Thursday, July 12, 2012

Burning Down

Unexpected adventures seem to happen all the time and this weekend was no exception. In truth besides the unexpected fire my weekend was quite boring and non-adventurous.

So here is the story of my fire experience:

It was Saturday night and I had stayed up late because my beloved brother decided to show me an awesome site that I can buy and download old games that I was currently trying to figure out how to work on my computer. It was late, far later than I would normally be up because of my desire to get the programs to work (I think it was a blessing). Around 3:30am, I was fed up with my frustration and told myself it was time to get to bed but I kept smelling something like incense in the air. I remember think 'who on earth would be burning incense?' I needed to get to bed though, I had church in the morning, after all but I got the feeling that I should at least look out my door to check if something was out there.  It was weird because I also started hearing beeping from a few floors below. I went over to my door and opened it slightly and found a wall of smoke, so thick I could see three five feet in front of me. I quickly closed my door and started considering my options. The beeping downstairs were definitely fire alarms going off (they don't have our alarms go off probably because we are such a high floor that we're already doomed). I went over to my window and looked out, considering if I had the courage to jump if it became necessary, I live on the 11th floor, mind you. One look and I knew there was no way I was jumping. So I threw on some pants and grabbed my wallet and phone and my key. That is when I started hearing the airtanks of a firefighters outside in my hallway. They were banging on peoples doors trying to wake them up and get them out. As a last thought I grabbed one of my scarfs (used to cover my face) and went out my door. There I found two firefighters with axes still pounding on other peoples doors. They motioned me to get out, so like the responsible person I am I closed and locked my door and then motioned for them to tell me where the stairs were (I've never taken them before when I had an elevater and had no idea where they were) hehe.
I waded down through all eleven flights of smoke and nearly feighnted once but pushed through to the curb. The firehoses were going into the basement where the fire originated and was extinguished at. There was no cause for alarm at that point but the smoke was still pretty bad. A couple of english buddies who also live in the building were out on the curb as well and so I sat with them there until 5am when the firefighters told us that it was safe to go back in. The next few hours I slept next to the open window trying to breath fresh air. In the morning I cleaned black soot out of my nose, which was nasty but very informative of how much smoke I inhaled.





No worries though, I am still alive and now my building reminds me of a campfire. Oh and because I had my phone I was able to take photos :) and a video.

The next day I was exhausted but had a great story for everyone at church.

Bisides that nothing else is exciting enough to note, well if it as it has been out shown from my fire story. Um... school is good, I love the classes I teach. Hopkido testing is in a week. I am going to the temple this saturday.  The missionaries are trying to hint that I should marry a particular immature member of our singles group. I still go out to eat for most of my meals. And I'm happy.

till next week :)

2 comments:

  1. Dude. That story was awesome. But in the pictures it doesn't look like anything is on fire. Did you make it all up?

    ReplyDelete
  2. The fire was the invisible kind where all you can see is the sparkle it gives off. ;)
    No the fire was put out before the pics were taken, the images were more for the humongous line of firetrucks outside my building.

    ReplyDelete