Half an hour previous to this I had been sitting at my kitchen table watching the storm start up. A huge CRACK/BANG in the sky made me jump in my seat and I thought I could feel the electricity in my fingertips. I ushered the kids and their shoes to the basement and put on a movie for them to watch while I unplugged the computers. When I picked up the phone to call FarmBoy it was dead - no dial tone - so I got my almost dead cell phone plugged in quickly. I told him that it sounded and felt like the lightning hit the house. He told me to go and make sure nothing was burning but I scoffed because it was storming terribly at the time and that there was no way I was going out there.
I settled in watching the movie with my kiddos and noticed the sky lightening up, the storm was passing. I was glad nothing had happened. Five minutes later was the knocking at the door.
The kids were told to stay put while I grabbed the cell phone and ran outside. I couldn't see anything at first but then it was there. Smoke had started to come out of the upper window space of the barn. I was glad to only see smoke. Gnia (the man who came to the door) and I frantically went searching for a hose or water or something. Everything was stuck. There was a hose on the cows' water tank that we couldn't get loose and even if we had, it had been trenched under the driveway and we wouldn't have been able to do anything with it. I went to the other end of the barn to find a wrench but the doors were stuck. I had to go through the middle of the barn. I stepped inside and could hear the crackling and sizzling. It was an eerie sound. After about 10 steps, I decided it was a bad idea and walked right back out.
It was a few more minutes before the first firetrucks began to arrive. By now there were flames shooting out of the window space and licking up to the roof in the wind. It still was a relatively small fire in comparison to the barn but it was hard to see those flames.
Cowboy ran to the door crying wondering what was happening. So sad to see your babies worried. I reassured him that it would be okay and that the firemen were going to be here to help. He seemed reassured and went back to the movie for a little bit. When the trucks started rolling in I looked back to the door and saw the kids there watching eagerly - Cowboy had even gone and found his little fireman hat and was wearing it proudly. So, so cute.
I felt like a dope when they got here - wasn't sure what to tell them about anything but I guess they didn't need my direction. They were pulling out hoses and huge water buckets (10x10 "boxes" that they fill with water since we're rural). They were not filling up fast enough for me and I could feel myself getting restless. I had already called FarmBoy by now and knew he'd be there soon. I decided there was really nothing else I could do so I just sat back and watched. It was fascinating. Frankly, if lightning had to hit something on the farm, there was not a better building or place within the building. Grain bins or hay sheds would have been much more devestating. I wanted to get my camera but felt guilty about my fascination so I didn't.
The fire started getting under control and many of the firefighters who had shown up were sent home. That's always a good thing, huh :) When it was all said and done I believe there were about 40 firefighters and close to a dozen trucks on the property at one point or another. It was incredible to see them all come out racing to help. I'm so grateful for Gnia and his fellow farmers who happened to see the smoke so early on and who called for help before I would even have a chance. I feel very blessed by the whole event - the could have been's are so much scarier than what actually happened. I wish all tragedies could have such happy endings. I still have not gotten out and walked around to see what the final damage is, but what I've seen so far are charred sides and missing shingles.
Here are a few shots from the end of the afternoon that I finally caught...
7 comments:
Oh my gosh, Jolene! I'm glad everything and everyone is okay! How cute that Cowboy put on his fireman's hat...hehe.
I was talking to my mom on the phone once and told her I'd call her back quick. I kept trying and trying but no one would pick up. Finally after a half an hour she picked up and told me the house had been on fire! My mom was in the basement at the computer and when she hung up the phone my older sister came running into the house saying she was driving down the street and saw flames at the front of the house. Our Christmas lights had started our wood paneling on fire! My mom was able to put it out as quick as possible with an extinguisher, but if my sister hadn't happened to stop by then it could've been so much worse and she would've been trapped in the basement!
How scary!! God was watching over us that day and you guys yesterday!
Wow, how scary. I'm glad your family is safe and sound and things were caught early.
as scary as this whole thing is, i LOVE that erich went and got his fireman's hat. :) so glad everyone's safe!
I'm so thankful everything is okay! Great story!
p.s. dave and i think you should send the picture of erich and the fireman to the department! they would love that. :)
Glad things are ok!!!!
Just an FYI - those "huge water buckets (10x10 "boxes" that they fill with water since we're rural" are called "Collapsible Water Tanks" and yes we not only use them in rural areas but also any area that do not have a fire hydrant or a river, creek, etc....
LOL!! I actually just had to sound smart there for just one second!
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