Itaewon Is On Fire!

Well, not really. Only a building.


The last time I saw a fire close to home was when I was still living at Tito Vic's house in Paranaque (in Metro Manila) and the neighbor's house, about three houses away, caught fire!


It was a weekday, and late in the afternoon. Luckily, I got home early from work and found Vina, our domestic assistant, panicking! She didn't know what to do!


I am not the panicky type. I am not the type who, when knowing that the neighbor's house is on fire and it's just minutes before the fire invades our backyard, would run and scream like I am the one on fire!


So, I lead Vina upstairs to Tito Vic's room and asked her to lay out on the floor a small blanket and throw in, one by one, a few shirts of his shirts, a few pair of his trousers, sandos, socks and a few more accessories, which for a moment, looked like we weren't saving Tito Vic a few of his wardrobe from a possible fire, but instead, it looked like we were sending off Tito Vic to a month-long vacation to Bacolod City. Ha-ha-ha!  I remember we even added a pair of shoes.


After that, I told her to close the blanket and drag it downstairs. We thought of bringing things out in case the fire eventually crossed to Tita Sylvia's house, our next-door neighbor.


Fortunately for us, the fire was contained. But we ended up sitting on a sofa on the main MIA Road with a few bags, a few fire trucks and lots of onlookers watching the fire being put out. Of course, I had a souvenir photo taken of us (me, Vina and her daughter, Cheche, and Tita Melda, who also lived next door) sitting on the sofa. The houseboy took the photo, and Tito Vic already left for his vacation. Ha-ha-ha!


But this weekend, when Itaewon was having a blast of a festival along its main road, a fire broke out! A freakin' fire on  the day that a disaster wasn't supposed to happen!


And like the fire near Tito Vic's house, it was put out by brave firemen, who probably save more lives and property than we give them credit for.


The Itaewon fire didn't stop the festival. Well, maybe for an hour or two. And maybe the sale at that CK shop, too. Maybe for a day or two. 


Here are some photos I took:

                                               (The brown smoke!)

                    (The crowd and smoke billowing over the main street)

                                                    (Hosing down the fire)

                                        

                                         
                                                        (Curious onlookers)

                                                                 (Fire out!)

                             (Notice the other fireman by the window?)

                                                (The hero fireman!)

                                             (Leftover ice cream cones)

                                                  (They know the drill.)

And the festival continues. Thanks to the Itaewon fire department!