Neighbor's House Catches Fire

No fewer than eight firetrucks showed up when our neighbor's house caught fire this morning. Mom was in the bathroom, looking out the window, and thought it seemed pretty foggy. Then she noticed the "fog" was moving and that there was commotion down the street by the McDonnell's house.


John McDonnell, a firefighter himself, was riding on the first truck to arrive. Just minutes before, his wife had dropped off something to him at the fire station that's just three blocks up the street. When she went home, she heard the home's smoke alarms going off and saw smoke.


The fire was the lead story on all the noon newscasts. The angle of "firefighter battles fire at his own home" was an attractive one, of course. It was also quite a sad sight to see John in his firefighting gear, shaking his head at the cruel irony. His fellow firefighters patted him on the back as they exited the home. Having been inside, they knew the extent of the damage.

The apparent cause is a picture above a wood-burning stove. The picture apparently fell onto the stove, which was off - but still hot, and caught fire.