One of the saddest sights I have seen was a home where I had visited and had good times destroyed by fire. I stood in what had been the living room and looked up to see burned beams against a perfect Carolina blue sky.

Once you have been in or near a burned building, you will never forget the smell. The home belonged to a good friend who lived there with her three children.

The fire started in the attic, likely from an electrical malfunction. Fortunately, the fire crews were on the scene before the entire house was engulfed. There was no one in the house, and as the owner returned from work, she saw the smoke, heard the sirens and then realized it was her home that was in flames.

One can only imagine what when through her mind – first, were the kids at home, and then, what about her beloved cat? All of these were safe.

Fire is capricious. Many things in that house were burned beyond recognition, yet a set of her grandmother’s china, stored in a cabinet in the kitchen, escaped the fire but not the water and smoke. What might be called the bedroom wing was relatively untouched. The door to her daughter’s room had been closed and escaped much damage.

The fire occurred late in the evening. It took some time for the firemen to make sure they have gotten all the “hot spots.” By morning, most items that were salvageable were still warm to the touch. A beloved grand piano was damaged but has since been repaired. A collection of music boxes, large and small, were damaged but could be cleaned. The kitchen area, where many gatherings and conversations were held, still drew us all there. We kept being surprised by things that had not been ruined.

Because the home was no longer secure, several friends pitched in to take boxes of things that could be saved to their homes for safekeeping. I left my boxes in our garage and was struck by their lingering smell of smoke.

The family has moved on to a rented house and then another home not far away. It was not easy to leave years of memories and memorabilia behind. They were supported physically, mentally and financially by caring friends. All of us knew that if circumstances had been reversed, she would have been the one offering and bringing help.

Several years later, on July 4 this year, I got to watch another fire. My daughter’s pickup truck caught on fire. She and her passenger got out safely and were able to remove the burning mattress from the bed of the truck. We assume that’s where the fire started. The Pinehurst Fire Department was there quickly and took care of the burning vehicle. It is not a pretty sight to watch a favorite vehicle self-destruct. We were very grateful that there was no human damage. But the smell! It is something you do not forget.

Friends rallied around and several donations of money and replacements for items that had been in the truck quickly came her way.

You never know when a fire will affect you or someone you love. These two fires were true accidents, but ask any fireman, and he will be happy to tell you how to be as safe as you can.

E-mail Robson at info@outreachnc.com.