View
of the neighbors balcony on the opposite side showing the open air / skylight
that resulted.
This
view is from our attic out. The studs showing were on our side of
the 30 minute firewall, and their damage is slight compared to the studs
on the other side which are totally gone. The fire reached our attic
via the outside and the top of the roof line. The fire-retartant
sheetrock was blasted by fire hoses in the fire attack.
Interior shot
on our side where a fireman fell through the ceiling. There was an
additional section knocked out by the fire hose, but otherwise our main
damage was smoke and water except for the attic. We have relocated
nearby while most of our contents are warehoused. We got the
rest of the clothes back the week of 10/26.
The fire happened at about 5:30 am on 9/27/1998, a Sunday morning. All residents got out safely, including a cat and small dog (rescued by officer Ray Graham) from next door. The three young men renting next door lost most of their goods (they were uninsured), but two days later one of them left for Puerto Rico to drive relief water trucks for the hurricane victims there, himself just a victim.
There were 45 firefighters from three cities... Webster, Nassau Bay, and League City fighting the fire. This does not count support from the Webster PD , and even the radio dispatchers who are seldom seen are thanked for their support. Two firefighters were injured in falls or smoke inhalation. We received good support from the Webster city personnel as well as the other communities. Below are some images from the tapes shot by the Webster FD & PD.
In the images below, note the progression of the fire from the original
bedroom to the adjacent bedroom to the right.
Leo.Waltz@prodigy.net