Sunday at the station was perfect yesterday. I think it was the mix of perfect weather, both captains being off, weekend routine, and football Sunday all coming together that made for a fun morning that maintained the rest of the shift. I don't think it was even 8 o'clock yet when a regular alarm for a structure fire came in. I was just getting the run down from C-shift about a fire they had the day before and had just barely gotten my gear on the truck when the call came in and it was time to jump in them and go. It turned out to be a follow up of that fire C-shift had. They had a huge house fire on Ocean Drive and this call was the neighbors calling back because they thought they saw some hot spots still smoking. When i say "huge" i mean it. We're talking about a 12,000 square foot home that was under construction that burnt 100% to the ground. Looking at it it's hard to believe it was just a single residence for 2 people. Nothing was left but the steel beams. And even those were twisted and warped. In fact, as the Battalion Chief cancels everyone except the closest unit (us) to go check on those hot spots, we're rolling over there in an old reserve unit because the frontline unit's windshield had multiple cracks from the heat of that fire. At the time that fire was starting I was leaving Target and as I walked to my truck I could see the thick black smoke on the horizon and you knew it was something big. It was such a clear day, that plume of smoke could be seen for miles.
An off duty firefighter Jenni Vala took that. Great shot. We got to the house to check on the hot spots and there was nothing left. I'm pissed because in the hurry up of getting on the truck to make the call i left my phone back at the station. Yesterday morning was great. The sun was out, the bay looked like glass, and the sun was coming up just behind what was left of the house as we sprayed down some scaffolding and parts of the foundation still smoking. I could have taken some good pictures. Oh well. We did some overhaul and drowned the hot spots so we wouldn't be called back again. It's not like there was anything left to burn. Just the foundation still hot and steaming. I told Zeller and Salgado we needed to leave and come right back to take pictures, but by the time that finally happened a few hours later they had fenced the scene up so bystanders wouldn't come poking around. I can't imagine what it must have looked like rolling up to the fire. This house is right at the end of the short culdesac off ocean drive complete with an infinity pool that would have looked like it poured right into the bay. Usually overhaul isn't any fun, but yesterday it was. (Have i mentioned how perfect the weather was outside yet?) The perfect conditions had me hyper most of the morning. I kept saying "Best morning ever!" as we had breakfast.