Saturday Oct 29th started out like it was going to be a very good day. Closed some business for a new client out of the states, got help upgrading the computer for the person working with this client and set to add another person working for the client starting Monday.
Time to get something to eat.
Driving around with a friend looking for a place to eat when my truck dies out. I call my trusty mechanic who shows up 45 minutes later, changes the battery and after discussion regarding the problem says he will switch out the alternator on Monday.
Starving now my friend and I head to my place to leave the truck in the garage below my apartment and get some BBQ and Bohemias across the street. My friend, facing towards my apartment, tells me that there is smoke coming out of my garage. I knew it was my truck. Running down down into the garage I see some smoke and some flames under the truck on the ground. I run up to the apartment, grabbing a box of baking soda and a few bottles of water. Upon my return to the garage I find a raging fire with smoke billowing from the truck being sucked out the garage entrance by the draft. I did attempt to throw the baking soda on the flames but it and the bottles of water did very little. Two guys (one the BBQ grill man whom I know very well) are trying to help me with 2 fire extinguishers that appeared from nowhere plus one I retrieved from under the back seat.
All this time my buddy is frantically knocking on doors trying to get more help with his almost non existent Spanish. (How do you say fire extinguisher in Spanish???)
Finally the fire Dept. arrives (2 trucks). They run a hose down and put out the fire.
As anyone who has been close to this type of fire can attest the smoke/fumes are noxious. The whole neighborhood was out for the festivities with many expressing their sorrows over what occurred.
I live in a neighborhood in Santiago where everyone knows each other and looks out (at least to some extent) for each other. It was encouraging to see how many tried to help. The Bomberos were professional and polite.
I really wish Seguro Universal would have allowed me to purchase full coverage like I wanted.......
Anyone in need of an oversized ash tray?
Time to get something to eat.
Driving around with a friend looking for a place to eat when my truck dies out. I call my trusty mechanic who shows up 45 minutes later, changes the battery and after discussion regarding the problem says he will switch out the alternator on Monday.
Starving now my friend and I head to my place to leave the truck in the garage below my apartment and get some BBQ and Bohemias across the street. My friend, facing towards my apartment, tells me that there is smoke coming out of my garage. I knew it was my truck. Running down down into the garage I see some smoke and some flames under the truck on the ground. I run up to the apartment, grabbing a box of baking soda and a few bottles of water. Upon my return to the garage I find a raging fire with smoke billowing from the truck being sucked out the garage entrance by the draft. I did attempt to throw the baking soda on the flames but it and the bottles of water did very little. Two guys (one the BBQ grill man whom I know very well) are trying to help me with 2 fire extinguishers that appeared from nowhere plus one I retrieved from under the back seat.
All this time my buddy is frantically knocking on doors trying to get more help with his almost non existent Spanish. (How do you say fire extinguisher in Spanish???)
Finally the fire Dept. arrives (2 trucks). They run a hose down and put out the fire.
As anyone who has been close to this type of fire can attest the smoke/fumes are noxious. The whole neighborhood was out for the festivities with many expressing their sorrows over what occurred.
I live in a neighborhood in Santiago where everyone knows each other and looks out (at least to some extent) for each other. It was encouraging to see how many tried to help. The Bomberos were professional and polite.
I really wish Seguro Universal would have allowed me to purchase full coverage like I wanted.......
Anyone in need of an oversized ash tray?