NaBloPoMo, Scandals, and Houses on Fire

.
Every year I think about doing NaBloPoMo, and every year I've had houseguests, work deadlines, or some other kind of domestic issue that would make it impossible. This year November nothing major is looming (famous last words I'm sure) so I've decided to take the plunge and commit - 30 posts in 30 days. I suspect it will be harder than it looks.
.
So, jumping in...
.
The Sunday Scribblings prompt this week is "scandalous". How appropriate, we had a bit of a minor scandal around here this week.
.
There I was the other day, sitting at the table working, minding my own business, when I suddenly heard a lot of yelling over a megaphone coming from the street down below.
.
I looked out my kitchen window (on the 8th floor) to see that there were FOUR firetrucks and an ambulance in my parking lot! Holy crap. I started to head downstairs to see what was happening but when the elevator door opened it was full of smoke and so was the stairwell, so I went to check on my neighbor's kids, who are watching their house while they're parents are away, and then promptly turned around and went back into my flat. I then called the head of the building committee who told me that a flat on the 2nd floor was in fact on fire! Yikes. (Scary and sad for them, but thank goodness it didn't spread beyond their own home, though I'd guess their neighbors' homes are smelling a bit barbecued today, since the hallways and lobby still reek of burned plastic. Hey *lightbulb moment*, maybe that's why I've been having all these breathing issues this week. Note to self: god you're dumb.)
.
Oh, and buildings here are made of concrete, so fires are fairly rare, and when they do happen they rarely spread beyond the individual apartment. I saw that the people on the ground were calm and doing a lot of standing around, so I wasn't at all concerned that the fire would come up 6 stories. Also, when I called the fire department to ask whether they wanted me to move my car out of the way they didn't tell me I was in any danger or to evacuate.
.
Just so you don't all think I'm insane for heading back inside.
.
This is the sight that greeted me when I looked out my kitchen window. My car is the gray sedan that's blocked in by the ambulance. (Ignore the weird blurring in the photos - we had anti-pigeon netting put up a few weeks ago. It keeps the flying rats off of my laundry, but I really hate what it's done to the view.)

.
.

(Here's a gratuitous shot of a cute firefighter, because why not?)
.

.

So where's the scandal in all of this commotion? Well, years ago, before we bought our flat, the previous owner's kids apparently decided to play with fire, literally, and set half the patio and a nice chunk of the building's exterior on fire. As if that wasn't enough, a notice was posted on the message board in the lobby just a few weeks ago reminding people that throwing LIT CIGARETTE BUTTS off the balcony was in fact a fire hazard. (Gee, you think? Sad, but I'm guessing that someone felt a notice like that was necessary. Asshats. The throwers, not the notice-poster.) So, now that someone's apartment has in fact caught on fire (no, I don't know whose, though I'm sure I've been in the elevator with them at some point) everyone is wondering - are they the throwers, do they live below the throwers, was it negligence or some kind of innocent and unfortunate electrical malfunction. I admit, I'm not above a bit of curiosity, I too plan to ask the head of the tenants' committee, who happens to live next door, what he knows next time I see him, under the guise of "making sure the building's infrastructure hasn't been damaged" and "do they need anything", of course. I'm not completely without feeling or neighborly spirit.

And I think it's definitely time to sit my son down for a "what do you do if there's an emergency" discussion. Yikes...

So there you have it, a little excitement and a little scandal. Never a dull moment around here...

.

Update: I just found out the fire started because they forgot a pot on the stove. Lovely.

.