The little ones are sick. They are stuffy and coughing and
feverish. They want extra snuggles. I figured they would want a warm house
today and it was snowing this morning. I asked Kian what it would take for him
to build a fire in the woodstove and tend it throughout the day because I knew
I would be busy holding babies and doing school. He and I made a deal. It was
about 9:00 am. I remember looking at the clock and being glad we had gotten
everyone ready and breakfast done and chores done so that we could start school
on time.
But then Maggie needed me so I sat down with her to nurse.
Kian made a comment, “The coals are still warm” which I paid absolutely no
attention to whatsoever. The fire had been out all night. I was not concerned
in the least about it. I should have been!!!
Maggie was asleep and I put her in her crib and checked the
time. It was 9:30. “Let’s all do Team Cleanup till 10 o’clock!” This is where
everyone chips in and helps do the deep cleaning that the house needs. It is
first on our homeschool agenda. While Abby cleaned out and vacuumed under beds,
Ella and Felicity tidied closets and drawers. I scrubbed the bathtub and washed
shower curtain liners. Klaus played with his marble run. When Maggie woke up from
her catnap, Kian played with her.
I heard Ella say, “We’re done with Team Cleanup! It’s 10:05!”
“Okay, everyone finish their job and wash your hands. It’s
time to move on to school.”
I realized that Maggie was content and Klaus was playing, so
I offered to Abby to give her a piano lesson.
A few minutes later during the lesson, Felicity who had been
doing her schoolwork by the warm woodstove, came to me, sobbing, “Thibalaboginiayee!!!”
It was unintelligible. We had no idea what she said! It’s normal for her to
overreact to things with lots and lots of tears so I said, “What?! What’s the
problem?” Sobbing, she exclaimed again, “The garage is on fire!!! The garage is
on fire!!!”
Everyone who heard her quickly followed her to the side door
where I could definitely see small flames heading up the wall of the garage and
a lot of smoke coming off the building. I recognized that I was not going to be
putting this fire out with a bucket of water so I grabbed my phone and dialed
911.
Soon I was telling the dispatcher that my garage was on
fire. I gave her more information. She commented, “I hear children with you.
Have you gotten out of the house?”
I thought to myself, “That is a good idea, to leave the
house, just in case. The house is quite close to the garage and it might catch
on fire. I’m glad she thought of that.”
I ordered, “Everyone put your shoes and coats on! We need to
get outside!” It was 20-something degrees and snowing and windy like crazy. The
kids all grabbed their gear and got out with Klaus and Maggie. I was still on
the phone with 911.
A truck pulled up. I said, “Your people are here” and hung
up the phone. He asked if my car keys were in the car. I thought, “That is a
good idea to move the car.” I said, “No, I will get them for you!” I did so.
Another man asked if I wanted to get anything out of the house. I thought, “Yes,
that is a good plan. I can get anything valuable out of the house in case it
burns down. This is the exact moment that people have their things prepared
for.”
I grabbed a file containing important documents. I grabbed a
few totes with photos. One of the men helped to put them in the car. I stood in
the house looking around and had absolutely no idea what to grab next. I thought,
“My kids are all outside somewhere. I need to go be with them.”
I then realized these two guys weren’t fire staff, they
worked for the electric company. They told me they happened to be in the
neighborhood checking lines. They noticed the smoke and came to investigate.
I walked down the driveway to find the kids. Apparently Abby
had fallen on ice and she was holding Maggie. Maggie didn’t like that and was
fussing for me.
I called Matt at school. “I am serious. The garage is on
fire. Completely. You should come home.” He got things arranged immediately. It
just so happened the substitute teacher that had covered his class for the last
two weeks was with him right at that moment and she immediately offered to stay
and cover his class. He drove home at 90 mph!
I was outside torn between wanting to watch the fire’s
progress and be with the kids. I realized then that time was ticking. The fire
was raging in the garage. The lawnmower was engulfed in flames. The fire might
quickly spread to the house as they are only 4 feet or so away from each other.
I saw Kian who immediately began apologizing. I tried to be
very clear that it wasn’t his fault. It was an accident and it could’ve
happened to me. I told the kids we needed to stop and pray that the fire didn’t
spread to the house. The kids started to worry about their things. “What about
my Kindle?!?!” they cried.
“Ha! That is what you are worried about!?” I questioned in astonishment.
Abby replied, “Yes, because I’ve gotten to Level blah-blah on Star Wars Knights
of the Republic!”
We prayed together in the snow on the driveway. The kids got
in the electric company’s truck. I went back to the house and was very
concerned that it was going to spread. The wind was so strong and there was
smoke coming out of the house. I called my friend, “My garage is on fire. We
need to pray that the house doesn’t catch fire!” I knew I could count on her to
take care of the kids if needed.
I texted Matt with an update. “The house is on fire.”
No sign of fire engines yet. I checked on the kids. They
were moved to the Suburban which was turned on and warmed up. We heard fire
sirens. I was excited to see them come to our house! I told the kids, Klaus
specifically, to look at the fire engines coming! He wasn’t interested. He was
sitting directly in front of the heater and he was burning up, very hot. I was
worried about a very high fever. He had a 102 degree fever that morning. And
this felt hotter.
I asked the kids if they wanted to go see the firefighters
put out the fire. “NO!” they replied. It was cold outside and there was so much
smoke. Abby said that it was making Maggie cough too much.
I ran back down the driveway to assist the fire crew. I saw
flames coming up from the kitchen door. They asked how to get up to the attic.
I offered to show them but they wouldn’t let me in the house. I got close and
the smoke was strong! Too strong for me to get in there. I thought everything
inside would be smoke damaged if not fire damaged.
I went back to the kids. I waited with them while the firefighters
worked their magic. I called our insurance agent. I texted Matt. My friend came
to get the kids. Another friend called who said she heard from a sister of a
neighbor who saw the shed on fire. I hadn’t even seen that neighbor at the
house!
Finally I spoke with the fire chief who said the fire was
out. Matt got home about the same time
that another friend came by to offer help. We assessed the damage inside and
out. The garage was a 100% total loss. The house exterior wall was burned. If
it hadn’t been metal siding, the whole house would have burned he told us.
Inside there were some holes in the kitchen walls and ceiling because the fire
was in the walls and up in the attic. The beams were burned and the exterior
walls were burned. There was a smoky smell but no actual smoke or smoke damage.
The house would require repairs but overall everything inside was saved.
We met with the insurance adjustor. The electrician did his
work to restore power safely. Another friend who is a contractor got busy
making phone calls and assessing needs. He and other friends made temporary
repairs so we could have heat in the house, then cleaned up the house and
shampooed carpets. Basically our house is restored and livable again already.
What an event. As if our lives weren’t exciting enough. As
if we needed any more drama. Fire travels so fast! So so fast!
