Structure Fire

I wish I had a taken a photograph. Better yet I wish I would have recorded the noise. I'll never forget the sounds.

But I will try to explain.

It is a nice day for November. I am at the fire station washing the mud and leaves off my car. The firefighters leave to test hydrants in the city.

That is when I hear the tones at the fire station. They start with the unit numbers for our department and continue on with 9 more units to a structure fire in town. I figure I'll head that direction and call out I am en route.

The location is 3 blocks away. I get 20 feet from the fire station and 4 pedestrians are pointing up the street to the location. Brown and black plumes are billowing into the house.

I activate lights and sirens. I am on scene the address is wrong. I know this house. I was here 6 months ago. I was disgusted and concerned. An old military and LE lives in squaller with his dogs and his guns. Dog shit, dust and mold coated most surfaces. Others were notified, but nothing changed.

There was an estimated 10-40,000 rounds of ammunition in various stages of re-load. That means load bullets, shell casing and powder.

The owner of the house, K ,is on the front lawn, his hand burned his neighbor is on the ground next to him. The neighbor heard the explosion, called 911 and went to the front door to pull the K out. The neighbor could hear the popping and could only see K's hands through the smoke and still went in and pulled him out.

The ammo is cooking off, which means it is being heated/burned by the fire and exploding/going off.

K's hands are bleeding, the neighbor pulled him out by the hands and the burns have all split to open wounds.

I notify fire of the cooking round, presence of ammo and powder. I call medical for the burns. The smoke is continuing to billow out of the house. Firefighters arrive on scene. They look at me. I point to the fire and remind them of the ammo. They crash windows and open up on the house with their hoses.

Kegs of powder explode and bullets continue to cook off. I want non emergency persnel as far as I can push them back.

I get a blanket and haul K across the street. More engines arrive on scene. I start warning them and yelling at pedestrians.

"There is ammo cooking off get back! I am only going to tell you nicely once!"

I tape off the area, yet people and reporters still wander close.

"I am only going to ask you once before I arrest you, get back behind the line."

I take the dog from the fire fighter, it has been tied up to the burning house. I put the dog in the back of my car and give it some dog biscuits.

K is quickly taken to the hospital and is got burns on his hands and minor burns on head and buttocks.

45 minutes later the house is out. It is a complete loss. The fire fighters gut the walls and ceilings to find hot spots. What was once squaller, now wet squaller that reeks of smoke, water, insulation and burnt smell.

I get to go in and secure the firearms 3 hours later, after the firefighters and the marshalls give me the ok. I glove up and get a mask on. There 8 long guns and 3 pistols that I can find in the ruins. I know there are more, but I can't get through the destruction, standing water and debris. I can't secure the buckets, boxes, shed full, piles on the side of the house, of ammo, shells and lead. They are wet covered in crap and everywhere. I tape off the house.

Fire investigator finds the location of the start of the fire. I already have an idea what happened. Investigator call K on the phone. K is evidently doing well and even taking visitors.

K was reloading. K was smoking. K had a space heater near him. BOOM.

I call K's son, give him the news. K's son comes down after visiting his father. K's son takes pictures of the burned out home. K's son takes possession of the dog. I tell K's son to board up the house.