Wildlife Gardening: What do you do to help prevent birds from hitting windows?, 1 by Stelco

Stelco wrote:
Thank you, sempervirens.

It was a candle or an electrical fire on the second story. I will never know which. I was cooking in the downstairs kitchen and smelled something strange. When I got upstairs there was no smoke, so the smoke alarm hadn't tripped, but the entire headboard of the canopy water bed was rolling flames, licking across the top and starting the drop ceiling below the loft on fire. I was on a second date that night and we were just getting ready to eat. By the time I got her on the cell phone to 911, gave her the address and got her and her truck out of the drive the smoke had started and filled the house. I went in to rescue my cats. I was unable to breathe much, went out for air and went back in. I never found them - they hide. They were all that I was thinking about, so I left my keys and wallet on the counter, next to the door. By the time I was leaving the second time out windows were blowing out on the second story. I was in a hurry to get out by then. I had no identity for two days and no keys for my vehicles. Three fire departments sent everything that they had, but most of the 20,000 gallons of water went into saving the garage and preventing the 325 gallons of propane from blowing up. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!

Mark