So yeah, I had a fire today. Crazy! Here's the story. I was making some crispy tortilla strips to go on top of a salad we were going to have for dinner. So I turned on the broiler, chopped up some corn tortillas, stuck them on a pan and put them in the oven. I set the timer for 3 minutes. Timer goes off, I check them, and they aren't even brown at all so I set the timer for 1 min. 20 sec. Then I pick up Eli who was playing on the floor, go get the mail (our outside excursion of the day), come back in and set the mail on the counter. Then the timer goes off (Eli is still in my arms). So I open the oven and the first thing I see is black tortilla strips, then the oxygen from the room hits the inside of the oven and everything bursts into flames. Yep. Huge orange flames. AH! Here's my train of thought (all within about 2.4 seconds): Fire! Where's Jeremy? (he was at work) - Okay, need to put Eli down - First close the oven - Water? No, fire extinguisher! - Grab fire extinguisher from under the sink - How does this thing work? - Right, pull the pin and squeeze the handle - Open the oven and extinguish! - Wow! It really works! - Whew, we're alive.
So that's basically how it happened. I had never actually used a fire extinguisher before. I was so glad we always keep a fire extinguisher under the sink (and under our bed, in case you were wondering). I only had a split second of panic (that was the "Where's Jeremy?") but then I did it! I felt like it was a coming-to-know-yourself kind of experience. I am capable of acting calmly and rationally in the face of an emergency. Good to know. Of course, if my whole house was on fire, that would be another matter entirely. But it felt good anyway. And all the fire alarms in our house went off and there was smoke everywhere, but now we know they really work. :) I took a picture of the oven after the fire was put out and most of the smoke was gone:
Luckily no real damage was done. My heart-rate is back to normal and everyone is safe. Whew. It was a wild ride.
10 comments:
SO, SO, SO PROUD of you. Also very glad that there wasn't any further damage.
Wonderful that you are prepared with a fire extinguisher, and actually a little glad that your first thought was "where's Jeremy". Kind of makes me think of the knight in shining armor coming to save the damsel in distress! But you were prepared and kept a calm head.
GOOD JOB!!!!
That is a good "coming-to-know-yourself" experience. Sorry if the extinguisher left you a mess to clean up, but I'm glad you are okay! Maybe we should put an extinguisher under our bed...
Crazy!! I'm glad everything's okay and it didn't last long. Any idea now what exactly happened? And of course I'm curious...did you go out to eat or do the salad without the tortilla strips? Sounds like maybe a Cafe Rio knock-off? Yummy stuff. Anyway, again, I'm so glad you're okay and nothing more than the tortilla strips were burnt to a crisp!!
Sarah I have always admired you in so many ways and now I am adding putting out firesto the list. You really are a brave girl! I am so happy that everything turned out ok!!
Nuts! I can't believe that all happened in 1.5 minutes! I'm proud of your cool-headedness, too. I'm not sure I would be that smart :)
I'm glad you are okay, and way to be calm and rational!
my heart rate went up just reading . . . . good job!
Can I admit that reading your story makes me feel a little better about the fire I started in my kitchen? Thanks for sharing and I am really glad that you were able to take care of the situation.
You're amazing! I would've totally panicked and done the wrong thing... whatever that is. I would've probably taken it out of the oven, then I would have a flaming thing in my hand and would have no idea what to do with it next. Haha. Good job on your quick thinking!
Ahhh!!! That is so crazy! Good reminder of what to do. I really think I would have freaked out. Way to go!
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