A Firemen Ascends

Returning home one evening, I find my front door and security door wide open. Thirty seconds later, after climbing the stairs, a fire truck pulls up my street.

There were some difficulties at first. My street is very narrow with cars parked on both sides. An illegally parked vehicle had to make way for the fire truck, which could not turn the corner without ruining this new Peugeot. This ballet brought horrors about what would happen if there actually was a fire. Paris apartments do not find fire escapes cost effective.

The next obstacle, clearly, was the apartment door. The front entrance was unhindered and held open, but the front door of the offending apartment was locked. No good. Thankfully, someone brought the ladder.

Go time. A fireman commands the truck to put down its four support legs. Ladder ready, it swings into action and shoots to the third floor window. A fireman ascends.

What is this? The window is latched from the inside. Hammer time. The fireman opens the latch and goes inside. The apartment door obstacle easily defeated.

The police arrive. One is brandishing a notebook. They talk to some of the firemen on scene. Situation assessed, they ascend the stairs.

Ladders are firefighter business.

There is some discussion in the hallway. The voices remain calm, but clearly something is not right. The police and fireman resolve the issue. No one originally in the apartment leaves. The police descend the stairs.

The fireman uses the ladder.

This story occurred May 29th ,2009.