I’m just getting ready for bed about 15 minutes ago, and thought “Hmm… I smell smoke…” It’s not unusual on this side of the country for people to burn wood to heat their homes; it’s that or fuel oil in most cases, as natural gas is seen as unnatural or something.

I’m about to dismiss it when I see a rather thick plume of smoke float past the bedroom window.

Oh, that’s not good.

The super sensitive smoke detector in the hall hasn’t tripped, and the building fire alarms aren’t ringing, so that has to be a good sign, right?

Well, like everyone else in the building, at 2 in the morning, we’re all gophering off our balconies… a building up the street is burning, and the wind is bringing the smoke right to us. I’m not sure if it’s the Dairy Queen on the corner or one of the buildings adjacent to it; either way, it’s likely to be rubble by morning. At least the police and fire units have arrived in good time, unlike this building’s 1/2 hour wait for any sign of help.

Smells like camping… may as well be right next door; the smoke smell is going to persist for some time, I think.