House afire




One sleepy Kahaluu evening Jim had turned in for an early night while I studied in the living room.  A loud explosion startled me and when I looked up from my book I saw a red-orange glow lighting up the night.  Mil’s house was ablaze.  Engulfed. The intense heat of the fire blew out the window glass. I dialed 911 while yelling for Jim.  He ran into the living room and immediately sized up the situation.  Saying, “Mil,” he was out the door and running down the common driveway.  Augie ran out to meet him and they both ran into the burning house and found Mil incapacitated in the living room, some of her clothes smoldering.  They carried her outside to safety.  Neighbors sprayed water on the houses closest to the fire with scrounged garden hoses until the fire department arrived.  Thankfully the trade winds weren’t blowing. The parameds quickly sent Mil to a burn unit, much of her body was seriously burned and she died after several days, poor soul.  

The house completely burned.  Of course it did.  Single-wall construction.  No dry wall. Nothing to slow the flames.  It went up fast, like a trailer house.  

Jim was my hero.

 


Comments

She's Been To The Rodeo said…
Oh, my! This story is new to me. How traumatic. It sounds like Jim did an excellent job under horrific circumstances.
Were you living in the house above the one that burned when we visited you?
Mon Jan 19, 08:35:00 PM
Stephanie said…
It was horrific. That's where we lived when you visited - on the edge of the mosquito forest. Poor Mark got eaten alive!
Tue Jan 20, 07:08:00 AM
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