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| Category: Housing |
Date published: March 29, 2003 |
Devastation Hits Manassas
by Mia Jurney
It was just about 8:00 in the morning today when I was awakened by the sound of sirens. At first, I thought I was dreaming....but when I heard a voice blaring into the morning air I jumped out of bed to check out reality. I heard this voice saying something but couldn't quite make it out. I peeked out the blinds but could not see a soul. Nothing but mist and fog.
I feared the worst. I quickly ran through several scenarios as I wiped the sleep from my eyes. "Was this our wake up call to the war hitting home?" I thought. "Are they telling us to evacuate the city?" I wondered. I scrambled for clothes but could not focus on what to put on. I ran to Linda's room to wake her up (she sleeps like a brick). As soon as I stepped into her room....I knew what was the matter.
I smelled smoke. The kind that you smell at a campfire while you toast marshmallows or sing campfire songs while glaring up at the stars. I hollered her name..."Linda! Wake up! I smell smoke!". I went back to my room, peeking out again, seeing a moving cloud that wasn't a cloud at all. I'm still trying to find something to put on. I grabbed a housecoat...put it back...grabbed it again...put it on....tied it shut....took it off...grabbed sweats and a shirt instead. Much better I thought. "We need to get outside" I mustered into my brain to jump into action, not knowing what was waiting for us outside. I feared the worst. I thought of our neighbors. Are they okay? "Let's go check.".
We opened the front door and a sea of smoke scented air hit us. OH GOD! I thought...It's next door, I just know it! We walked to the sidewalk and all fears were put to rest, just to bare knew ones. There were firefighters everywhere, hoses laid out on the sidewalk, one even came to life while it was unattended, flailing wildly amongst the on-lookers. The firefighters were busy about their business like heroes do. Tearing up the walls trying to get to the fire. There was so much smoke!
Then I heard from the fire truck on the loudspeaker "We're just getting to the family! One adult and one child, about 8 years of age...both burned pretty bad! We're gonna need a helicopter to get them outta here!" Sure enough, only moments passed and the chopper was in sight. The radio: "need a place to land...try over on Sudley..." It circled once and headed for the ground, flying quite low.
As the 2nd floor was torn to bits and hoses died down the devastation could be seen quite clearly. Smoldering wood, dripping with ashes and water, piles of insulation below, for all the world to see. Within minutes of arrival the situation was under control and the people were out, one in a wheelchair, two in the chopper heading off into the morning sky. "Thank God for flying machines!" was surely on their minds. The suffering lessened so much sooner than it would have centuries ago.
Today, HEROES WERE BORN! right here in Manassas!
Please see photos entitled "Hosing Down", "Getting in at whatever cost" and "Heroes Are Born" in the Photo Gallery
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