# Tragedy Strikes Early Morning



## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

when I let Cricket out this morning at 5:30 I smell smoke, but thought nothing of it, people often have fireplaces going when it's chilly. Smelling smoke is not unusual.Except today. Half hour later my neighbor calls me, and asks if I know where the smoke is coming from. I looked out the shade of computer room and OMG, I saw flames across the street from house behind me. I could NOT hear sirens and knew there was trouble. I screamed for Rick to get up (he thought OUR house was on fire). I headed out door in my nightgown and bathrobe, I can't run due to torn tendon...I didn't think I'd make it up around the corner. As soon as I reached the corner, then I heard the sirens just starting far away. I found my other nieghbor in the road with a another person, she was sobbing "Gregg's in there!" evidently the man was driving by, saw the flames and beat her door to wake her up . She and he got a board and broke in Gregg's back door that she knew was by his bedroom but the smoke came pouring out, they couldn't go in. The fire dept arrived in herds ( wow, never knew we had so many trucks). Jennifer's husband had gone to wake up neighbors next to this house, as their back faced the side that in flames. He couldn't wake them up until he beat on the windows, he said his back side was very hot. They got up and got hoses going on their fence that was on fire and on their deck before it caught on fire. We watched the firemen go in with their apparutus (?) that allows them to go in and search in the smoke, it was interesting, I had never seen this. They checked the 2 bedrooms upstairs first and had to come back out. When they went back in, the found Gregg's body in the living room ( I had never met Gregg). Jennifer knew him well and he had just been over on Easter. On Easter Eve he had to call the PUD ( electric company) because his power was fluctuating. Will be interesting to learn if there was electrical problem and if died trying to get out....the gut feeling is that he slept in living room and PROBABLY the smoke got him. My nieghbor beside me had been out at 4:30 watering and didn't smell smoke, the paper man smelled it at 4:45 when delivering Gregg's paper and I smelled it at 5:30, by 6 it was in flames. Very very sad. He has 3 sons, one in college and 2 in highschool but he lived alone in the house, he was divorced from the mom.
Jennifer just called me and said the family has all been notified and that they had ALL been together last night at one of the son's soccer games.....
Everyone count your blessings...........................


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## Mgonzo2u (Aug 3, 2004)

Very sad story.

RIP to this Gregg fella.


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

Whoa. That's sobering. Prayers to the family. I'm gonna go change the batteries in my smoke detectors now.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

OH! Jeez Tawnya,

What a horrible story! So glad to hear it was not your house (I was afraid that's where you were headed







). Give Tay a big hug for us!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## OregonCampin (Mar 9, 2007)

That is a major bummer







The family will be in my thoughts today.

I will be checking my batteries tonight.


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

My prayers go out to the family.

I also hope the FD is offered counseling. In our area, it is automatic with a fatality.

John


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## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

May God grant you that family the peace to move on and eventually the understanding to make it make sense in your lives.

Reverie


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## prevish gang (Mar 19, 2006)

Tawnya, 
I am so sorry for this family. This is very sad and scary for all of you I am sure. We lost everything to fire when I was 5 and I am still terrified that it will happen again. Squeeze all your loved ones, because we never know what each new day will bring.

Darlene


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

I am so very sorry to hear about that fire. It is always sad when a fire happens, but when someone dies it is even worse.

My sympathies to all.


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## Crismon4 (Jan 25, 2005)

so very sorry for your neighbors loss! and glad that you and Rick are safe!.......


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

Crismon4 said:


> so very sorry for your neighbors loss! and glad that you and Rick are safe!.......


thank you, we are counting our blessings. The mom of the sons has reported how the kids are handling it, all 3 alone in a room. So sad those boys have lost their father. He was 49. The investigator guy took me around the house tonight and they are speculating it may have been cigarette in bedroom. I was amazed to survey the damage....the smell is one that is hanging in the air even tonight.


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## 3athlete (May 14, 2006)

How truly tragic for everyone involved...our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to the family and neighbors.

Glad you and yours are safe, and yes, everyone check those smoke and CO2 dectectors.


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## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

Sad story, he more than likely never knew what was going on....smoke inhalation.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

That's right. Smoke and fumes are the masters of death in a house fire.

Great advice...use this sad tragedy as a reminder to be safe out there. Check those smoke detectors, CO detectors, furnaces, etc.

In my line of work, I see this over and over...and many times...it's completely preventable.


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

NDJollyMon said:


> That's right. Smoke and fumes are the masters of death in a house fire.
> 
> Great advice...use this sad tragedy as a reminder to be safe out there. Check those smoke detectors, CO detectors, furnaces, etc.
> 
> In my line of work, I see this over and over...and many times...it's completely preventable.


r u a fireman or investigator? I met the fire investigator that day, because I am worse than a child in the curiosity dept., I asked questions! he seemed to enjoy sharing his knowledge. It was weird walking around the house, what didn't burn (very small portion) was smoke damaged, but peering in the rooms and seeing a towel, a clothes hamper with clothes.....I couldn't quite grasp and put into perspective that a person actually lived here. I think it's a defense mehcanism...ya know? I didn't know the man and had I known him, it would surely be different.


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

I think that when we know a person has died even close to where we live it really affects us.

When I was in my early twenties a house burned. I could see it and still rember seeing what looked like a person in the window, his silhouette was backlit by the fire. I later found out he died in that fire. That mental picture is still with me.


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## RizFam (Feb 25, 2006)

Very sad story indeed. Prayers to the family.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Doxie-Doglover-Too said:


> In my line of work, I see this over and over...and many times...it's completely preventable.


r u a fireman or investigator? [/quote]

I am a Captain in the fire dept.
A Firefighter (aircraft, munitions, and structures)
A Fire Inspector
An Aircraft Rescueman
A Fire Instructor
A Haz Mat Technician
An NREMT
A CPR Instructor
A Confined Space Technician
and a whole lot more!









and I've been at it for 25 years...and counting.
Be safe out there!


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