Exciting day Saturday. There was a fire in my house.

I was in the room when it started, and as soon as I realized what was happening, I ran for the closest fire extinguisher. The smoke alarms sounded as I was getting the can (a 10-pound dry chemical commercial unit), and I resolved myself that if I was still seeing flames after hitting it with the can, I was leaving the house and letting the fire department and insurance company deal with it.

Thankfully, when I opened up with the dry chemicals, the flames were immediately knocked down. I did a quick inspection, and it was very clear that the fire had not spread. I turned around, and much to my delight my wife was standing behind me with the 20-pound can she had retrieved from the boiler room, ready to back me up. I really love that woman! The kids were waiting excitedly by the front door, ready to go.

The central station alarm company called, and I told them that we had indeed had a fire, but it was out, we were safe, and there was no need for the fire department. I grabbed an N-95 mask, opened the windows, and got to work cleaning up the copious amount of greenish powder that was all over the kitchen.

All in all, I think I handled the situation pretty well. Everyone knew what they needed to do, and did it. I did have a talk with my older son and told him that he was old enough now that if the fire alarms ever went off again, he should take his brother outside and meet me in the back yard, rather than waiting by the door.

While this was a good drill for a major fire, there's one problem: I set the fire through my own stupidity. I can clearly remember thinking that despite the precautions I was taking, if things got out of hand it could cause a bad fire really quickly (I was fiddling with a new-to-me white gas stove which I had placed in a sink. Said white gas was what was feeding this fire. Yikes!).

So, what do you think? Do I pat myself on the back for handling an emergency relatively well? Or do I smack myself across the face for nearly burning down my house through sheer stupidity? (I'm particularly interested in what Blast has to say on the matter. . .)

Stay safe everyone, and happy spring holidays to those who celebrate them!

Do both, but smack yourself particularly hard if your wife hasn't already done that.
Only other comment, always have the FD come check it out. Let them know that you knocked it down with the extinguisher but have them come. We carry wonderfull devices call TICs (thermal imaging cameras) that let us tell without having to open up a wall (usually) if there has been any extention that you can't see.
Good job otherwise.

I agree, both of the above. You are definitely not the first. Great reaction by the family members, and you were right to plan to bail out if the initial attack failer.

Agree to have have the FD come anyway - fires can be incredibly sneaky.

White gas stove running in the sink???

Was it necessary to try it in the house?

I think you get a break-even for the event. FX was good to have. Playing with fire in the sink- not so good.

I had a Coleman Peak1 "erupt" on me but it was outside at the edge of the concrete patio furthest from the house. FX doused it quickly. Only damage was that the plastic fuel knob on the stove was kind of blistered.

Yep, really hard kick in the backside so you learn and remember. No liquid fuels in the house under any circumstances!

However, you had adequate backup to control the situation. That counts for something. Errors in judgement occur in all of us, which is why layers of safety training and preparedness are needed.

BTW, flowers for your wife, quickly. You've got a keeper there. And you've flared off points in a serious way.

In all, I think this is a net positive. Sometimes close brushes with disaster make us pay attention. Your wife must know you really well to be there backing you up with a fire extinguisher. LOL

BTW, Since you are married, you will get 'credit' for the fiasco for life.

We have an outdoor BBQ that works much better for this than an indoor sink.

BTW, it takes a thousand attaboy's to make up for one "ah s**t" -- for those keeping score.

You lit a white gas stove indoors? Good God, man...! I hope you don't have any other "product tests" in store.

I had a training instructor in Air Force Basic that always said the same thing!

the stove collectors in the UK call Coleman fuel "the devils fuel" because it explodes into flame so easily.kerosene is their fuel of choice.as to your problem,at least you stuck with it and did not run off screaming FIRE!!