Incident: Residential Structural Fire
We were toned out to a reported house fire. Dispatch informed us that it was a kitchen fire, possibly working electrical fire. We arrive on scene at the 1300 sq foot single story home. Home's occupant(s) were no where to be seen outside the home.
We get to the front door, an elderly woman answers our banging, sees us in full bunker gear with radios out, and proceeds to ask us "Can I help you firemen?" Seriously?
As if she wasn't expecting the Fire Department to arrive on scene after she called 911. Who the heck was she expecting? And what the heck was she still doing IN THE HOUSE!!??
Me: "Ma'am, did you call 911 about a fire?"
Elderly Lady: "Yes, I did."
< smoke now filling the hallway, coming from back of house >
Me: "You need to step outside with me, NOW!"
< extending my arms out to escort her out >
After we escorted her out of the house, we made our way thru to the kitchen in the back of the house to find our fire. The cause of the fire was an over heated extension cord. Being that it was an older home, I only noticed one outlet over the counter and she had every single appliance from her coffee pot... to her mixer... to a clock... to a radio... to a fan plugged into a standard extension cord.
She informed us later that when the extension cord started to spark and caught fire, she panicked and threw some tea towels over the cord thinking that she would smother the fire.
WRONG!
It didn't take us long at all to attack and knock down this small kitchen fire. Then, a call was made to the appropriate authorities, requesting that a welfare check for our sweet little old lady!
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Firegeezer
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