Scary times & flames

I can think of nothing nicer, on a cold winters evening, than to cuddle up in front of a roaring fire. Which is just what we were doing yesterday evening.

Let me set the scene, I had lit the fire, DH had made the coffee, DS had just arrived home and Eastenders was on the TV. We're all lovely and cosy when I heard a strange noise. I asked DH & DS if they had heard it, which they hadn't, reached for the remote, hit the mute button and there it was again - an ominous roaring. I don't know what made me look at the fire place but boy am I glad that I did.

The ominous roaring sound was in fact coming from the chimney - the chimney was on fire!! Grabbing the wood tongs I damped the fire in the grate, throwing a bucket to DH to get some earth from the garden for me to throw on the wood. Having smothered the fire in the grate, I closed the doors to the fireplace and hoped that by some miracle the chimney fire would cease. Despite our best efforts the chimney continued to burn. Our neighbour came round to help, other neighbours started gathering at the front of the house. We called the fire brigade, I grabbed the cat & a coat and pushed DS out the door in front of me. DH followed having made sure the doors were closed.

The fire brigade arrived within minutes but those minutes seemed endless. A lifetime seemed to pass - more and more people gathering to watch events unfold and to offer assistance; more and more sparks spewing from the chimney - time simply went into slow motion. With relief I heard the fire engine approaching, blues and two's all the way. With ruthless efficiency the firemen took over, assessing the situation, closing the road outside our house. Another unit arrived with a ladder, pulling up outside a neighbour's house - they must have wondered what on earth was going on! All I could do was join the onlookers and hope and pray that the fire could be contained, taking comfort from the fact that we had all got out safely. Winnie was buttoned in my coat, DH was talking to the firemen and DS was by my side - we were safe.

I was amazed and grateful for the support and help offered to us last night from the people in the surrounding houses, some of whom we have never even spoken to before. Both sets of neighbours were wonderful and I was grateful to be taken inside and given coffee and support on such a bitter night.

On an up note - we have been incredibly lucky as there is no water or smoke damage (although my mind is saying that I can still smell the smoke!!), just, though of course it is enough, damage to the chimney itself. But this is a material thing and can be repaired.

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank everybody who helped us last night and a big thank you to our immediate neighbours either side for their support and help and of course an even bigger thank you to the firemen.

My thanks also, to Hélène for my flowers and to the little boy next door for our picture to cheer us up - it has pride of place on my fridge.