Post a bad thing that happened in your life today

[Ed Rooney]

 

Wow -- that is an ultra POSH rental, Michael. Bella Roma is getting more Bella.

[StokeCreative]

Scary more than bad...we nearly had a house fire on Monday.

Roman blinds in our lounge caught fire from a tea light (candle). Went up with a sheet of flame. Managed to put it out with some cushions and wet tea towels. Windows cracked, UPVC melted, cushions and carpet burnt, but no injuries other than a small burn on my wife's hand.

If I hadnt been in the room at the time we would have lost the house, it spread so quickly. We've had candles on that window sill for 20+ years...but now they are banned. My wife is really traumatised (and Im not much better).

We had an estate agent booked for the next day to do the photography to sell our house......

[Allan Bell]

47 minutes ago, StokeCreative said:

Scary more than bad...we nearly had a house fire on Monday.

Roman blinds in our lounge caught fire from a tea light (candle). Went up with a sheet of flame. Managed to put it out with some cushions and wet tea towels. Windows cracked, UPVC melted, cushions and carpet burnt, but no injuries other than a small burn on my wife's hand.

If I hadnt been in the room at the time we would have lost the house, it spread so quickly. We've had candles on that window sill for 20+ years...but now they are banned. My wife is really traumatised (and Im not much better).

We had an estate agent booked for the next day to do the photography to sell our house......

 

OMGosh!  So sorry to read your extremely "bad thing".  Definitely ban candles completely. Hope your wife's hand heals soon and isn't too troublesome.

 

Allan

 

[StokeCreative]

52 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

OMGosh!  So sorry to read your extremely "bad thing".  Definitely ban candles completely. Hope your wife's hand heals soon and isn't too troublesome.

 

Allan

 

Thanks Allan. Have I mentioned I use to live in Lincoln? (as an art student). Its changed a lot since then as I have worked as an External Examiner at the Uni more recently.

[NYCat]

3 hours ago, StokeCreative said:

Scary more than bad...we nearly had a house fire on Monday.

Roman blinds in our lounge caught fire from a tea light (candle). Went up with a sheet of flame. Managed to put it out with some cushions and wet tea towels. Windows cracked, UPVC melted, cushions and carpet burnt, but no injuries other than a small burn on my wife's hand.

If I hadnt been in the room at the time we would have lost the house, it spread so quickly. We've had candles on that window sill for 20+ years...but now they are banned. My wife is really traumatised (and Im not much better).

We had an estate agent booked for the next day to do the photography to sell our house......

 

So glad you were able to stop it. I keep a lot of candles in case of blackout but I'm not as into that sort of light as I was when I was young. Cats and candles don't get along well.

 

Paulette

[Michael Ventura]

3 hours ago, StokeCreative said:

Scary more than bad...we nearly had a house fire on Monday.

Roman blinds in our lounge caught fire from a tea light (candle). Went up with a sheet of flame. Managed to put it out with some cushions and wet tea towels. Windows cracked, UPVC melted, cushions and carpet burnt, but no injuries other than a small burn on my wife's hand.

If I hadnt been in the room at the time we would have lost the house, it spread so quickly. We've had candles on that window sill for 20+ years...but now they are banned. My wife is really traumatised (and Im not much better).

We had an estate agent booked for the next day to do the photography to sell our house......

Wow scary, so glad it wasn't worse.  My daughter likes candles and I hate that she uses them.  Hope your wife's burned hand heals quickly!

 

Michael

[gvallee]

2 hours ago, StokeCreative said:

Scary more than bad...we nearly had a house fire on Monday.

Roman blinds in our lounge caught fire from a tea light (candle). Went up with a sheet of flame. Managed to put it out with some cushions and wet tea towels. Windows cracked, UPVC melted, cushions and carpet burnt, but no injuries other than a small burn on my wife's hand.

If I hadnt been in the room at the time we would have lost the house, it spread so quickly. We've had candles on that window sill for 20+ years...but now they are banned. My wife is really traumatised (and Im not much better).

We had an estate agent booked for the next day to do the photography to sell our house......

 

So sorry to hear this Hugh. Fire is something I've always dreaded in our motorhome. It came with curtains pelmets all around, including above the gas cooker, a real fire hazard. Once I was cooking sausages, pierced them with a fork, a flame shot sideways about 20 cm. There is no exit at the back, only one on the side at the front. We have two fire extinguishers, one at the front and one at the back by the beds plus a fire blanket. I always feel uneasy about it. Hope everything gets sorted for you.

[Sally Robertson]

3 hours ago, StokeCreative said:

Scary more than bad...we nearly had a house fire on Monday.

Roman blinds in our lounge caught fire from a tea light (candle). Went up with a sheet of flame. Managed to put it out with some cushions and wet tea towels. Windows cracked, UPVC melted, cushions and carpet burnt, but no injuries other than a small burn on my wife's hand.

If I hadnt been in the room at the time we would have lost the house, it spread so quickly. We've had candles on that window sill for 20+ years...but now they are banned. My wife is really traumatised (and Im not much better).

We had an estate agent booked for the next day to do the photography to sell our house......

 

I'm so sorry that happened but glad you and your wife are ok. I hope you recover soon from the shock of it and it is possible to repair damages.

 

I had a housemate who used tea light candles a lot. One day she had gone out and left a bunch of them on a rickety tea light stand she had made herself. They were all alight so I was glad I found them and blew them out. It can happen so easily.

[Mr Standfast]

4 hours ago, StokeCreative said:

Scary more than bad...we nearly had a house fire on Monday.

Roman blinds in our lounge caught fire from a tea light (candle). Went up with a sheet of flame. Managed to put it out with some cushions and wet tea towels. Windows cracked, UPVC melted, cushions and carpet burnt, but no injuries other than a small burn on my wife's hand.

If I hadnt been in the room at the time we would have lost the house, it spread so quickly. We've had candles on that window sill for 20+ years...but now they are banned. My wife is really traumatised (and Im not much better).

We had an estate agent booked for the next day to do the photography to sell our house......

Good to hear you're ok.  Don't take a fright like that lightly.

[StokeCreative]

28 minutes ago, Sally Robertson said:

 

I'm so sorry that happened but glad you and your wife are ok. I hope you recover soon from the shock of it and it is possible to repair damages.

 

I had a housemate who used tea light candles a lot. One day she had gone out and left a bunch of them on a rickety tea light stand she had made herself. They were all alight so I was glad I found them and blew them out. It can happen so easily.

 

Thanks Sally

 

Hugh

[StokeCreative]

14 minutes ago, Mr Standfast said:

Good to hear you're ok.  Don't take a fright like that lightly.

Indeed,

cheers Mr S

 

Hugh

[StokeCreative]

1 hour ago, Michael Ventura said:

Wow scary, so glad it wasn't worse.  My daughter likes candles and I hate that she uses them.  Hope your wife's burned hand heals quickly!

 

Michael

cheers Michael , its only a small burn but my wife is terrified of fire (who isnt!)

 

H

[Allan Bell]

7 hours ago, StokeCreative said:

Thanks Allan. Have I mentioned I use to live in Lincoln? (as an art student). Its changed a lot since then as I have worked as an External Examiner at the Uni more recently.

 

Yes Hugh you did mention that you had lived in Lincoln and yes it has changed dramatically over the years since I first knew it.

 

That would be around 1971 - 2 when I met the lady who would become my wife. We were both working in Nottingham when we met and she took me home to meet her parents.

 

Allan

 

Omitted to mention my wife's parents lived at Tealby.

 

ITMA

 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Allan Bell

[StokeCreative]

5 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

So sorry to hear this Hugh. Fire is something I've always dreaded in our motorhome. It came with curtains pelmets all around, including above the gas cooker, a real fire hazard. Once I was cooking sausages, pierced them with a fork, a flame shot sideways about 20 cm. There is no exit at the back, only one on the side at the front. We have two fire extinguishers, one at the front and one at the back by the beds plus a fire blanket. I always feel uneasy about it. Hope everything gets sorted for you.

Thanks, its made me re-think where we've put our fire blanket/extinguisher in our van, and that we should have the same in the house as well

[Betty LaRue]

Years ago, I put on a pan filled with solid fat (Vegetable solid) to melt, (I was out of oil) so I could fry up some chicken livers. It takes a while to melt & get to temperature. Meanwhile, I took the mail from the mailbox by our front door.

I had been looking for a new bedspread for a couple of years, none satisfying the colors & patterns I wanted.  In the mail was a catalog with a bedspread on the cover.

My pan heating up was forgotten. I sat on the couch & eagerly began looking at the bedspreads.  Soon I heard a smallish boom, followed by the sound of a small jet taking off. A roar. That was the fat igniting. I tried removing the pan by the handle from the burner since flames were licking the kitchen cabinets. That movement caused the flames to lick toward my arm, covered by a sweater to the wrist.

I tossed the pan back onto the stove before I caught on fire & got the fire extinguisher, but I couldn’t break the strap that made it work.

I called the fire department & while talking to them, took our two parrots out to their patio cages.

Next in line was to take my new car out of the garage so it wouldn’t get torched.

As the garage door rose, smoke billowed outdoors, just as my husband drove up. Scared him to death. He broke the fire extinguisher strap but had to spray 3 times before the fire went out, just as the fire department arrived. 
I shook like a leaf from the close call, but not realizing my head had been in the smoke level. I realized that when I looked in the mirror later to see my smoke-colored hair. Steel grey!

The whole thing was my fault, of course, for allowing myself to get distracted. We got brand new cabinets out of it from the insurance company. Then they cancelled us. 🤬

Often what we do is try to save things rather than get out. Many times it works, sometimes it doesn’t & injuries happen, or lives are lost. My parrots lives were as important to me as my own. My children wouldn’t have understood if things went south, but my husband would have. He was crazy about those birds, too.

 

 

[Bryan]

22 hours ago, StokeCreative said:

Scary more than bad...we nearly had a house fire on Monday.

Roman blinds in our lounge caught fire from a tea light (candle). Went up with a sheet of flame. Managed to put it out with some cushions and wet tea towels. Windows cracked, UPVC melted, cushions and carpet burnt, but no injuries other than a small burn on my wife's hand.

If I hadnt been in the room at the time we would have lost the house, it spread so quickly. We've had candles on that window sill for 20+ years...but now they are banned. My wife is really traumatised (and Im not much better).

We had an estate agent booked for the next day to do the photography to sell our house......

A horror story, thanks for posting the warning. We don't normally use candles - there might be some forgotten specimens lurking in the garage in case of a power failure - but our sons' partners seem to be keen, I'll mention this.  

 

Hope you are able to sell the house and move on. 

[Ed Rooney]

 

Hugh, Thank God you were able to put the fire out.

[Bryan]

12 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Years ago, I put on a pan filled with solid fat (Vegetable solid) to melt, (I was out of oil) so I could fry up some chicken livers. It takes a while to melt & get to temperature. 

I tossed the pan back onto the stove before I caught on fire & got the fire extinguisher, but I couldn’t break the strap that made it work.

 

As the garage door rose, smoke billowed outdoors, just as my husband drove up. Scared him to death. He broke the fire extinguisher strap but had to spray 3 times before the fire went out, just as the fire department arrived. 

Another cautionary tale. We always carried an extinguisher and fire blanket  in our caravan but we don't have one in the house.  Action needed !

 

Something else to be aware of. Many years ago a distant relative's brother, a young child,  pulled a pan of boiling water from the stove over himself. Today the medics would probably have saved him, but then, sadly, he died. So no pan handles pointing forwards and better to use the rear hobs when there are children about.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Bryan

[StokeCreative]

12 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Years ago, I put on a pan filled with solid fat (Vegetable solid) to melt, (I was out of oil) so I could fry up some chicken livers. It takes a while to melt & get to temperature. Meanwhile, I took the mail from the mailbox by our front door.

I had been looking for a new bedspread for a couple of years, none satisfying the colors & patterns I wanted.  In the mail was a catalog with a bedspread on the cover.

My pan heating up was forgotten. I sat on the couch & eagerly began looking at the bedspreads.  Soon I heard a smallish boom, followed by the sound of a small jet taking off. A roar. That was the fat igniting. I tried removing the pan by the handle from the burner since flames were licking the kitchen cabinets. That movement caused the flames to lick toward my arm, covered by a sweater to the wrist.

I tossed the pan back onto the stove before I caught on fire & got the fire extinguisher, but I couldn’t break the strap that made it work.

I called the fire department & while talking to them, took our two parrots out to their patio cages.

Next in line was to take my new car out of the garage so it wouldn’t get torched.

As the garage door rose, smoke billowed outdoors, just as my husband drove up. Scared him to death. He broke the fire extinguisher strap but had to spray 3 times before the fire went out, just as the fire department arrived. 
I shook like a leaf from the close call, but not realizing my head had been in the smoke level. I realized that when I looked in the mirror later to see my smoke-colored hair. Steel grey!

The whole thing was my fault, of course, for allowing myself to get distracted. We got brand new cabinets out of it from the insurance company. Then they cancelled us. 🤬

Often what we do is try to save things rather than get out. Many times it works, sometimes it doesn’t & injuries happen, or lives are lost. My parrots lives were as important to me as my own. My children wouldn’t have understood if things went south, but my husband would have. He was crazy about those birds, too.

 

 

Sounds very scary. Until it happens to yourself its just something "that happens to other (probably careless) people"

[Allan Bell]

2 hours ago, Bryan said:

Another cautionary tale. We always carried an extinguisher and fire blanket  in our caravan but we don't have one in the house.  Action needed !

 

Something else to be aware of. Many years ago a distant relative's brother, a young child,  pulled a pan of boiling water from the stove over himself. Today the medics would probably have saved him, but then, sadly, he died. So no pan handles pointing forwards and better to use the rear hobs when there are children about.

 

 

 

I have fire extinguishers in kitchen and garage.

 

Allan

 

[NYCat]

I would be calling 911 immediately. One advantage to the Big City is that the fire stations are close by.

 

Paulette

[Bryan]

4 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I have fire extinguishers in kitchen and garage.

 

Allan

 

Bought one today, but it says not to be used on fat fires as the spray tends to spread the fire, rather use a fire blanket.  We don't do any deep fat frying so probably OK.

[Betty LaRue]

7 minutes ago, Bryan said:

Bought one today, but it says not to be used on fat fires as the spray tends to spread the fire, rather use a fire blanket.  We don't do any deep fat frying so probably OK.

I wonder if that’s the reason the fire kept reigniting when my husband use the extinguisher. Although it did eventually work. It briefly entered my mind to try to put a lid on the pan but I quickly rejected that for fear of getting burned. A lid would have to be precisely placed to seal, where a fire blanket could be tossed.

[Mr Standfast]

1 hour ago, Bryan said:

Bought one today, but it says not to be used on fat fires as the spray tends to spread the fire, rather use a fire blanket.  We don't do any deep fat frying so probably OK.

 

On my list.

[geogphotos]

Must admit that we keep putting this off....