Awoke 2:00 this morning to an unfamiliar, muffled beep. Saw smoke coming out from underneath the closed cellar stairway door. Yelled for the Mrs. to get out and ran upstairs for the kids. Got everyone out safely, including the two dogs. As I was coming down the stairs from the second floor, there was a big boom which blew the cellar door open, followed by a second boom which apparently blew the plaster off the living room walls and the tile around the tub in the bathroom. Turns out that two aerosol cans were the cause of the blasts. Fire appears to have started in the newer (20yo) wiring to the dryer. We did lose two cats who preferred the basement over the dogs.

Water damage only in the basement, a few windows and ceiling holes the FD used to check for fire but heavy, acrid smoke everywhere.

Thankfully all ok, settled into 2 rooms at the Homewood Suites for a few days while they look for a rental house for us. Figuring about 6 months.

I always change my batteries with the time changes. Please make sure you do!

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Glad to hear you're alright. Sad to hear about the cats. Hopefully all the rest will sort itself out without too much headache.

MV

Hoary clap friend. Reading this to Darling Wife has tripped half a dozen of her triggers that come from growing up in should have been condemned houses.

Still have connections in (and a willingness to drive to) Connecticut. Holler if there is ANYTHING we can do to help out.

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1961 220b: first project car - sold.
2000 CLK 430: first modern Benz - sold.
2001 CLK 55: OMG the torque!!! - sold
1972 280SE 4.5: Baby Gustav
1991 300TE 4Matic: Gretel the Snow Bunny - sold
1978 300SD: Katz the Free Man - given away
1980 Redhead: Darling Wife

Ms Mash checks the smoke detectors every time she cooks.

She really is a good cook but the slightest hint of smoke will set it off.

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Sorry to hear about the cats, but happy your family is save. Changed mine al out a couple of weeks ago.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Wow swamp that is scary! Glad you and the kids are ok, sorry to hear about the cats though. Hopefully the damage isn't too bad and you can get back in the groove in no time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Please add my condolences on the property damage and, particularly, the loss of the furry friends.

Mostly glad to hear you and the family are okay. And thanks for a useful reminder...lol at the Mrs. Mash story.

I hope you have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend, Bill. Everyone else, too.

Jeezuz glad you're OK.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

You and your family are in our prayers, Bill. I PM'd my phone numbers to you. If you need suggestions or guidance in this mess, gimme a call. If you need a sounding board through this, gimme a call. Having been through this before, I know the emotions you're going through.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Thanks, everybody. I appreciate all of the support (and no need for a roadtrip, Jim! )! Our community has been unbelievable. I'm not comfortable being the recipient but I know how gratifying it is to lend a hand when needed so I just have to suck it up and be thankful to have such great neighbors.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Good going on the evacuation.

In some locations they condemn your house and disconnect the utilities. Have heard horror stories about getting moved back into the house. Stay on top of the repairs and inspections. Paperwork.

I buy the ten year smoke alarms now. No expection that they will be good for ten years but I am hoping they are a little better.

Holly crap Bill! If you need any help let me know!

What was wrong with the wiring? Did a rodent chew threw it?

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Holy Christ, glad you made it out. Sorry about the cats. Any idea what it was about the wiring which caused the fire? Was the dryer running?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Wow great escape for most of you.

Do your alarms not have the irritating I'm running out of batteries beep? Mine will go on for days until you replace the batteries.

In addition to batteries don't forget to run a vacuum cleaner over them once in a while (just the hose!) to get any dust out of them - they need to be clean to do their job properly.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Glad you are all OK.

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD