Long Beach Fire. My parents are fine.
I realize that several of you know my parents or know of them. I've made some references to the fire, but I haven't posted it here so everyone can know they're OK. My parents live in the same tower as the unit where the fire was. Their place is directly below it on the 11th floor. They have a second one two floors below that that they currently rent out but where my brother and sister-in-law will be living soon.
Local news coverage the day after.
Local news coverage the night of.
My parents are fine. As luck would have it, they were scheduled to come here on Friday to spend spring break with my family, which they have done. They had to evacuate their home anyway, so it's nice that they have a good place to live while it's still chaos there. There is water damage to their home and other damage to some of the other units in the tower, including some damage to the unit where my brother will live.
The first video speaks of how sprinklers might have saved Mr. Crews's life. While it is true that sprinklers would have kept the damage down and might have saved his life, there is more to the story. Mr. Crews left his home to knock on the door of his neighbor on the same floor to advise her to leave. She asked him in and he said something to the effect, of "No. I'm alright." So, he was in the hallway while the fire was in progress and could have escaped. Instead, he apparently went back into his home (to get something?) and became trapped as the fire spread across the entryway. A reminder NEVER to go back into a burning building once you've escaped. I cannot imagine the horror of his last moments.
My parents tell me that they are very moved by the outpouring of offers of places to stay and other help. The night of the fire, the people who lived nearby let the evacuees come into their homes for shelter, toilets, telephone calls. . .Everyone has been enormously helpful and supportive. They have a place to stay right now and are making the arrangements for when they return on the 10th. Thank you to everyone who has been so kind with your concern and your very generous offers.
Local news coverage the day after.
Local news coverage the night of.
My parents are fine. As luck would have it, they were scheduled to come here on Friday to spend spring break with my family, which they have done. They had to evacuate their home anyway, so it's nice that they have a good place to live while it's still chaos there. There is water damage to their home and other damage to some of the other units in the tower, including some damage to the unit where my brother will live.
The first video speaks of how sprinklers might have saved Mr. Crews's life. While it is true that sprinklers would have kept the damage down and might have saved his life, there is more to the story. Mr. Crews left his home to knock on the door of his neighbor on the same floor to advise her to leave. She asked him in and he said something to the effect, of "No. I'm alright." So, he was in the hallway while the fire was in progress and could have escaped. Instead, he apparently went back into his home (to get something?) and became trapped as the fire spread across the entryway. A reminder NEVER to go back into a burning building once you've escaped. I cannot imagine the horror of his last moments.
My parents tell me that they are very moved by the outpouring of offers of places to stay and other help. The night of the fire, the people who lived nearby let the evacuees come into their homes for shelter, toilets, telephone calls. . .Everyone has been enormously helpful and supportive. They have a place to stay right now and are making the arrangements for when they return on the 10th. Thank you to everyone who has been so kind with your concern and your very generous offers.