FUEGO (Book 2= in the Men In Uniform series)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

My heart was racing at the same speed the fire truck was on. I was feeling really lost at the moment, since my heart was left back at the station with Alia. I held up my head as I felt the air rush by. I inhaled and exhaled trying to get back into sync with where I was at and what lay ahead.

I would be no good to the guys if I made a mistake that could cause me my life or theirs. Once I felt back in myself, back in fireman mode I turned to the chief. “What are we looking at chief?” I asked.

“Well it’s about fucking time you came back to us. I was worried I would have to keep you out tonight.” He said in a terse voice but then in the next second he smiled. “Did you ask the girl to marry you?” He asked.

“Holy shit” I said slapping my forehead with my hand.

“Boy you sure are one stupid son of a bitch.” He tells me making me laugh.

“Yeah I guess I am. Well that’s another reason I have to be in the zone today. I still have to ask her to be mine. On the plus side, I did tell her I loved her.” I say smiling but then sober up.

“So what’s the call?” I asked again.

“Bindery down in the Back of the yards is up in flames. They are running a third shift. I’m not sure how bad, or if all the employees are out safely.” He tells me and I hold in my freak out. I wasn’t worried about the fire. I was worried or got worried when human lives are involved. I never want there to be human casualties.

I hold on tight and close my eyes concentrating on my breathing. This means we need to head inside and search the whole area.  We seldom rely on people telling us that there is no one else left inside. We always check and make a sweep of the area ourselves. Only rule the chief had.

He once told us the reason for it. Said he was just starting and his truck was called into action. It was an apartment building. They evacuated the whole lot of apartments but did not do a thorough check of the place. The apartment manager said everyone was accounted for. So they went by that and concentrated on fighting the fire that had been contained to the 3rd floor.

It was after the fire was over that they found a little old lady huddled in a closet. Turns out the mother of a tenant who was at work had come to visit. She must have panicked and hid in the closet. She passed on from smoke inhalation. After that day, our now Chief makes sure we do a complete check.

I opened my eyes as we arrived and were able to get a glimpse of the fiery inferno. “Looks like we are going to have to make sure it does not spread to the neighboring building.” I say out loud as I see how the roof is now on fire. I see the way the flames lick over the sides of the roof. It’s almost like it wants to hope over to the next building. Like it’s trying desperately to take down anything in their path.

We all hop off and everyone goes to their assigned positions. I walk with the chief and we assess the situation and speak to the person in charge. He assures us that everyone should be out. But that should be has us putting together a search and rescue party.  Once we get a brief description of the layout inside. He tells us where and what places are occupied by people. We put our masks on and head in.

With the use of hand signals I tell Shawn and Peter. Who are heading up the other 2 search and rescue teams where they should go. I have Derek and Randy and Calvin with me. We headed out and the place was filling with smoke fast. But it was the intense heat I was worried about. Not to mention the fact that we were in a fucking bindery. So the place was fucking full of paper. Talk about a real fire starter here.

This place had the potential to go up in flames in a split second if we didn’t keep it contained to the roof and the back room. They think it started in the room where they do the paper bails. Sometimes the air hoses would get clogged and heat up the machine. It’s would give the result of you rubbing 2 sticks together. You had dry paper and the heat could sparked a fire.