19-04-18 House Fire

Thursday 19th April 2018

Dora Linus & I commuted to Lakemba where my cousins have put my dad’s twin in for nursing home care. We took a bus to Central then from platform 22 took the train to Lakemba and walked 750m up Croydon Street to St. Basils Home.

We had a great time doing so and surprise: before we arrived at the home billowing smoke drew us closer to exactly opposite St. Basils where a fire was engulfing a house!!

Linus was riveted. A new scene by the minute watching each part of this house be consumed by fire. Plus me on commentary! Fire fighters in 3 trucks came. We saw the fireys search in the road for water holes then attach heavy steel connectors to their hoses and blast water into the structure. Bit by bit the house was destroyed. Soon the roof collapsed leaving timber exposed. Glass from windows blasts out shattering from heat. Fireys wear suits and bravely enter. They ensure adjecent houses aren’t alight. Then as licking flames begin a second assault and threaten the entire neighbourhood a man wearing special gear literally cuts power lines leading into the house.

For an hour we watch but the fire is strong. Talk in the street is that the house was abandoned; untenanted. But non stop explosions from within meant that oil and gas cannisters were catching fire. Whose was this house?

At some point masked police tell us to seek shelter as the house is ‘probably made from asbestos.’ We retreat into St. Basils and visit Thěa Agāvi.

Sylvia comes in the arvo to fetch us. Linus shares with her the chocolates the nursing home Director gave him. Then he has a melt down over the bloody eaten choc so Sylvia, after filling her tank, buys us all snakes, creamy eggs, kit kats.

Kiddo smiles till he falls asleep on the car en route to Eastgardens.