Fire

Driving north on I-77 seventeen miles into Virginia I smelled smoke and thought I had blown a tire. Unfortunately it turned out to be something much worse.

Fire was coming from underneath. I quickly grabbed my fire extinguisher and put out the fire. There was gas dripping down which quickly re-ignited the flames.

I grabbed my dog and placed him safely on the grass away from the truck. His back legs are paralyzed so I knew he was not going to run off into traffic.

I ran back and grabbed my second fire extinguisher along with my other constant traveling companion - my cat. When I pulled the ring on the fire extinguisher and nothing came out - I knew it was going to be a bad day. The blaze was picking up fury and was beyond control.

Ten minutes after stopping I walked away with nothing more than my dog, my cat and my wallet.

	John Pitre and his wife were traveling north that day also. They had seen the smoke, had stopped and generously offered their car as a safe haven to put my pets. They patiently waited and transported me to the nearest hotel where I took stock of all my losses that day. All the photos I bring to my shows were consumed in the flames. The booth I use at the shows, camera equipment, tripods computers, clothes and my kayak were toast! I suffered no injuries and was so very glad I got the pets out when I did. Most of my losses are just "stuff" which can be replaced. I am rebuilding my inventory and plan on showing up this Oct 6 and 7th in Wilmington's Riverfest. I still need a traveling vehicle . Although I am insured I am finding out the loopholes that the Insurance agencies have for short-changing you. I have a new found empathy for all the folks down in New Orleans who lost so much more in Katrina. As to what might have started the fire: Most likely a leak in the gas line or gas tank. I was passing a truck going up hill and the gas probably flamed up on the exhaust pipe. As the saying goes: Carpe Diem. I didn't lose the ability to print my photographs so orders will be greatly accepted and processed in a normal time frame.

John Pitre and his wife were traveling north that day also. They had seen the smoke, had stopped and generously offered their car as a safe haven to put my pets. They patiently waited and transported me to the nearest hotel where I took stock of all my losses that day. All the photos I bring to my shows were consumed in the flames. The booth I use at the shows, camera equipment, tripods computers, clothes and my kayak were toast!

I suffered no injuries and was so very glad I got the pets out when I did.

Most of my losses are just "stuff" which can be replaced.

I am rebuilding my inventory and plan on showing up this Oct 6 and 7th in Wilmington's Riverfest. I still need a traveling vehicle . Although I am insured I am finding out the loopholes that the Insurance agencies have for short-changing you.

I have a new found empathy for all the folks down in New Orleans who lost so much more in Katrina.

As to what might have started the fire: Most likely a leak in the gas line or gas tank. I was passing a truck going up hill and the gas probably flamed up on the exhaust pipe.

As the saying goes: Carpe Diem.

I didn't lose the ability to print my photographs so orders will be greatly accepted and processed in a normal time frame.