SONYA CHAPMAN
"It's 2am and I'm dreaming, but I'm a light sleeper so when my husband said, "what the heck was that?" I was suddenly wide awake. He had heard a loud bang and went to investigate at once. He saw a flickering orange glow reflecting on our white walls. Our outside rubbish bin was on fire!
My brave husband stood in the rain hosing it down - bin, bush and fence. A couple of guys from over the road had just got home from the speedway, being awake they had heard the bang and came to help. I called 111 and although I confirmed it was out, they came for assurance anyway. They had to use a spade to lift the melted plastic off the driveway and move it away from the fence.
I stood in the doorway, getting rain on me and inside the house because I didn't want to shut the door on my husband, him fighting a fire beside our wooden fence. I asked God what is happening?
Psalm 12:7 'The Lord will protect you and keep you safe from all dangers. The Lord will protect you now and always wherever you go.'
I googled 'fires in the Bible'. At a glance there were two headings, one of fires as a way of God leading people directionally, the other of God's judgement. Figured if I went searching, I could probably find further evidence for both, and might end up confused or condemned, so decided to leave google and instead loaded church online. The title of that message - Step Into the Fire!
My husband stayed in the lounge all night, checking on noises coming from that side of the house, but we feel so grateful for God's warning. It was a shock when an aerosol can inside the bin exploded in the heat alerting us, and a bit scary when the fire was happening, but as the day continued we realised more and more how much worse it could have been.
Although an aerosol can explosion sounds impressive it didn't wake anyone. My husband was half awake before it went off. The neighbour's who came to check had been in their shed drinking after speedway. They initially thought someone was breaking into their truck and checked that, then saw the flames.
The security camera picked up motion at 2:10am, the aerosol can exploded at 2:17. That's 7 minutes of visible burning before we were aware of it, it would have been smoldering and burning inside the bin for longer. Three panels of the wooden fence were alight. If there wasn't an aerosol can in the bin to alert us, who knows how much would have burnt before anyone knew.
It was raining. The first night in February where it was cool enough to leave the air conditioner off. A small section of the bush next to the bin burnt, I wonder if it would have caught more if it was dry. Sparks were flying to the grass.
Behind the fence that neighbour's house is close. They have a lemon tree with branches hanging over, one of them got a little burnt. I'm glad that didn't catch and carry to that side of the fence and someone else's house.
I'm reminded what good neighbour's we have. The neighbour over the road came back today to check on us. Our closest neighbour texted me after she saw our bin and asked if we were OK.
My husband felt stink as he had emptied his workshop rubbish into the main rubbish bin, including a rag used to mop up linseed oil. That rag, sitting enclosed in warmth, started the fire. The firefighter told us about linseed oil rags, but it turns out it's not limited to just linseed oil. Perhaps we have prevented other future fires by sharing this story. Oily rags and heat in a confined space, plus an aerosol can equal a potential explosive fire.
If my husband had not made the decision that day to put the rubbish in the outside bin, and instead it had caught alight inside the workshop, it could have caused so much more damage. The fire burnt rubbish - no loss really. If it burnt in the workshop that's 20+ years of tools and gear, as well as his late best friend's wood carving tools, and his late Dad's precious workshop gear. Tools are replaceable but they'd never be the same as the ones left behind by loved ones.
We are so grateful and thank God no one was hurt and there was no real damage".