BIt of excitement on our street

1st the good news: the driver appears to be fine, if a bit shell-shocked.

Izzy and I were sitting here in the living room; I was reading some recipes that Izzy put on his blog space for safe-keeping (he's been doing a bit of that lately, plus storing Eco quotes--check it out) and Izzy was doubtless doing something in Latin.

Insert into the quiet a loud metal and plastic crashing sound.

We jumped up, went on the porch and looked around. Izzy saw it first -- a small SUV on it's passenger side and on fire in a front yard across and down the street. We both took off running--Izzy hollered to me to call 911, but I could hear the lady next door calling them.

We got to the vehicle at the same time as another neighbor, who basically ran into the house where it happened and got a fire extinguisher to put out the engine compartment fire. I called to the driver, who said she was OK and alone. There was no way for us to open the driver's side door (and no way to get her out if we could open it), but I got lucky and the back hatch was unlocked. When I opened the hatch door, smoke flowed out. I could hear, but not see the driver, who was unbuckled (I didn't ask if she was that way pre-wreck.) Looking through the car at the house's porch lights, I was able to see the driver. Turns out, it just took moving the speakers and the vehicle lights came on and she emerged. Izzy helped light the way out with the flashlight he had gone to retrieve. The driver stepped out, and asked for someone to call her husband. A neighbor obliged with a phone. I reached in for the camera and phone I could see, but didn't try to retrieve her purse, which was brown and not visible in the dark.

About this time, we began hearing sirens and seeing lights. When the police arrived, Izzy and I headed home to clear the area (passed neighbors showing up to watch as we walked home.) On the walk home, Izzy noticed I was in my stocking feet. Sometimes you just don't take time to put on shoes...

As I type now, close to 25 minutes after the event, there are 5-6 police cars and 1 firetruck still on the street. The car is a goner, and the wrecker is just arriving to clear the vehicle from the yard. There are lots of voices in the road, though I think folks will be heading in soon.

I'm pleased to see how good police and fire response times were. Under 5 minutes, maybe under 3 1/2 for the first police car. Glad it wasn't any worse on the driver; the neighbor's tree and sidewalk will need serious help, though.