Re: Hell Night

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Matthew Carlson" <mjc8804@xxxxxxx>

I'm very sorry to hear about this.  As was previously stated, if you
need anything, I'm sure everyone here would be more than happy to help.
I am very glad to hear that you are both ok.  On the bright side, it did
not take your whole house, which is a blessing.

I hope things turn around for you.

Matt


----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 2:15 AM
Subject: Hell Night


 > Original poster: stork <stork@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 >
 >
 >
 > 3/27/05
 >
 > Over the past twenty years I have enjoyed Tesla coiling and various
high
 > energy-HV pursuits.  I have collected a vast array of books,
instruments
 > and just plane interesting and good "stuff".  I have made many
different
 > coils, projects, models and instruments.  My three car garage
turned
 > into a two car garage with a hobbyist lab/shop in one bay and along
two
 > walls.  In addition to my electronic equipment, I put together a
modest
 > shop with many tools and power equipment.  As time went by my
collection
 > grew bigger and even better and I have spent enumerable pleasurable
 > hours with my hobby.  I know our avocation is often considered
 > dangerous, but I always practice it with care and caution.
 >
 > On 3/24/05 I left work and arrived home about 5:30 PM.  I parked my
2000
 > Ford Expedition in the middle bay and went through the breezeway
into my
 > house.  I went up to my small office just off my bed room on the
second
 > floor of my house to work on my computer.  Just after 7:00 PM we
heard a
 > muffled boom and the windows shook a little.  My wife asked if I
heard
 > that noise and I said 'yes, I think it's just a truck in front of
the
 > house' (the road crews were re-surfacing the road at night).  She
 > thought someone was trying to enter our house through the back so
we
 > turned on the back outside lights and there seemed to be no problem.
 We
 > heard another noise down stairs so I went down to investigate.
Nothing
 > and no one was in the house.  But, as I rounded the corner to the
 > breezeway I heard a muffled cracking sound in the garage.  I was
sure
 > someone was in the garage.  I cracked the door open and reached in
and
 > flipped on the light.  I opened the door and to my complete surprise
and
 > astonishment I found not a person, but fire and black smoke
billowing
 > up.  I have two garage fire extinguishers, but immediately knew I
could
 > not manage the situation with them.  I slammed the door and told my
wife
 > to call 911.
 >
 > I ran back through the house and out the front door to the driveway
in
 > front of the garage.  The intense heat caused two garage doors to
 > partially open about half way.  The flames quickly spread and
completely
 > engulfed my Expedition and my wife's just paid for 1997 BMW.  The
fire
 > spread incredibly fast.  At that point, I knew it was really
dangerous
 > and yelled for my wife to run out the back door onto our dock, which
she
 > did.  I ran out to the street to direct the fire trucks when they
came.
 > Even though the fire station is only two miles away it seemed like
it
 > took them forever to get there and set up.
 >
 > The fire was an inferno at this point.  The garage was totally
consumed
 > in flames and there were about a dozen more explosions.  There was
one
 > huge explosion and fire and debris ejected about 50 feet out the
garage
 > doors and the garage roof lifted up several feet.  A fire ball went
up
 > past the top of the surrounding oak trees to about 75 - 100 feet.
One
 > oak tree caught on fire.  The fire started going up the breezeway
under
 > the eves to my house.  At that point, I suddenly knew the house
would
 > catch on fire and probably burn to the ground.
 >
 > The Navy and Coast Guard were conducting night maneuvers out on the
St
 > Johns River behind my house.  A helicopter saw my wife on the end of
the
 > dock and directed a Coast Guard boat over to the dock with its
search
 > light.  My wife sure did appreciate those two guys coming over to
help
 > her.  I did too.
 >
 > When the fire engines arrived the fire was up to the breezeway and
 > starting to enter the house.  These guys were tremendous.  Their
plan
 > was to attack the fire at the breezeway/house and try to cut it off
from
 > the inferno in the garage.  Miraculously, it worked.  It took over
three
 > hours to get the fire out.
 >
 > We got out with the clothes on our backs and are in a Holiday Inn
now.
 > Our home is extensively damaged and we will be out of it for about
eight
 > months for repair.  The breezeway, adjacent trees, garage and both
cars
 > are destroyed.  My beloved equipment, tools and invaluable treasures
no
 > longer exist.
 >
 > Of course, the real question is how did all this happen?  I will
tell
 > you categorically our hobby had nothing at all to do with this
 > catastrophe.  When I initially went into the garage and saw the
fire, it
 > was under the Expedition engine area.  Flames were coming out around
the
 > driver's side wheel well and around the hood where it was fitted to
the
 > SUV. A large amount of black smoke was also coming out of this area.
There
 > was no other area burning or out of order in the garage.  The fire
was
 > entirely caused by the car.
 >
 > I write only to inform you disasters can and do happen, and that we
should
 > all continuously strive for safety in what ever we do.
 >
 > The only good thing about all of this is Anne and I are still alive
and
 > not hurt.  Even though it will take a good year of our lives to
recover,
 > only material things were lost.  Oh well, I don't even own a screw
 > driver now.
 >
 > stork
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >