Put out that damn fire!

As I said on my last post, there are plenty of stories from my own business.

I could keep writing for a couple of years just on the fun and exciting things that I have experienced owning my own business. Just to give you a heads up, not all of them are funny, some will be a lesson on morals, and some are just so hard to believe that I have to tell them. Obviously, since I've been in business for 25 years, it wasn't all bad.
With my mason background, I am well versed in just about all that is masonry. I started my business right after I got married, mostly because I had other people in my family that worked the trade, and I figured that I would never have to worry about not having any work. That didn't always work out. But I must admit I stayed very busy.....that is until the housing market crashed, which changed the face of construction.

This story goes back quite a few years.

 I was doing some work for a builder in Hillsborough NJ. He wasn't really the most honest person, but he did build a nice house. This one day in particular I was building a fireplace. Not many people know this but a fireplace is built in "sections" kinda.... First we build the base, this is the part that starts from below grade, and basically comes up to the first floor. Then you stop, get an inspection. Next is the hearth. This has to be formed, partially in the basement, and into the base of the fireplace, then you stop again for another inspection. You then pour concrete to make the base for the hearth, and the floor for your firebox. Now......well, I'm not gonna bore you with the details, but this was the part of the fireplace I was working on when this story begins.

The fireplace being built from inside the house

I was working inside the house building the firebox.....with firebrick. The outside of the fireplace was still low enough that I could see everything on the outside. I had two of my men working on the outside building up the brick, and one of my laborers was out there also. Oh, did I mention that the laborer was "Hank"? The kid who couldn't read a ruler? Well, it was him, he was still working for me (I'm going to heaven....just for this!)
Hank was responsible for making cement in my cement mixer, and making sure that the masons always had plenty of cement. A few words about the mixer we were using first. It was old machine....but with the proper care she was faithful. There were certain rules to follow when operating this machine. The one that applies here is when you were finished mixing a batch of cement you were NOT to close the cover on the motor, because it ran really rich and would backfire (like an M-80) when shut off.
So, I'm working in the house on this beautiful sunny summers day. I would look out every once in a while....just to look. I happened to notice that Hank was looking uncomfortable. He had kind of a confused look on his face. He would look over towards where the cement mixer was, and then look back at me as if to say something.....but he didn't. This went on for a few minutes and it struck up my curiosity so I leaned over to look outside in the direction he was occasionally glancing to. But I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He continued to look uneasy, and I finally asked him what was the matter?

"Ummm Dominick......I think the mixer's on fire" he stated in a shaky but low voice....."WHAT??!!! I went over to the nearest window in the house, and sure enough there was smoke bellowing out of the sides of the machine! I yelled to Hank, "Well don't just stand there......go put it out!!"

He was off in a flash, like he was running the 200 meter dash. He flipped open the cover and flames were all over the motor. He looked at me in desperation.....and I yelled from the window..."PUT OUT THAT DAMN FIRE!!" He says to me ....."With what??" "You have fifty gallons of water in that drum! get a bucket of water and throw it on the motor!!" In a mad rush, he grabbed a bucket, haphazardly dunked it into the barrel of water and threw it in the direction of the machine.....HE COMPLETELY MISSED!!!!!

For illustration purposes only, this is not Hank

I was worried that the gas tank might blow, so I was getting desperate. The house was far away enough that  if I ran out it might be too late, so Hank was my only hope (I know, lucky me). I yelled to him "Please Hank do SOMETHING........Throw some sand on it!!" I expected him to grab the nearby shovel, but he proceeds to bend over like.......like a dog that was digging a hole, and started to (I'm not sure how to describe this) well, he just bent over and was throwing sand at the machine through his legs!!!??
Luckily one of my other men heard the commotion, and ran over to the mixer, and put out the fire with a bucket of sand. It turns out that it was probably just in a nick of time, because on inspection of the damage, the fuel line was burned off......Hank was not allowed to use that mixer anymore, I gave him a hoe.

TIP OF THE DAY:

Fireplaces....

Over half of all U.S. homes (55 percent) have at least one fireplace, and they're ranked as the third most desirable feature that people look for when buying a new home, says the National Association of Home Builders.

But there are some things to keep in mind when owning a fireplace:

After a cold winter and heavy use,  you should have your flues checked for a buildup of creosote. If your flue or chimney are blocked by debris or contain cracks or leaks, inadequate venting can occur, and toxic fumes may seep into your home. Further, creosote, a byproduct of burning wood, can build up on the chimney flue and lead to a chimney fire. You can call a professional like D & J Construction to inspect and clean your fireplace. It's a small price to pay for keeping safe.

Another common problem is forgetting to open the damper, or closing it too soon after a fire. The fireplace damper should be opened before lighting the fire, and kept open until all ashes are cool. Closing a damper too soon, even if just the ashes are warm, can allow poisonous gasses like carbon monoxide to build up in your home.

But having a fireplace in your home is a welcoming centerpiece for family and friends and with common sense will bring many long lasting memories!

 

See you next time......from beyond.........