Out of Macrophotography for the Time Being

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Deanimator
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Location: North Olmsted, Ohio, U.S.A.

Out of Macrophotography for the Time Being

Post by Deanimator »

There was a huge fire at the condominium under construction next door Sunday night. The fire was so hot it broke the windows in my living room and burnt out a couple of apartments closer to the condo. It literally melted the power lines in front of the buildings and killed the power to the whole block. The fire was so hot and the smoke so intense, it was visible on weather radar. Grass on either side of the interstate highway across the street was set on fire and the highway closed because of ash and burning debris landing in the roadway.

We all had to be evacuated, and most of our belongings left behind.

My focus stacking rig probably totals 300lbs., so there was no way it was coming out in the five minutes I had to get out.

I didn't get back in to get medicines and my DSLRs until yesterday afternoon. Apart from my brand new Canon 80D, I needed to get my old Canon 350D and accessories that a co-worker wants to buy.

I have no idea when (or if) we'll be able to move back in. Until then, I'm out of the macrophotography business. In my hurry, I left my 100mm Tokina macro lens sitting on my rig. No opportunity to use it anyway.

At least nobody got killed or seriously hurt and I didn't lose anything but the food rotting in my refrigerator.

Lou Jost
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Post by Lou Jost »

What a tragedy, but at least you are alive and didn't lose anything. Best wishes on recovering your home.

Deanimator
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Post by Deanimator »

Lou Jost wrote:What a tragedy, but at least you are alive and didn't lose anything. Best wishes on recovering your home.
Thanks.

I drove past after picking up a Minolta light meter (eBay) from the post office. The power company was stringing new cable.

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

I found impressive news coverage by search on "rocky river ohio fire" .

Very glad to hear that nobody was injured!

--Rik

Lou Jost
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Post by Lou Jost »

Wow, I just looked at that coverage. There is one seemingly copletely burned-out room in the neighboring building, which I presume is your building.

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Sheesh, sobering. Glad you're ok - if reeling.
Chris R

Deanimator
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Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:01 pm
Location: North Olmsted, Ohio, U.S.A.

Post by Deanimator »

rjlittlefield wrote:I found impressive news coverage by search on "rocky river ohio fire" .

Very glad to hear that nobody was injured!

--Rik
I'm told there were four 500 gal. propane tanks on the site. If they'd gone up, it would have leveled my building and set the Metrpark on fire.

Deanimator
Posts: 870
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:01 pm
Location: North Olmsted, Ohio, U.S.A.

Post by Deanimator »

Lou Jost wrote:Wow, I just looked at that coverage. There is one seemingly copletely burned-out room in the neighboring building, which I presume is your building.
My guess is that they had drapes that caught fire and fell into the living room. I was thinking about putting some up to darken the room for photography. It's lucky I didn't. As it is, the living room windows broke from the heat and the vertical blinds shriveled up like cooked bacon.

Only a few days ago, I threw out a bunch of stuff and moved things away from the window, which likely would have caught on fire.

Chris S.
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Re: Out of Macrophotography for the Time Being

Post by Chris S. »

Deanimator wrote:At least nobody got killed or seriously hurt. . . .
This. Let us rejoice in this. Nobody got hurt or killed in the inferno.

Being deprived of your home and its contents must be very hard, and I sympathize. And your macro stuff is currently unreachable, with which I also sympathize. But I'm glad that we're talking here about stuff and not people. Stuff is replaceable, and is, in the end, just stuff.

Deanimator, I hope you can soon return to your apartment, and that you find as little damage as possible. Thanks for letting us know about this traumatic event. I hope you'll continue to keep us informed.

--Chris S.

mawyatt
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Post by mawyatt »

Deanimator,

Wow, that was certainly a wicked fire!!

Thankful, you and others weren't injured.

Best,
Research is like a treasure hunt, you don't know where to look or what you'll find!
~Mike

Deanimator
Posts: 870
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:01 pm
Location: North Olmsted, Ohio, U.S.A.

Re: Out of Macrophotography for the Time Being

Post by Deanimator »

Chris S. wrote:
Deanimator wrote:At least nobody got killed or seriously hurt. . . .
This. Let us rejoice in this. Nobody got hurt or killed in the inferno.

Being deprived of your home and its contents must be very hard, and I sympathize. And your macro stuff is currently unreachable, with which I also sympathize. But I'm glad that we're talking here about stuff and not people. Stuff is replaceable, and is, in the end, just stuff.

Deanimator, I hope you can soon return to your apartment, and that you find as little damage as possible. Thanks for letting us know about this traumatic event. I hope you'll continue to keep us informed.

--Chris S.
Nothing of any consequence appeared damaged in the ten minutes I had yesterday to get my medications and cameras. I won't know until the electricity is back on and we're allowed back in.

Deanimator
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Post by Deanimator »

mawyatt wrote:Deanimator,

Wow, that was certainly a wicked fire!!

Thankful, you and others weren't injured.

Best,
For some bizarre reason, one of the tenants didn't come out the first time the building was cleared. Somebody who knew him noticed his absence and sent the firemen back in after him. His apartment might have been the one that got burned out. He appeared unharmed.

MarkSturtevant
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Post by MarkSturtevant »

WOw! I makes you think. Glad you are ok.
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

lonepal
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Post by lonepal »

Sorry to hear what happened.

Fire is the worst disaster, it takes all your belongings.

You are lucky to not have any lost.
Regards.
Omer

Deanimator
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Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:01 pm
Location: North Olmsted, Ohio, U.S.A.

Post by Deanimator »

They finally boarded up the living room window, so I'm in here throwing out stuff so that the fire marshal can clear the place for occupancy. Fortunately, I've been cleaning up for a couple of months (only about a day and a half a week to do it due to work) and most of the junk was already boxed up.

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