17 October 20XX+1
My Dear Lucilius:
Last night the RV Bar burned.
By all guesses (based on the fire) it was set in the evening, a convenient enough time as it both allowed the fire to grow while people were not out and would have frustrated any attempts to fight it, were any to be made.
By the time Young Xerxes and Statiera pounded on our door and alerted us, it was well aflame, orange tips rising about the housing line about a quarter of a mile away. I dressed and headed out with Young Xerxes leaving Pompeia Paulina and Statiera at The Cabin.
Likely not anything but a fire, of course. But no sense in taking risk.
By the time we got there the whole building – clad mostly in rustic looking weathered wood at one time – was engulfed. There is a large enough dirt parking lot about it that any immediate damage to structures was low; that said, there was a small group there with some visually tracking sparks as they were carried aloft.
It is seldom that I have stood close enough to a structure fire to see it in any detail. The flames whirled and swirled, flickering smoke and cinders into the sky. The interior of the building was hinted at through the holes and cracks in the outer building. Occasional cracks and crashes echoed from the outside.
It burned. And burned. And burned, late into the morning, the cracks and crashes becoming more and more frequent until large portions of the structure settled down.
We were blessed last night with an almost complete lack of wind, which at least lowered the risk of floating embers. The distance from all other structures reduced the immediate fire risk; from all that Young Xerxes heard today, there were not other fires, or at least nothing that was significant.
I took a walk with Pompeia Paulina to the site this afternoon. It was still smouldering and smoking, charred wood in shambles with bits of metal from tables and silverware and kitchen appliances peaking through. I would use the word “total loss”, but I have no idea what was in there in the first place.
Could it have been a true accident? I suppose, yes – but given the fact we have had no power for over a year and the building was abandoned this week, the chances that something just spontaneously happened seems, while not impossible, extremely low.
I do not enjoy mysteries Lucilius, especially ones that hint of things under the surface that I cannot see.
Your Obedient Servant, Seneca
A bit of luck for the community that the fire didn't spread TB, guessing that someone doesn't want the transient community to re-establish. Perhaps Young Xerxes and Seneca should inspect the ruins when it cools.
ReplyDeleteIt is fortunate Nylon12 (We know all too well recently about the risk of flying sparks). Like you, I suspect there is a bit of a coda placed here by someone. But the symboluc nature of creating a burned soace in the community bothers me.
DeleteWhy can't the women come with you both? If this was a bar at some point when it cools there will be silverware, glasses, pots/pans, dishes. All things will break in homes and here is free replacement under that wood. Salvage what is possible as fast as possible.
ReplyDeleteTwo reasons i suppose. One is that things would likely still be too hot. The other is given what juat happened o er the last week, who knows what else might happen there. My expectation is that a random fire, coming after a do tested decision, is not precisely perceived as an ideal location.
DeleteHHMMMMMMMM.....I'm going out on a limb here (pun intended), but this seems a might suspicious.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem....unexpected, T_M.
DeleteI am always amazed at the number of placarded homes with no utilities hooked up that go up in flames in our town every year. Being in the seasonal Midwest where right now, we are fresh from winter, I don't "see" a homeless problem but I think it is more common than I probably think which contributes to people staying in abandoned homes and heating with unwise choices.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Ed. I would colloquially tend to agree with you. It certainly seems plausible.
DeletePerhaps revenge that breeds revenge.
ReplyDeleteHazards of salvage in a fire situation is the exposure to unknown chemicals.
Risk reward ratio is poor given the number of other salvage of abandoned homes around.
Michael the anonymous
Michael, quite possibly the first - people do things based on feelings legitimate or not, without thinking the consequences through.
DeletePotential chemical contamination is a real thing.
This post somehow got buried in my feed reader list. :o
ReplyDeleteA rather shocking turn of events. It's hard not to be suspicious, which has me thinking about people's different ideas about "justice."
Leigh, given your busy schedule I am grateful that you make such diligent efforts!
DeleteIt surprises me a little - after all, given the situation it seems a bit pointless - but sometimes people want a satisfaction that defies logic or impact. The phrase "Cutting off one's nose to spite one's face" originated long before modern times.