely get warmer clothing in the BOBs its getting chilly at night

[diamond lil]

IWe live in a terraced row of 4 cottages, a long way from the nearest fire station or ambulance. My next door neighbour is a single man who drinks.. I live in fear that he will set the house up some night and the fire will spread through the lofts right along the row...

[Decaff]

Now that sounds scary! Let's hope he doesn't do anything stupid, i hope you have fire extinguishers to the ready!

[jansman]

IWe live in a terraced row of 4 cottages, a long way from the nearest fire station or ambulance. My next door neighbour is a single man who drinks.. I live in fear that he will set the house up some night and the fire will spread through the lofts right along the row...

THAT has always been our fear. Some years ago we had an alcoholic/ drug addicted lady next door. Her and her husband were not well suited and fought. A lot. One night we heard shouting and threats from her that the place was going to be burned down. The police were called and all they could do was warn her. They advised us to have smoke alarms/ extinguishers etc.

We have an extinguisher in the kitchen, on the stairs, on the landing and a torch and windscreen hammer with the upstairs one. Regarding last night, I have an extinguisher in the workshop. Also there are buckets by the water butts. Always.

In all honesty I don't feel there was immediate danger to us last night, but it does make you worry about stupid neighbours. This is why I HATE candles with a vengeance. If the lights go out it is what everyone uses, including the idiots.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Glad it didn't spread to yours this is one reason I keep a stirrup pump and 2 full buckets in the shed... Quick portable water one bucket with the pump in and the other to relay water from whichever tap or rain butt is close ..

Oh you could use a hose pipe...... But try running a hose from your tap to the back bedroom through several doors and tight turns.....

If you have someone else with you, you can use them as a 'hose handler' (oh err missus) its a system that's used on ships/submarines. There are a few other considerations, electrically isolating the house if you're determined to throw water about being one, smoke a biggy too.

And how long your hose is we have a 30 m hose pipe which is long enough to get to the end of the garden..... however looping it back from the outside tap to the backdoor through the extension through the kitchen the hallway and up the stairs i just stride measured it and it would be lucky to get to the top stair step it wont reach any of the bed rooms

I agree electricity is a issue / so it gas and smoke but in an ideal world you should bang the consumer unit off (many times removing the electicity means the fire goes out or rapidly reduces in ferocity if its an electrical appliance on fire


Most if not all domestic fire fighting stuff is "first aid" owt bigger than a arm chair half burning your going to have no chance in putting out before smoke becomes an issue im sure its you ive discussed fire safety with before



for those who wonder how fast a average room burns:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtMmymOxdjc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezJ6SorlpJo

Now that sounds scary! Let's hope he doesn't do anything stupid, i hope you have fire extinguishers to the ready!

Sadly like above Fire extinguishers are a sticking plaster to knock a fire back to allow you to escape or buy time for the big red truck to turn up most "domestic size" extinguishers are very short lived in terms of discharge and power and duration most 1kg size your lucky if you get 8 seconds of useable discharge then its empty and useless

The reason i have the hand pump as long as there is water available it can still be used ideal if out of reach of the hose pipe say some arse sets fire to a wheele bin against the house opposite at 3am.... its very easy to use see some kids messing about at a ww2 day:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0sjNsrwSLI



sometimes you just have to admit defeat shut all the doors you can and get out