A new life experience, FIRE!

[bonz_d]

At 58 years of age I've had many life experiences but none like the one last night and today.

I work 3rd shift as a maintenance tech and was awoken last night by my wife for a phone call. The caller was my lead at work calling to tell me not to come into work as the whole building was ablaze. For those whom live in the Wisconsin/Illinios area may have seen the news reports on TV. For those that don't the company is a food processing plant. It is 70,000 sq. ft. and we have just over 300 employees. Many of which are very close friends.

The fire started about 6:00 pm in a production area and quickly spread and engulfed the building. Fortunately everyone was evacuated and no one was injured. By 10:00pm it was a 7 alarm fire with 25 seperate fire departments from 4 counties on scene. The fire has just recently, as of 12:00pm been contained though not extinguished.

Watching the coverage on TV I was first in shock at what I was seeing. As the coverage continued shock became devastation as I watched a big piece of my life burn away into twisted metal and ashes.

Being in the maintenance dept. I'm sure we will be a big part of the recovery and rebuilding yet I still think of all those who will be without work and a pay check for many weeks or months to come. I never thought just how much my job and the people I work with mean to me until today!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

I have a friend in Racine who told me about it and that is sad. Hang in there....... yep, allot of people out of work.

Does not look like there is anything left Fire out at Wis. plant but 'there are 300 workers without a job' - chicagotribune.com

 

[aspeck]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Fire is a devastating thing... Not just physical loss, but the emotional effects of the fire can be far worse. As chaplain of the local fire department I have worked with several families after their house or employment were destroyed. Just remember, at this point don't allow yourself to be overwhelmed with the future, just take things one day at a time. Get through today, then tomorrow, then the next day. It will work out in the end. Will be praying for you and all your co-workers.

 

[southkogs]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

... Just remember, at this point don't allow yourself to be overwhelmed with the future, just take things one day at a time. Get through today, then tomorrow, then the next day. It will work out in the end. Will be praying for you and all your co-workers.

Right on Art. It's so hard to see past the immediate difficulties to see that the trouble only lasts for a while. So glad no one was injured ... the building will be back, lives couldn't be replaced.

Hang in bonz, and we'll be praying for y'all.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Another sad aspeck to this is the company has been doing very well and actually growing during this hard time. We just recently hired on 4 new mechanics and in the process of adding 2 whole brand new production lines which included a new very large oven that was to be delivered today! What a setback this will be.

Was also able to finally talk with my supervisor this afternoon and he was on site looking over the damage and he was having a hard time talking. I've also noticed that even my wife seems a bit distant today.

 

[aspeck]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

The fact that they have been doing very well means they will pull out all the stops to get back up and running. If the oven was delivered after the fire, they already have equipment to start at a temp location till they rebuild or relocate. Chin up, bonz. It will work out.

 

[nwcove]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

The fact that they have been doing very well means they will pull out all the stops to get back up and running. If the oven was delivered after the fire, they already have equipment to start at a temp location till they rebuild or relocate. Chin up, bonz. It will work out.

i agree, its great that the company is doing well. probably will be some short term hardship for all those affected, but things will work out for all.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Hopefully this does not effect the commercial contracts the company is obligated to. A couple of them are very large national contracts that we are the supplier for.

Anyone interested can go to WISN.COM to see the best pictures.

Would also like to give my heart felt thanks to all those firefighters that came to assist. Most all are volunteers giving up their time to serve their communities!

 

[JB]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

There is a silver lining, Bonz_d. Adversity builds strength and character; shared adversity builds and strengthens relationships.

We expect you to become even more of a character. (joke, bonz, joke.) In the meantime we are here for you.

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

That is terrible!! My heart goes out to you and all the families involved.

 

[roscoe]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

I saw on the news where the state was already sending in a team to help the company expedite the rebuilding project.

Once the fire marshall and the insurance companies sign off, the work will take off.

Hang in there, collect your unemployment for a few months, and let the wife know that it will all work out.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Hopefully the new building will be sprinkled, and I'm kind of surprised the old one wasn't.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Thank you to all for the kind words.

Well I just woke up from a 10hr. sleep, can't remember when tha last time I'd done that! I'm not so much worried about myself as I've been through hard times many times before. Moreso about some of my co-workers, many of whom are young and have some very young childern to support.

I've seen fires before and tornados and they were destructive but for some reason this fire was just devastating. At this time I do have an idea as to the cause of the fire but I have to keep it to myself for now.

Talked with one of the supervisors last night and for myself and the rest of the maint. dept we will most likely only be out as long as it takes for the fire investigators and insurance companies to do what they need and to clear everything. Then we will start the rebuilding.

As for the building that burned it was the original structure that was erected way back in 1940. No fire suppression, mostly wood frame construction, few fire walls and even fewer fire doors. Then you have to add in all the mechanicals such as all the ammonia lines to each of the freezers, gas and steam lines to each of the ovens, sanitation lines, compressed air lines, and then one of the ovens that is heated with hot oil which also has it's own boiler. Then the part of the building where we broke the eggs and the number of Hydraulic pipe lines to each breaking machine.

As was noted in much of the video that I'd seen a big part of the firefight effort was concentrated on keeping water on the area where the ammonia compressors were to keep them cool and keeping them from rupturing. Which they did very well thank God.

So I'll try and enjoy this time of rest because once it's all been cleared it will all be hell-bent until who knows when. As it is we have been working 54hr weeks for so long I can't even remember my last vacation!

 

[southkogs]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

...I'm not so much worried about myself as I've been through hard times many times before. Moreso about some of my co-workers, many of whom are young and have some very young childern to support...

There's a lot of wisdom there ... I hope you can be a support to some of those young folks. As you say, the older you are the more experience teaches you: there are good times and bad times. The younger you are the harder it is to realize that you can survive the bad times.

You sound like you're handling things well bonz.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Yeah, Age and wisdom along with a firm belief in God which it seems there isn't as much of that left in our world.

If you believe you believe by your own faith. If you do not believe then I don't have a problem with that either. It's a very personal choice each of us has to make for ourselves. If one chooses not to believe then I will respect that choice, just wish the other side would do the same.

A vesre from an old Blood Sweat and Tears song.
I swear there aint no heaven but I pray there aint no hell.

I do believe also that because of this fire the company will rebuild leaner, stronger and much better than what it was.
Reminds me of another song by the late Harry Chapin, What Made America Famous
Harry Chapin What Made America Famous (Soundstage) - YouTube

 

[mphy98]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

bonz_d sorry to see about your loss. I am here in Burlington too.(work at Miller motors) I think it will take a long time to rebuild that plant. I still cannot believe the destruction that happened over there. a small fire that gets so big so fast. Our prayers are with you and your co workers. Bob

 

[bonz_d]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Looks as though there was another flairup yesteday.

One issue that hampered the whole process of fighting this fire was that the area which burned to the ground actually had 2 roofs covering it. The original roof which covered the building and then a second roof that was erected to cover all the mechanical systems that were on that roof such as furnaces and duct work, ammonia valves and piping, steam valves and piping.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Update:

The company is rebuilding after this horrible fire. Being in the maintenance dept. we have been working 10hr days and most of us have only had one day off in the past 3 weeks. In spite of this I have to say everyone is holding up well and spirits are still high. Also have to add that this situation has shown which people really care about their jobs.

The 1st week was pretty much cleaning up rubble and securing everything along with trying to recover whatever was salvagable and restoring power and refrigeration to the storage freezers. We then set out to restore a production area that wasn't effected by the fire. Hopefully they will have one production line back in service by next week and another salvaged line within 2 weeks.and a 3rd line by mid March.

A long hard road ahead. Just hope I can withstand all the long hours over the coming months and that we can get everyone back to work that has been displaced. I know some will be forced to move on and others just wont be returning because some jobs will not be restored.

Still hope I get some time to spend on the water this season or still yet, some time to work on the new project boat I picked up last fall!

 

[roscoe]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Good to hear that things are moving along.

Don't be afraid to tell the boss that you need a day or 2 of down time. Better than getting sick, or getting hurt on the job.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: A new life experience, FIRE!

Wishing you all the best with the rebuild and make sure you don't burn out.