Fiat Punto's are very flammable

[Dingdell]

So here I am getting ready for bed, watching a bit more of the WSOP final table and I hear this loud beeping at the back of my house. Assuming its kids I ignore it until they start setting of fireworks. I look out the back window and realise it's not fireworks but a random car and my property on fire. Oh good.

Dial 999 and as I do I get distracted as I see someone run through my garden. The phone doesn't seem to be working but it takes a while for me to realise that I forgot to press connect once I'd dialed. I get it working and when the operator asks "which service please?" I'm confused as to whether to ask for fire or police. I want the fire out and the little B@&*%"*$ caught. I opt for sensible choice of fire. As the fire is at the back of the house I have to direct them to the service road at the back which hasn't got a name. I've gone into 'fight or flight' mode and what is a simple thing to explain becomes very complicated.

Got it said eventually and the fire service are duly despatched. I wait, and watch my garages catch light from my third floor window and the glow of the flames become more intense as another bit of the garages catches and the flames destroy the roof. I wait and still no firemen.

The petrol tank must have gone because there is an enormous bang and the glass from the car windows shatters. Eventually the car horn stops, I think it must have melted but from three floors up I can feel the heat as the flames lick the side of my neighbours property and it all seems to be getting a bit serious.

Eventually I hear the sirens but the seem to come closer and then get further away. I find out later they have tried to get up the service road from one direction only to find it blocked by badly parked cars so they have to come from the other end of the road which delays them even further.

Once I can see them getting to work I get dressed and run round to the back of the house. I live in a town house so I have to go to the end of road and run all the way round the back. Four firefighters are fully masked and trying to get the fire under control. The garages are quickly put out but the Fiat Punto just won't cooperate, so much so that they run out of water and have to run a line to a hydrant in the main road. A couple of times (I'm watching from behind the fire engine) the flames actually ran across the ground even though they had just put the fire out and tried to catch on their kit, they were having to spray their boots and trousers to put the fire out. (I thought they would have been completely non flammable kits?) Perhaps it was petrol spraying onto them.

So despite using up a whole fire engine of water this car won't go out, and they resort to calling another pump while they take extinquishers off the engine and start spraying them at the car too. Luckily after a lot of effort it is definitely out.

So I'm left with a burnt out fiat punto which can't be moved until the police come and look for clues, even the firemen thought that was funny as it is as burnt out as a burnt out thing. Strangely though the tyres look completely intact. Not melted, still inflated, even though the wheel arches are burnt. How strange is that?

I now have to fork out for a new garage door (In my wisdom to keep costs down I opted not to renew the outbuildings insurance as I never use them) but of course for safety I will have to put a door on the garage to try and prevent people camping in it/setting it alight. Good decision there Tracey. 

According to the firemen the car almost certainly had a full tank of petrol in it so either some poor old sod had just filled their car up ready for the week ahead and it's been nicked, or some gits have put more in to make a better fire. An expensive hobby.

The helicopter has been circling overhead looking for said gits but they left it a bit late so there is nothing to see now.

Anyway at least no one died, but I have a headache not of my making which I now have to sort out. I smell of burning, particularly my hair so I'll have to have a shower before I can even think of going to bed, and as it it sleeping is the last thing on my mind as the adrenalin is still pumping. And to cap it all the wsop are on a break and I missed another player being knocked out. To add insult to injury none of the firemen were particularly note worthy apart from one, and I've dated his Dad (also a firemen) so he was a no no. Getting old really sucks sometimes.

FML. 

[RED-DOG]

Great story well told Trace, and at least you still have a L to F.

We must get together soon, I haven't seen you in ages.

PS- Why did you wait for the fire brigade to arrive before getting dressed?

[bhoywonder]

Lol red. Plenty of time to select the right neglige and do the hair,etc.

[bhoywonder]

On a more serious note,i seen the brigade in full action last year.2 houses down from ours but 3 floors high had a fire and a poor fellow was trapped,struggling to breath with all the smoke.me and a few others begged him to jump.we got a 3 mattresses together within minutes.it,s all we could think of.he wouldnt jump,despite his family screaming.he was only 19.at that the brigade arrived,and realising the urgency,the ladder was deployed whilst another team went up the stairs,he was quiet now.but within maybe 2 mins he was pulled out.truely professional job.he survived,but the mattresses were fecked.don.t know why he didnt jump though?

[AndrewT]

Hmmm, a fire 'just happened' to start whilst you were getting ready for bed, meaning firemen had to come round to your house with their huge hoses.

I'll give you credit Tracey, it was a great plan - next time you torch a car you'll have to time it so that a different shift are on duty at the fire station so you might get cuter firemen.

Glad to hear you're OK though.

[Laxie]

Flippin heck!  I'm just glad you're ok.  xx

[Claw75]

I was waiting for a punchline!  Blimey Trace, glad you're ok and sorry the firemen weren't good looking.  Hope they catch the buggers.

[Robert HM]

I'm glad I had a boring night.

Good story Ms D

[Dingdell]

Hmmm, a fire 'just happened' to start whilst you were getting ready for bed, meaning firemen had to come round to your house with their huge hoses.

I'll give you credit Tracey, it was a great plan - next time you torch a car you'll have to time it so that a different shift are on duty at the fire station so you might get cuter firemen.

Glad to hear you're OK though.

Reminds me of the story about a lady in Northampton who....

First call to fire service she was 'stuck'. When they attended the property she was very provocitively dressed in leather thigh high boots, lingerie, the whole works and had her arm stuck under the bed. She was slightly wedged and they released her.

A few weeks later, same shift was called to the same address, she was 'stuck' again. This time naked and her neck and shoulders were stuck under the bed and just her bottom was showing, sticking up on the air. 'Luckily' the phone was also under the bed so she had been able to call for help....they freed her and it took a lot of persuasion for her to accept the dressing gown they asked her to put on.

A few weeks later the same address again, she was 'stuck'. This time the shift called for police assistance and a female officer attended the property with the firemen. She was handcuffed to the bed (one hand only so 'luckily' she had been able to reach the 'phone) and was completely naked again. This time she was warned about wasting time and hasn't rung since to my knowledge.

My friend said he wouldn't have minded but she rang just before dinner and after seeing her he was put off his food!