My 8-year-old played with fire
My 8-year-old son wanted to burn pieces of paper. He took a lighter, went in the backyard, burned a first piece of paper. After it burned successfully, he went into the shed, saw another piece of paper on a shelf, he lighted it.
Next thing I know, he comes to me saying, "Dad, come look"
I follow him. Through the bathroom window, I see some smoke outside toward the 10x5 shed.
Quickly, I put on my shoes and coat. My son had put some water in a bucket. When I arrive in front of the shed, I see the smoke is really coming from inside. I open the door. There's a little fire on the ground. I throw the water from the bucket at it. Without waiting to see the results, I go to get my hose. I turn it on. In winter, I close the water from inside the house. I run fast inside the basement to turn the water on.
When I get back outside, it's too late. The fire has expanded to a dangerous level. My ordinary hose looks like a toy to fight that.
Next logical thing: call 911. For those outside who live in countries where 911 it doesn't mean a thing, 911 is an emergency number easy to remember for any service like police, firemen or ambulance.
Between 5 and 10 minutes later, the police and firemen arrive.
By the time they extinguish the fire, the shed is burned to the ground. One of my tenants windows is gone. Fortunately, there is no one injured. There is only a little damage inside my tenant's apartment.
In the shed, there was lost summer tires, manual lawn mover, my wife's bicycle, a few other things. All lost, of course.
My neighbor had his car parked close to the shed. It was damaged a little by the fire. The windows of his building on the side toward my house have all cracked.
The police asked me and my son to go to the station. My son was very nervous. The policeman was very nice. He made my son admit everything. My son cried for a few minutes. It was clear he had had no intention of burning the shed or create the damage there was.
I hope it's a lesson he will remember all his life. For sure, nothing that can ignite a fire will be available from now on in the house. It will be locked somewhere.
Next thing I know, he comes to me saying, "Dad, come look"
I follow him. Through the bathroom window, I see some smoke outside toward the 10x5 shed.
Quickly, I put on my shoes and coat. My son had put some water in a bucket. When I arrive in front of the shed, I see the smoke is really coming from inside. I open the door. There's a little fire on the ground. I throw the water from the bucket at it. Without waiting to see the results, I go to get my hose. I turn it on. In winter, I close the water from inside the house. I run fast inside the basement to turn the water on.
When I get back outside, it's too late. The fire has expanded to a dangerous level. My ordinary hose looks like a toy to fight that.
Next logical thing: call 911. For those outside who live in countries where 911 it doesn't mean a thing, 911 is an emergency number easy to remember for any service like police, firemen or ambulance.
Between 5 and 10 minutes later, the police and firemen arrive.
By the time they extinguish the fire, the shed is burned to the ground. One of my tenants windows is gone. Fortunately, there is no one injured. There is only a little damage inside my tenant's apartment.
In the shed, there was lost summer tires, manual lawn mover, my wife's bicycle, a few other things. All lost, of course.
My neighbor had his car parked close to the shed. It was damaged a little by the fire. The windows of his building on the side toward my house have all cracked.
The police asked me and my son to go to the station. My son was very nervous. The policeman was very nice. He made my son admit everything. My son cried for a few minutes. It was clear he had had no intention of burning the shed or create the damage there was.
I hope it's a lesson he will remember all his life. For sure, nothing that can ignite a fire will be available from now on in the house. It will be locked somewhere.
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Comments (8)
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
Until the cars are 100 % electric, the answer is a big NO :)
Paul Ryder9
pc nut
fire is always a bad thing,but could we live without it?
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
That's the most important thing for sure, snakesmum
Jean DAndrea7
Retired
Can't live without fire, but it sure is a dangerous thing. Only have to look at the bushfires every summer here in Australia The US gets its share too I guess.
Glad your son wasn't hurt Phillipe
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
Joseph, thanks for the support.
One of the policemen who interrogated us said one of his friends was trying to make a fire in his backyard with twigs. The fire wasn't big enough, so he decided to put gas on it. At the same time, a big gust of wind happened.
It happened in October. The guy lost his sight, he got burned in the face, he's still in the hospital. Not a kid here, a man.
We can never be too careful around a fire.
Joseph Botelho15
Working on one project at a time.
Hey Phil, l also once played with fire, but l use to collect match books, decided to take all the covers from the actual match book, leaving the match's on their own..Me and my wife who traveled a lot collect books of match from where ever.....we went....so now it was time to clean up and put them covers on a photo album........No we where not kids, just young adults not thinking............at all................so we decide to put all the match sticks in a garbage bag
that was easy until l ge
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
As the policeman was interrogating him, he told my son "I'm sure that's not the result you wanted, right?" My son acknowledge while crying. I cross my finger that he will never again play with fire when me or my wife aren't around. We go camping every summer.
Allan Haastrup7
Networker
Just goes to show that success breeds success.
And lighting up a whole shed sure was one giant success for your son.
A great example of why some people are afraid of suceess as well.
Might "backfire". Pun intended :-)
Glad to hear that nooone got hurt and that it was just property damage and that it was not THAT much damage after all.