There was an explosion in a medical building just a few blocks from where I live. It was a dialysis center, and so far as anyone knows at this point, everyone, patients and staff, got out without injury. The cause of the explosion is unknown at this time.
Trauma Mama will appreciate this: the temperature today was 100 degrees (or more, but they're reporting 100), and the temperature of the fire was 1400 degrees. The fire fighters, with their turnouts and equipment are carrying about 50 pounds. The fire fighting uniforms don't look very cool. I imagine the fire fighters get pretty warm inside all that gear, even in the winter.
Two fire fighters suffered heat exhaustion, one is still in the hospital, but he'll be OK. The other one was able to return to duty after treatment. The news photographer showed a truck at the scene with food, water and juices for the fire fighters to refresh themselves. They're encouraged to take a break, 10 or 12 people at a time, to load up on hydration and food.
The fire started at 6:00 pm, and the trucks are still at the scene as I write this at 10:25 pm. The reporters at the scene say it will be morning before the site cools off enough for investigators to go in and try to find out what caused the explosion. A patient and a staff member interviewed at the scene both reported hearing and feeling the explosion. The building was pretty much engulfed within a few minutes, and it's a miracle that everyone got out safely. Patients had to be unhooked from the dialysis equipment, and I saw one who still had a tube in his arm. A nurse was in the process of removing it.
Five units responded, and there were reportedly 120 fire fighters at the scene. The fire was so hot that water had to be delivered from hoses on cranes way above the fire. ATF will be investigating.
When I opened the windows this evening to catch the Delta Breeze, I smelled smoke. Then when I tuned in to the TV around 8:00, I found out why. The channel was reporting "on the scene news." Huge, billowing, dark gray and black clouds were so thick that people couldn't breathe. In some places the smoke was so thick the flames couldn't be seen.
This is in a business area, and at least two other large medical buildings are in the area, so there were a lot of gawpers around. And it's in an area of high vehicle traffic, one of the busiest intersections in the county.
But the good news: No one was injured; everyone was evacuated safely from this fast moving fire. Credit to the staff of the dialysis center!!
And now for some good news.
Today is Gryffan's 25th birthday. I gave him a choice of cash, gift certificate to a bookstore, or dinner. He had to think about it for awhile, and finally decided on dinner when I told him the restaurant was his choice. There's a Japanese restaurant that he likes, and so that's where we went. He is extremely fond of Japanese cuisine.
I had vegetable tempura.
Gryffan is fond of saki, too, and he had quite a buzz when we left the restaurant. Good thing I was the driver.
I told the waitress that this was his birthday, and she told about her husband who refused to have any birthdays beyond his 35th. I told her I was 40, and she asked me how long I've been 40. I told her 40 years. She thought that was funny. The cook (chef?) brought Gryffan an extra plate of something, shark I think, as a birthday gift. Wasn't that nice?
At the end of the meal, the waitress brought two different kinds of caviar. One black and one green. The green was called Wasabi caviar, and apparently it's pretty spicy. Gryffan slurped up some more saki to cool the taste buds.
I just about choked when the waitress brought the bill. But that's OK. I had fun with my darling grandson, and that's....priceless.
Shalom