On the Scene as Fire Ravages Old House

One never knows how life can change in the snap of the fingers.

While driving to a yard sale Saturday afternoon, in Pittsfield, ( a town in western Massachusetts),  a thick layer of smoke filled the air ahead.

My former newspaper reporter's curiosity made me drive in the direction of the smoke which, sadly, turned out to be from a raging fire in process. It burned furiously in what looked like a huge, fairly old Victorian house that had been turned into 18 apartments on three floors.

After quickly parking the car and grabbing the camera, I joined other onlookers. We stood in horror as flames shot out of the roof and huge billows of black and gray smoke filled the sky.  Firefighters arrived from several different towns and aimed powerful streams of water at the fire.

When two firefighters at the end of a long crane came precariously close to the roof of the burning building, my respect for all people in that profession grew considerably.  They truly risk their lives when on the scene of a fire like the one that ravaged the old house. 

It was impossible not to feel deep sadness for the residents who lost everything in that fire.

One woman, no doubt a resident,  stood weeping on the sidewalk, while two people held her. 

I listened to the evening news about the Pittsfield fire and learned that 45 people lost everything.  Can you imagine how devastating that must be to have only the clothes on your back? 

News reports also said the Red Cross was working to find temporary housing, food, and money for clothing for all the people left homeless.

I couldn't help but feel deeply grateful no lives were lost.

Suddenly, yard sales lost their appeal. Life was changed, forever, for many in those smoke-filled hours. My heart grieved for the people who lived in the building as well as for all the firefighters who so valiantly put their lives at risk on a Saturday afternoon.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON THE SCENE OF A MAJOR FIRE?