Women Injured And Animals Killed In Overnight Fires (caboolture Qld)

[SeeGee]

wish there was a like button xo xo

[Jigsaw]

Glad you are on the improve. Phoenix is lovely, I have a soft spot for brindles, any breed!

[Jed]

MM

You'll have to start showing the raising of the house on the Renovations thread

Can't - the builder is sending me photos from time to time - will probably get another when he gets the roof on, and not before.

I think he was so excited about being able to get machinery there to demolish it, he had to take photos. It has been so wet, I was amazed that he had done it.

Jigsaw, wanna buy a brindle Maremma??? :D

At least her scars don't look as bad as they would on a red boxer - they simply blend in. You can see the scar on her left flank and side, if you look. Also her tail - now if she had been docked, it wouldn't have been injured!!

Edited October 26, 2010 by Jed

[Lab_Rat]

Hey Jed - So glad your house is being rebuilt Im even gladder you are on the mend!!! I havent been in here for a long time, but I think about you all the time! What you went through just amazes me - so happy you are getting back on track :D

[Jed]

Thank you so much for posting the photos!!

In the midst of all this horror, it is great to know that you are all there working to support those in need.

This dreadful event has made us rethink our own fire plans. Dog leads are now in front of crates at bedtime. Torches all have new batteries and this afternoon I am off to Tas Fire Service to buy some fire extinguishers for the house, garage and cars.

Out of the midst of such a tragic event, others might be saved through advance preparation. None of these things might have altered what happened at Jed's as I don't know the circumastances but what happened there may prevent someone else from having to go through the same dreadful tragedy.

RIP all the much loved animals who died and speedy healing to Jed and her remaining dogs.

This reply is a bit late but I was prompted by a website "Keep Your Boxer Safe from Fires" - a lot of it was devoted to not letting your boxer start fires, which cracked me up.

IF YOU ARE VERY SENSITIVE, DON'T READ THIS, IT MIGHT UPSET YOU

I don't think anything I could have done would have made a difference to the dogs who died, because they were deeply unconscious or dead when I woke up. The smoke alarm woke me, and I immediately realised the house was on fire. Ominous red glow from up the hallway, and an ominous crackling sound.

It was easier to carry the small dogs out than fumble around with leads. One followed me out when I called her. The boxers and cockers sleeping in the bedroom would simply have followed me outside without a lead. If I got up at night, they always came too, and in the am, they went to the back door to go out.

The two old dogs who were asleep on the bed were better to be carried than left to walk, as they were old and slow.

I always keep two torches - usually with full batteries - in exactly the same place. And a small torch beside the bed

I also keep my mobile phone in the same place.

I did have 2 fire extinguishers but they would have made no difference.

When I first got out of bed, I turned the lights on, and they worked. I picked up the torch, and the mobile. I phoned the fire brigade while carrying dogs outside. Then the lights went off, but I had the torch. I had a wet teatowel over my face, but when the power went off, the water went off too, so there was no question of re-wetting it.

Trying to see through the smoke with the torch was impossible, even though it was a powerful torch with a good battery. I tried getting down low, but I was too slow in that position, and I couldn't see or breathe any better, so it seemed pointless. I was down the other end of the house from where the fire began - the end where it began was burning like mad - the room I had taken the cavs from earlier was well alight by then, and the next bedroom + the hallway.

I believe the fire brigade was at the house within 15 minutes or less of my call.

In that time, the fire had spread from one end of the house to the other, via the insulation in the ceiling. Yellow batts.

I alway believed batts were fire retardant. These had been in the house at least 8 years maybe more. Parts of the house which were not on fire were wreathed in nasty toxic yellow smoke and were incredibly hot - from the batts burning in the ceiling. I tried to rescue the pups from the dining room. I pulled the puppy pen to the door of the dining room, because it was wider than the door, and wouldn't fit through. That was as close as I could get the pups to the outside.

Being at the other end of the house from where the fire began, that room was not on fire, although the ceiling was beginning to burn. The smoke and heat was from the batts burning I think. And, as we know, I saved the first 3 pups, but was overcome by smoke and heat, and although I got to the puppy pen the second time after I took the first 3 out, the pups did not come up to the side, so I believe they were dead or unconscious. I was having trouble breathing, and the heat was intense, particularly on my face. Then I went back outside and fell over.

I knew the firies had arrived, and called to them - I told the firies there were pups inside, and pointed at the door, and said "save them", so I guess they tried, but the pups were already dead from smoke inhalation.

My entire face and head was burned - by radiant heat, not flames. And my hair was on fire. My arms, head, shoulders, back and hands were, I believe, burned by bits of the ceiling falling on me and setting my pjs on fire as I rushed around in the part of the house which was not particularly on fire, although as hot as, and full of smoke.

I have always been aware of the potential of fire ... and over the years, I ensured all our houses had plenty of exits. The house which burned had 2 exits on each side at each end - and it was only 2 rooms and a hallway wide. Every room had a window large enough to escape from.

When the children were young, we had fire drills, and we had fire drills which involved the pets when they were older.

I wondered about more smoke alarms, but when the alarm went off, although the fire was burning fiercely, only the desk and part of the wall of one room was on fire - so the only way to overcome that would be to have alarms in every room. I wasted time trying to put the fire out - because it did not look too big - but it was burning like mad and it simply ate the water when I hosed it. That time could have saved the 3 pups, and maybe meant I wouldn't have been burned.

The only way the 5 dogs would have been saved would have been for them to have been outside the house or in another room. A dog in a room closer to the fire was fine, the dogs on the bed were fine, I was fine, only the dogs on the floor of my bedroom were overcome by CO2.

I believe the problems I encountered were due mainly to the insulation burning so fiercely and so fast. I have been thinking of what I could do to improve safely - have fire retardant insulation, and maybe keep all the dogs in the same room at night .... the problem with that is then they could ALL have died of CO2 poisoning.

The frustrating thing about that is that the room itself was not burned out, and neither the 2 dogs on the bed, nor I were affected - because we were high enough to be out of the CO2 - but if the alarm hadn't gone off, or had gone off 5 minutes later, I'd be with the dogs.

More alarms, I guess, and maybe ALL the dogs ON the bed!! And realise that a house burns down very quickly. A lot more quickly than I would ever have thought. I have lit lots of fires to burn timber in paddocks, and stumps out, and huge piles of timber - but this burned faster than I could believe.

Before I have any ceiling insulation again, I will personally set it on fire, to see how fast it burns!! If it burns at all, it's a goner. I told the builder I want something which will not burn under any circumstances. Having insulation which actually WAS fire retardant would have made a huge difference. The fire would have spead a lot more slowly, and the outcome would have been better, I think.

I hope this helps anyone wondering what to do to improve fire safety - though probably not!!

The advice the firies give you about getting out and not attempting to put it out is very good advice. I am devastated that 5 favourites are dead, but if more had died I would feel very responsible. At least not the grief is not mixed with guilt.

Edited October 28, 2010 by Jed

[barkon]

no words. I hope that by writing that all down it gives some sense of release, your ordeal was staggering to comprehend.

[D & D]

I doubt another day will go by without you thinking 'what if'. You did all you could, so much more than others would have or could have done.

If words and caring thoughts could take away a little of your pain, I'm sure DOLers would have you pain-free in an instant.

Still sending cyber-healing-vibes (and a little bit of cyber-Dane-drool for Phoenix).

[Jed]

I am bemused about the CO2 in the bedroom - and I guess there are always "what ifs". Checking the insulation is now a biggie for me, and not believing stuff about fire retardant. If the mobile and the torches hadn't been easy to find, the outcome would have been worse. And I am satisfied that I did all that I could and the outcome was as good as it could be.

Thanks for the cyber Dane drool.

Edited October 28, 2010 by Jed

[Cockerlover]

Your courage astounds me Jed ,To re write that horror to help others ,words fail me!! so ill send u lots of sloopy cocker kisses

[Jed]

Thanks, CL, missing cocker kisses. Phoenix misses her Cocker sister too, I think. They'll be together again wrecking the joint before I know it.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Jed thank you for posting your story. You actually managed to do quite a lot.

ETA. Good point about the mobile and the torch being available.

I have a mobile beside as I use it as an alarm in the am. But gawd know where the torches are and probably flat as well. There is one in the dog trailer.

Got a windup one in the centre console of the car. Not much help inside as the car is in the street.

Edited October 28, 2010 by Bilbo Baggins

[flatchat]

Jed, we revamped our fire plans after I heard about your fire. We already had smoke alarms but now the torches are always in easy to get at places and the mobile is by the bed. We have leads in front of each crate.

You are amazing to keep going to save your dogs despite what was happening around you and to you!!

[Loving my Oldies]

Jed, we revamped our fire plans after I heard about your fire. We already had smoke alarms but now the torches are always in easy to get at places and the mobile is by the bed. We have leads in front of each crate.

You are amazing to keep going to save your dogs despite what was happening around you and to you!!

I don't think I've mentioned my very very insignificant fire in this thread. But a couple of days after your fire, Jed, and all of us being filled with the horror of what you had experienced and devastated by the loss of your precious animal companions, I had my own fire. It was the most frightening 1/4 hour of my life, I think, but at least I knew if the house imploded the dogs were all at the door and would be out in a second.

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...=195996&hl=

I believe that my post, and without doubt yours, made quite a few people review their preparations in case of fire.

Another one which follows on from my thread above. See post #79 :

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=197035

Edited October 29, 2010 by Mother Moocher

[Jed]

Yikes, MM, that's scary. Hope you have an extinguisher now. I had one in the kitchen (anyone who knows about my cooking knows why!!) Glad everything was ok in the end - specially the rice. Dogs do like their rice "just so"

My electric frying pan kept tripping the circuit breaker, no fires, but the pan went to the dump.

Moved to a house once, there was the most horrible !!**BANG**!! and all the lights went out.

The powerpole, not far from the house, was on fire at the top. Out came the firies, out came Energex (the next day) - the previous occupant had replaced one of the fuses with 10 gauge fencing wire. Asked him late --- "got sick of the fuses blowing". Pretty scary stuff.

Anything electrical, imho, is scary. More so than it was, by the way.

[Mollie10]

Jed,

Thank you for sharing your story. Although it terrifies me, it's important to plan for emergencies.

Our fire alarm is slightly temperamental and goes off sometimes when the shower goes. That's fine because I use it as a fire drill. If the fire alarm goes off, the dogs go outside straight away and get praised and treated.

Of course it doesn't help with the CO2 issue, but at least it's something.

My sincere and deepest condolences for the beloved dogs you lost and my best wishes for your ongoing recovery.

Phoenix is exquisite.

Mollie

xox

[SpotTheDog]

Jed, I too want to thank you for sharing your experience.

I always thought that in this easily accessible bungalow, with the big windows, I'd be easily able to escape in a fire, and I didn't give it much further thought. Then I realised that I'm at one end of the house and the cats sleep in their room at the other end of the house, and the dog's in the centre of the house, so now I'm far more prepared, even just in my mind, in terms of where keys are, how I'd get to different access points (I could roll out my bed and get out my window in two seconds flat and have decided will access the animals through the windows from outside).

Fire alarms here are all connected to the mains and all working.

[Loving my Oldies]

Yikes, MM, that's scary. Hope you have an extinguisher now. I had one in the kitchen (anyone who knows about my cooking knows why!!) Glad everything was ok in the end - specially the rice. Dogs do like their rice "just so"

My electric frying pan kept tripping the circuit breaker, no fires, but the pan went to the dump.

Moved to a house once, there was the most horrible !!**BANG**!! and all the lights went out.

The powerpole, not far from the house, was on fire at the top. Out came the firies, out came Energex (the next day) - the previous occupant had replaced one of the fuses with 10 gauge fencing wire. Asked him late --- "got sick of the fuses blowing". Pretty scary stuff.

Anything electrical, imho, is scary. More so than it was, by the way.

I find that I am quite paranoid now, my experience following so closely after yours, that the slightest little flicker or a waft of steam from the kettle has my heart jumping. So I can't begin to imagine how jumpy you must be.

To think I used to get everything going (dishwasher, dryer, washing machine) and then go off to walk dogs, or a little bit of shopping. I don't leave the house with anything on anymore.

It is amazing how people think that can put a bit of wire here and a bit of wire there and she'll be right mate

Oh, forgot to add: yes my dogs are very particular about how the rice is cooked - always in homemade chicken stock :)

Edited October 29, 2010 by Mother Moocher

[Jed]

I don't think your experience was "insignificant" MM.

I've lived in bushfire areas, and in areas where the power would go off for a couple of days, and I've lived in areas where venomous snakes have visited, so knowing where the torches are is important

The speed of the fire was the astounding thing. I looked, and it was 3 am or close to when I woke up, and I understand the firies were there in 15 minutes or under, which I believe. I really don't think I was in the house for 15 mintues, but it was hard to say. I couldn't have saved anything much

I am not at my best at 3am - when I woke up, I thought - very calmly - "oh the house is on fire" - whether that was idiocy, or shock, I am not sure, but I got motoring straight away. There was no question of the dogs not following me outside, that is how they are. I carried the oldies out because they would have thought about it for 20 mins, one would have tottered off to the kitchen for leftovers ....

I shall get some sort of a blocker for under the bedroom door so CO2 can't enter. I strill can't understand how it travelled down the hallway and did a sharp left turn to enter under the door. Bizarre!

I didn't have time to find the cats - I didn't see them in my mad rushing around, and I am pleased they survived, although one was burned. We think the other rushed outside once the door was open so she was ok.

The only way to save the cats would have been for them both to be in a carrier next to the door every night which wouldn't have been popular with them.

I feel bad about BB and Georgie, my hand raised cockatiels who lived in a huge cage on wheels on the verandah. I moved the cage to the end where the fire began - and was fiercest - the week before, from a spot where the fire wasn't as fierce, and they would probably have survived, so they could get a bit more sun. Ah, to have a chrystal ball. But there was no opportunity to save them.

A pet is a responsibility for life. You get him, he has no one else, you do your best because he is your responsibility. I don't think my dogs are people, but they are family. When we are in the dough, we all have roast duck, when hard times come, we all have more rice. No one complains. Families pull together, and never leave each other in the lurch. They wouldn't leave me, so why would I leave them?

I have always been paranoid about fire. Never left any appliances on if I was out. Always checked the iron, blah blah. All dogs outside, just in case. Had the wiring checked, moved the possum out of the roof in case he nibbled the insulation off the electrical wiring. I would never have an electric heater - had a glass fronted fire - because the fire couldn't escape. So I am no more paranoid now. And yes, the casual way people treat electricity amazes me. It is a good servant, but a terrible master, like fire.

Sometimes - no matter what you do - s##t happens. I remember reading of a family (of 7 I think) who were on a Sunday outing, driving down a nice country road in England, when a 747 fell on the car. That's when I decided if s##t was going to happen, nothing you did would change it.

Here's Molly, who escaped unscathed and was found frightened, but unhurt in the house 5 days after the fire. No idea where she was, or how she escaped, or what she lived on for those 5 days, and really, who cares, she is ok. Her coat has 1/2 grown back - she was shaved because she was covered in soot. She is normally very fluffy

Edited October 31, 2010 by Jed

[Bilbo Baggins]

Jed you right about sh&^^*(^* happening.

We do the best to minimise it.

I have some appliance tripping the meter at the moment.

Have replaced the kettle as that seemed to do it. Spoke to a sparky friend and he reckons the sum total of all that is going. Next to be replaced is the dryer but its a bit more exxie.

Amazing what people use for fuse wire. :o

[Loving my Oldies]

The speed of the fire was the astounding thing. I looked, and it was 3 am or close to when I woke up, and I understand the firies were there in 15 minutes or under, which I believe. I really don't think I was in the house for 15 mintues, but it was hard to say. I couldn't have saved anything much

This is what is so frightening; the intense heat and the speed at which fire can start to engulf a house.

I am not at my best at 3am - when I woke up, I thought - very calmly - "oh the house is on fire" - whether that was idiocy, or shock, I am not sure, but I got motoring straight away. There was no question of the dogs not following me outside, that is how they are. I carried the oldies out because they would have thought about it for 20 mins, one would have tottered off to the kitchen for leftovers ....

Yes, it is amazing how quickly we can get "motoring". I always thought I'd be pretty hopeless in an emergency; I was awoken one night at about 2-3am by the sound of someone trying my front door (I lived in a unit at the time). To my surprise, I flew out of bed and challenged the person on the other side of the door. Turned out to be the chap from upstairs who'd had too much to drink . Even so, when I went back to bed my heart was just about leaping out of my chest.

Are you just starting to put all the pieces together Jed, or have you pretty well remembered everything from the start?