Yesterday morning I 'chained' myself to my desk at home to finish my Term end Final Paper - due by 8 pm Monday night. About an hour and a half into the big push there was a loud metallic sounding crash and boom that rattled windows. Then I could hear a neighbor hollering so I went outside to see an ominously thick plume of black smoke rising just blocks away. Threw on my Red Cross shirt, grabbed my CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) equipment and jumped in the car. Arrived at the scene of surreal destruction...a two-story house already completely engulfed in a wall of flame and, between the flames below and smoke, the fuselage of a jet airplane. Flames were everywhere with neighbours checking on houses to clear other neighbors out, helping the petite little old Asian lady, Ms. Hsu out - her home was next to the one burning - but most stood in shock and horror at the unimaginable.
Finally, the cops, fire engines and firemen arrived to rush to pour water on threatened homes and secure the area. The bomb squad, Fire Crash Rescue - in their reinforced SWAT-like vehicle, the Hazmat guys in full silver suited protection gear, the naval air personnel, the Coast Gaurd; within hours there were hundreds combing, dousing, and searching through the wreckage. I watched as a gurney was unloaded and knew that meant bodies. Then the young couple directly across the street told me they had called the husband and he had confirmed his wife, two young daughters, and mother-in-law had been in the house that had been hit directly...Rescue workers were very solemn as they went about quelling the conflagration and containing the damage. The Battalion Chief conducted situation updates every 2 hours about 15 ft. from where I was stationed (distributing cold water and gatorade) - so many hazards to consider and so many efforts, resources and personnel to coordinate.
Once local Red Cross personnel showed up, I left, back to plug away at my Paper...the much shortened time frame left me profoundly grateful for my brilliant daughter Alysson's last-minute help to get everything in on time.
The young father is struggling to deal with this blow...comforted somewhat by knowledge that, as he said, "They are with God."
Makes me even SO much more grateful for all my wonderful family and friends, each and every one!
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