Very scary. Glad you are okay.

Good advise.

Oh dear - what an ordeal - glad you got out safely. Yes indeed - very good advice. I have at times thought about that scenario. I’m an above knee amputee and it would take me a few minutes to pull the prosthetic leg on. If I was with DH I might have him grab the leg and other valuables and take off on crutches.

We have some friends who were in Christchurch during the earthquake. They couldn’t go back into their hotel and never got their possessions back.

Oh my goodness! I was just watching the morning news coverage of the aftermath of this fire. Very sad. It's in such a pretty part of town. At least you got to see the new American Revolution Museum but hardly under the best of circumstances. I've been meaning to get there. Great tips about keeping your important belongings at hand. I am so bleary when woken in the middle of the night I would not be able to think straight. Obviously some of the other guests were like that, too. I hope you get your stuff back today. I hope the newlyweds were not spending their wedding night in that hotel! I'm glad the wedding was a success.

We were just having a debate about this very thing. My high school is just at the end of a two-year construction project. For the first time, we have a sprinkler system. I assume your hotel did? What is the official fire codes? Our principal said: "The building is sprinkled everywhere, therefore the need for

fire alarms has been eliminated. By next year, a fire drill may involve us staying put if we don't see a fire. " This doesn't sound kosher to me, I can't imagine the fire dept suggesting we stay put, with students while a fire burns on another floor!

Arcy, it sounds like this problem was not with the fire itself, but the smoke. Sprinklers don't help that.

Hhireno, what a mess!!! Hope everyone gets their things quickly. I think there's an old curse that goes "May you live in interesting times." I bet that you could do well without such adventure!

Thank heavens you and your DH are all right. I was watching the morning news too this morning and thinking how awful for all involved. One resident said they just stood on the sidewalk and watched their homes burn and others were distraught at the thought of losing their pets. The fire department can't let anyone return to the apartments due to the danger of a collapse.

Your advice about keeping your belongings near in case of an evacuation is important and one I learned many years ago when the alarm sounded at our hotel. It turned out to be a false alarm but it taught me to keep my shoes next to the bed and my purse with cell phone, jewelry and medicine on the night stand. Since the closet is usually next to the door we can grab a coat or robe on the way out. At least I sleep in pajamas!

How frightening! And that is an excellent tip to have your emergency items handy.

We were visiting Omaha (yes, I recommend it, with kids), in a lovely hotel with a center atrium, watching from our 8th floor windows as a storm developed outside and following the news reports, this being Nebraska after all. We were unfamiliar with the names of the counties and communities being reported. The kids went to sleep, then about 11pm an announcement came over the speakers about a tornado and to get down to the ballroom. Boy, howdy, we did. Just dumped the toddler into his stroller, grabbed two pillows and shoes, and headed down. Some staff was still there, not wanting to drive home in the storm, and they got everyone water, crackers, they were outstanding.

About two hours later they sounded the all-clear and we all headed back to our rooms, no glass broken from the atrium or room windows thank goodness.

I hope you are able to retrieve everything soon!

And the family from France, I hope they grabbed their passports.

Arcy, that doesn’t sound safe or correct. They want people sitting there while the building fills with smoke? And then people would potentially be in the fire department’s way? That cannot be right. Particularly after my experience this weekend, I would not rest until I investigated the school’s fire policy with the fire department.

Our hotel was filling with smoke and the actual fire was two doors away. I couldn’t see beyond 6 inches in front of my face when we left the building and had to walk through the billowing smoke from the fire. If the school fire isn’t immediately extinguished from the sprinklers, they want people trying to find their way through dense smoke? That is insane.

Dedtired, it is very hard to act quickly and appropriately when startled from a sound sleep. That’s why having your stuff in one location would help. It was dumb luck on my part. There was a table and chairs at the foot of my bed. My purse was on the table, my coat was draped over a chair, I had kicked off my boots and left them by the chair. Because my husband’s keys were not next to his other things, he didn’t think to grab them. Heaven forbid there’s a next time, maybe we’ll be better prepared.

We only saw the basement of the museum. We should meet there and tour it together!

Luckily, the bridal party and some other guests were in a hotel 2-3 blocks down the street. They were far enough away from the ruckus, I’m sure they slept through the night and enjoyed a lovely brunch in the morning.

Our principal said: "The building is sprinkled everywhere, therefore the need for

fire alarms has been eliminated. By next year, a fire drill may involve us staying put if we don't see a fire. "

Holy cow, arcy! Haven't they heard about the Grenfell fire in London? That's exactly what led to so many deaths there--the idea that since the fire would be contained/put out before it reached other areas it was best to stay put.

ETA Back to the original topic: If you are an Air BnB fan, please, please pay special attention to fire safety where you stay.

Two years ago on my way home from France I sat next to an American fireman on his way home from vacation who had rescued a number of people from his building in Paris and the neighboring one (all vacay rentals) when a bad fire broke out. There was no fire escape, no plan for getting out, and if he hadn't known just what to do, probably fatalities. He was still considerably shaken, and after he showed me the video of how fast the fire spread, I could certainly see why.

We were sheltered with displaced residents and some pets. There’s an organization called Red Paws, who was there assisting. They gave the pet owners litter boxes and food and water for the animals. One little dog was an obnoxious barker but the owner did a decent job of keeping it sequestered from the other animals, who, I will note, were all calm and well behaved. One cat, safely locked in a carrier, freaked out. I’ve never heard such a scary sound. It’s owner had walked away, for the bathroom, so maybe it was upset about being alone and feeling trapped in the carrier.

I was so impressed by response from the Red Cross, Office of Emergency Management, Red Paws, Salvation Army, and the employees of the hotel, the bar and the museum. Everyone was so calm and kind and helpful.

OMG, I’m glad everyone is ok, but what a nightmare for you all! Good advice, too!

Remember several years ago when my DD’s sorority house caught fire at something like 10:30PM in January? They, too, were outside without coats, shoes, purses, etc. But, my point in mentioning it here is that all of their bedding and clothes had to go through a special process to remove the very strong smoke residue and smell. It was quite costly, but it did work. Our insurance thankfully took care of that for us.

So sorry to hear of your trying night hhireno. Thank God you're all ok. I hope you're able to get home without too much delay...especially for the ones who are travelling internationally. Thank you for the good tips to keep in mind. Thinking of you all.

This makes me think of the little apartment we rented in Paris. That place was a firetrap now that I think about it. Five narrow flights up and no other way out.

My son's house was extremely close to the fires in Ventura. The major fire stopped about five houses away. He returned from a trip to find the neighborhood in flames. I asked him what he grabbed and he said his computer and his cash and some photo albums. Fortunately a lot of what he owned was already on his truck. I don't know how anyone thinks straight in those circumstances.

I just heard on the news that the apartment building that burned is in danger of collapsing. How awful.

Would love to meet up at the Am Rev Museum. Maybe a local HDF meet-up? Of course, after the fire debris has been cleared.

My son's comment was that he is never going to enjoy the smell of a campfire again.

This makes me think of the little apartment we rented in Paris. That place was a firetrap now that I think about it. Five narrow flights up and no other way out.

Yes, just that. My fireman acquaintance hauled people up to the roof and over to the next building to get them out.

A cousin of mine was in the MGM Grand fire many years ago. She was okay, but after that would not go into any building if she did not have a visible clear way out, so usually only on the ground floor.

It's made me more aware of finding the exits anyplace I stay. Although I must say that I live in a four-plex townhouse and we had a very terrible, tragic accident out front a couple of weeks ago. Three young college kids were fooling around on a Friday night, going very fast (police estimate 130 mph), lost control of the car and crashed into the trees out front. The car broke into three pieces, but if it had exploded and burned, the people in the front unit would have been trapped, because while every room has a big sliding glass door, they all open onto the courtyard, no back exit.

I am feeling grateful to have so many windows, doors and porch roofs. My biggest problem would be getting my hips through a window.

Here's an update on thefire.

Wow, what a story. Glad you are safe. Yes, I do try to keep everything together in a hotel in case I have to grab it quickly for any emergency exit.

Hhireno, I am glad you are safe!

One time years ago we were staying in a hotel in Isla Verde in San Juan, PR. We were on the top floor, which was 10 or 12. The fire alarm went off in the middle of the night so DH and I got dressed as fast as we could and hoofed down all those flights of stairs. We were the only ones who "evacuated". I don't know if the fire alarm going off was a regular thing or what, but we were the only ones concerned about it!

Donna

One of our Nursing Supervisors went to a seminar put on after tornadoes went thru the midwest a few years ago. They discussed lessons learned and what to do in the future.

The one thing I remember her saying is that they moved the hospital patient, nursing home residents, etc to a storm shelter but unfortunately they did not have shoes, coats , etc for after the storm went through.

When we have tornado warnings and relocate to our lower level, I now make everyone put on shoes (even in the middle of the night), take a coat, charge their phone, have their purse, wallet, glasses, etc., have the dog lease. All of those things that you would need if the storm actually came through and caused damage.

We are traveling overseas soon, I will have to remember to have a quick pick up zone in our hotel room to be prepared for the unthinkable.

What an experience...glad you are safe...hope your belongings are returned to you. I do think about what to do in case of fire or earthquake. At least, with cloud storage, I no longer have to worry about grabbing the computer. My worst fear is that the electricity would be off and we couldn't get the car out. I know the door can be lifted manually, but it's so heavy, I'm not sure we would be able to do it.

That is scary! Glad it worked out, and hope you get your stuff back too.

So glad you are ok! That must have been very scary, and I am glad you did get out safely.

One of DH's brothers was in NYC during the 9/11 attack. His hotel was about a quarter mile away. He and his co-workers were not allowed back in, so all he had was his briefcase and computer. Six months later a box arrived with his suitcase containing his clothing. Everything was sealed in a plastic bag. Apparently it all had been cleaned somehow to get rid of any possibility of asbestos, then packed and shipped. He said there was such a foul odor, he threw everything away.

I’m back from retrieving our belongings. Guests above the 3rd floor were not allowed in because it was unsafe, the OEM people packed up those rooms. Our room was on the 2nd floor so I was escorted in and assisted in packing up. We only had an overnight bag so not too much to scoop up and stick in the bag. I was afraid they might miss something if I had them pack it for me, as they offered.

The hotel was heavily damaged by smoke and water. The hall carpet was squishy and plaster from the ceiling had falling down in the lobby area. The hotel employee took everything out of the bathroom for me because he said the bathroom was covered in water and he didn’t want me in there.

We were very lucky. We were minorly inconvenienced, we didn’t get hurt, or lose our apartment or our livelihood. While waiting for my escort, I chatted with a woman who just bought an apartment in the building between the fire and the hotel. I hope she makes out okay.

I read this years ago and was surprised at how much I didn’t know about hotel fires.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/289078-how-survive-hotel-fire.html

My brother was once at at a hotel when a similar thing happened. He was unable to get back into his room and was traveling for business so lost his computer, work clothes etc. The surprising thing was how long it took for him to receive compensation (months). It was a chain hotel, but they are all owned individually.

Suzanne - very informative. Thanks for posting.

My mother needed a wheelchair to get around and always insisted on staying in a motel on the ground floor where she could easily exit her room.

I never gave a thought to which floor I was on until I had my knees replaced. It's much easier for me to run down a flight of stairs but it takes longer to go up. To play it safe I now request a lower floor and it's easier for DH too.

hhireno - on the news yesterday the local reporter interviewed a guest from the hotel who said she was just waiting to get her keys so that she could return home. I thought perhaps it might be you until they flashed her name and home town of Morristown

Glad you were able to get your belongings

maire_cate, Not me, I wouldn’t have consented to an interview. I don’t mind talking about it here, somewhat anonymously, but I’m not interested in being on camera! I am not ready for my close-up. My husband said the tv reporter was there when I was in the hotel.

suzanne, Thanks for the link. The trick will be to remember all that info and learn not to panic. That’s a tall order.

This experience, and that article, are making me dread going on the cruise. I could walk away from danger on Saturday, it won’t be that simple on a ship. Last week, my biggest worries were norovirus and a vague feeling of being trapped with 2000 strangers. I guess all I can do is to be as prepared as I can be. After the cruise, I’ll need a vacation from the stress of staying alert and ready for anything. A real first world problem.

A very big congratulations on the marriage.

Re the fire I'm just very glad that you DH and everyone is okay. That's sad that this had to happen. It makes me want to take one of those security ladders with me everywhere I go. And stay on the lower floors :-)

If the woman who bought the apartment just bought it I'm sure all of her insurance is in order. And came into effect immediately. That still does not replace precious memorabilia. I keep thinking about the pets too... Prayers for everyone.

Glad you are okay! How scary! Fire or car going in water are my biggest fears. *knock on wood*

Hi everyone - have been sick and unable to access my computer, but just popping in quickly to say to Fun2BHere about your fear of not getting the car out of your garage in a power outage because your door is so heavy: good garage door openers these days allow for a number of openings/closings after power goes out. And Hihireno. Glad you are ok. Thank you so much for the advice. Now that you bring it up, I am surprised to realize I have never given hotel exit plans much thought before, but I certainly will now.

Here’s an update from The Philadelphia Preservation Alliance. This is a sad loss for the city. “Update on 239 Chestnut: Sadly, this 1851 historically-certified loft building designed by Stephen Decatur Button suffered catastrophic damage in a fire of undetermined origin early Sunday morning Thankfully, everyone got out and no one was seriously injured. We visited the site this morning with several structural engineers and L&I. Within the building, there is literally nothing left. The roof and all of the floors collapsed and pancaked into the cellar. The rear brick wall remains standing, but is unsupported and in danger of collapse. The first floor front has cast iron columns and trim (backed with masonry), and the upper facade is brownstone clad with stucco. Unfortunately it appears unlikely that the upper portions can be saved as the brownstone is quite brittle and crumbles easily. Further complicating things, the only access to the building is through the front - there is no rear alley access. Our best hope based on what we know to this point is that the building may be re-built someday to match the old, including the original cast iron front. Sadly, one of the finest blocks of historic buildings in Philadelphia will be compromised for a long time to come.”

Well, that's very unfortunate, and I'm all for historic preservation, but still it's such a lucky thing that nobody was seriously hurt or killed (aside from those poor pets, of course). I'm just sorry you had to experience it all first hand.

IndigoRose, thank you for the information. Our openers are original to the 1989 build and do not have the newer safety features built in. We don't even have the door closing safety light beam system (which I don't miss). I guess we should consider a newer system, but there are so many other things that are higher on the maintenance priority list.