My Peaceful Wednesday Afternoon Has Been Interrupted By Fort Worth's Finest Putting Out A Fire

I got back here about 1, after going to Arlington to Veterans Park. And Pantego to ALDI. When I returned to my neighborhood my way to my domicile was blocked by a wreck. This has never happened before. It was an odd location for a 2 car collision.

Then, after lunch, I was peacefully minding my business, trying, desperately, to beat the Scrabble Queen of Washington at Scrabble, before moving on to more serious matters, when suddenly all hell broke loose with the noise from big trucks hitting loud brakes and more sirens. And lots of horns honking.

The noise seemed to escalate and was quickly getting on my nerves. I called Miss Puerto Rico to ask if she knew what all the noise was about. Fire, she told me.

So, I grabbed my camera and exited. Not bothering to put on shoes. Because I didn't think I was going far. I was wrong.

When I got a view of the street I saw the line of fire trucks and emergency vehicles you see in the picture above. And then I saw smoke.

I walked towards the smoke, along with a lot of other people.

Dozens of Fort Worth's finest were on the scene, in full action mode. Some were already in the building. The fire hose was not yet spouting water, but foam had been sprayed. I saw flames flickering out of the building in two locations. Oddly, there was no smell of smoke in the air.

A fireman got on the roof and attacked it with a chain saw, so that water could get at the flames. Soon the flames were extinguished, but smoke continued to spew. Soon it was clear that the conflagration was under control.

This is the second time I've seen Fort Worth's finest up close, in action.

A couple years ago I was walking over to Miss Puerto Rico's when lightning struck a roof, quickly causing the building to catch fire.

I have never understood how the Fort Worth firemen were so quickly on the scene. I saw the lightning strike as I walked to Miss Puerto Rico's. I then called her to tell her that I think lightning struck one of the buildings. She had already gotten an emergency call. I walked towards the building. By the time I got there the firetrucks were already on the scene. And firemen were on the building.

I have never figured out how this was possible. Maybe they were already there on another call. Miss Puerto Rico has never gotten an explanation either.

I'll likely hear the details of today's fire later.

Lightning Fires Burn Up My Night In Fort Worth

Well. I have had myself a wild Sunday night. Sometime around 6 a thunderstorm started up. Soon thereafter, Miss Puerto Rico called me and told me that the lightning was putting on a real good show. She has a great view from her balcony.

So, I told Miss PR I'd be right over.

When I drove onto Miss PR's property I found myself following firetrucks. And then I found myself waved off from driving further. So, I parked and walked in. The smell of smoke was heavy in the air, even with the heavy rain.

I was soon face to face with a building on fire. I saw Miss PR. Walked over to her. She was in full panic mode. Miss PR manages these buildings. It was a lightning strike that started the fire. Talking to a couple who lived on the ground floor of the 3 story building, I was surprised at their account of how the lightning flashed through their apartment, zapping out of fixtures, popping out lights.

This is the 2nd time I have seen the Fort Worth Fire Department in action. I have not a single word of criticism that I would direct towards them. Unlike the Fort Worth Police. Ironically, a fellow watcher, he being a resident of the ground floor apartment below the one on fire, echoed my sentiment regarding the Fort Worth Gestapo. He had had some run-ins with the FW Gestapo. And he was being impressed with the FW Firemen.

The fire kept re-starting. At one point a huge pulse of water shot through the roof, blasting us on the ground with water and debris. And still the fire did not die.

I did not get a good picture of the flames when they were being their most flameworthy. It got a bit chaotic at times and there were rain issues.

As you can see, the smoke and rain made for diminished visibility. As darkness turned out the lights, the firetrucks retreated, the apartment dwellers were directed to temporary dwellings. It seemed to me like a situation that could have had a much worse outcome, had a good outcome. The Fort Worth Firemen were on the scene incredibly fast. I was impressed. Now, if they could only teach the Fort Worth Police to Protect and Serve with equal high quality, well, Fort Worth might see itself taking one small step forward.