I've gained a new high respect for wax, fire and flour.
On Saturday I was doing some batik art while listening to music on my computer. My computer was really on the fritz so I went to my room to plug it in and try to doctor it. But, I forgot that I had turned the wax on the stove. While I was tweaking the computer and trying all of my technology tricks (starting, shutting down and starting again) I started to hear these little crackles.
As I made my way to the kitchen I found a sight to behold. The whole stove was on fire. Dancing flames were engulfing the pot and were leaping up the ceiling. It was out of control. I stood there for a split second just in awe and then realized I needed to snap into action.
I dashed into the cuboard grabbed our couple gallons of wheat flour and started throwing it on the flames. Nothing! Last time this worked so I was convienced I just needed more flour to suffocate the fire. Finally I just poured the whole container dumping it all at one time. Luckily this worked but now I needed to turn off the burner. When I reached for the knobs they crumpled like sandcastle in my fingers. They were totally melted away. This made turned off the burners impossible.
With the flames under control I tried to call for help. Dial tone...persistent rings... no answer. Tried another. Dial tone...persistent rings... no answer. Shit! I raced down the hall to my bedroom and grabbed my cellphone. Same results. On the four attempt I got an answer and my principal said he would be over to save the day. I called the downstairs security who lazily answered the call and when I told her I had an emergency and to please send up a maintenance man her sultry reply of "What?" put me over the edge. But, my response snapped her to attention. "Help me! I need help! Flat 15!" Within one minute the two heroes were harking my front door.
We cut the power to the stove, we threw a flaming cookbook out the door and shuffled the stove to the back porch. The stove had seen it's end. I guess this is one way to fix our previously broken back burner.
And thus I have a very healthy respect for was, fire, and flour.
3 comments:
oh man...glad you are okay and that instincts were quickly put into action! phheeew
yes, glad you are alright. crap! good action. did you replace the stove?
No replacement yet. I really really hope that we will have one when we get back from holidays. All of the stoves in the flats have been imported. I guess electric stoves are rare. We survived our last week before holidays on the kindness of our friend Nicole. We had dinner at her house almost every day of that week.
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