Wednesday, January 11, 2006
1/11/2006 05:48:00 PM

Fire and (no) Rain

posted by FH2o


I abhor negative posts either from others and try to avoid it myself as the news in general are pretty dismal as it is and don’t need us at all to add to it; but life happens and I was there. I was on the way to a meeting after lunch at home when I saw thick clouds and the sounds of siren in the direction of Jalan Setia Raja where the ‘Woodhouse’ housing estate was. Curiosity got the better of me, and as I was still early for the meeting, I thought I’ll turn in to have a look as it was also along the way.

As I got nearer it was obvious that one of the single-storey wooden bungalows in that estate had caught fire. A large crowd had gathered watching the firemen who were already at the scene trying to bring the fire under control. But the bellowing dark smoke did not forebode that they would be successful. To make matters worse there was also a slight breeze fanning the fire.

Luckily there was no one in the house. As I took photographs of the raging fire, I heard someone shouted that the unfortunate owner is on the scene. A young man with shoulder long hair tied in a single ponytail; all he could do was watch his house and all his belongings burn, in numbed shock. Life is really cruel at times.

As I left the place I wondered if the heavens had no mercy this afternoon as although the weather was overcast with dark clouds, it didn’t rain when it was most needed. Or is it just the cosmic order of things that some of us have to suffer and endure hardships.

I had watched, photographed and now write about this as a detached observer but would I be able to do the same had that man been a close friend or relative?

11th January 2006


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14 Comments:

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  At Wednesday, 11 January, 2006 Blogger Jellyfish said:

fuiyor!!!!!!!

up close n personal

  At Wednesday, 11 January, 2006 Blogger SilveRaveN said:

scary...!!!

  At Wednesday, 11 January, 2006 Blogger FH2O said:

jellyfish / silveraven - yes I could even feel the heat from the fire on some of the closer shots. there were a few explosions as well which was kinda scary. it was my first fire i and i got there well before the press. it happened and i just happened to be passing by and with my camera ...

  At Wednesday, 11 January, 2006 Blogger Happysurfer said:

I feel for the home-owner and you kay-poh lah must go and see and take pictures some more.

Has the Police or anyone come to ask you to be their key-witness yet? haha.........

  At Wednesday, 11 January, 2006 Blogger FH2O said:

happy - i kinda feel guilty taking 'beautiful' photos of someone's misfortune but then again the fire will rage on regardless of whether i was there or not. and i was able to capture that poignant scene of the dazed owner lookin on as his house burns to the ground.

isn't it strange that a disaster can also be so beautiful?

of course one feels for the owner but we are all still a 'detached observer'

  At Wednesday, 11 January, 2006 Blogger Happysurfer said:

Hey, how can a disaster be so beautiful? What a paradox. But you've always taken beautiful pictures - that I'll say.

  At Wednesday, 11 January, 2006 Blogger FH2O said:

happy - yeah its a paradox and it's kinda of perverse for me to say that i really love some of the shots i had taken of a rare 'opportunity' (kinda of perverse also to use this word) but i think u get the general gist of what i'm tryin to say. i'm kinda bad with words this way sometimes!
guess that's also why i take better pictures? hmmmm

  At Thursday, 12 January, 2006 Anonymous OC said:

May be they should use fire retarded lumber.

  At Thursday, 12 January, 2006 Blogger Robin said:

Aiyo, I like u when you are normal!

Stay away from negative post... u sounded like a psycho that need to be housed in my Ward 12.

kekeke

  At Thursday, 12 January, 2006 Blogger FH2O said:

robin - see what happened when u stayed away too long?
i go cukoo cukoo cukoo ... ;)

  At Thursday, 12 January, 2006 Blogger Robin said:

People.. please comment on this post or else Unker Fh2o will not do live-report any more...

and then we are back to wacko, jacko stuff.. hehehe

  At Thursday, 12 January, 2006 Blogger FH2O said:

folks if u r visting this blog for the first time - please understand that we have this 'squawk box' called Robin that we had been unable to turn off ... pl accept our apologies, but meanwhile pl bear with us. TQ.

  At Saturday, 14 January, 2006 Blogger Pandabonium said:

FH2O, better not photograph too many fires. Someone might think there is a connection.

My son-in-law is a firefighter on Maui. The causes each type of fire are usually the same, and so preventable. Sad to stand and watch one's own house and possessions turn into ash and smoke. The most important thing is no persons were lost.

Good photo journalism.

  At Saturday, 14 January, 2006 Blogger FH2O said:

panda - i'll take your good advice as this is the year of the fire dog and if i carry on like this i may not have time for kayaking then!
thanks!


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