Our house burnt down

A neighbour lost their house several years ago and it made me realise that we had no plan in place should the same happen to us.

Now we have an escape plan from every room in the house which the kids can recite in their sleep. We drew the plan up with the help of the local fire brigade who were more than happy to come out and advise us.

All important documents both personal and business related are stored in a fire proof document bag which sits on a shelf behind the outside door to the office (part of the house) Contains all passports, certificates, insurance documents, vehicle registrations, cattle passports and a copy of all bank accounts, registration numbers for the business and any other necessary information - basically everything we would need to continue working. I also have several memory sticks with scanned copies of irreplaceable photos. The spare keys for all the farm vehicles and my car live in there too.

I hope, op, you are now in a position where you are returning your house to its previous state and that despite the trauma of the actual fire that the process has been fairly straightforward. Fire is my worst nightmare

@PaddyMcGintysGloat
Our house did not burn down, but one night a small electric appliance (food mixer) caught fire.
My adult DS heard the whirring noise and smelt it and wondered what it was, went down. He put out the fire, unplugged it all, and placed it outside. DH also got up, smelling smoke.
I slept through it all!
I still do not understand how it managed to switch itself on, without the top being fitted properly. (its one of these mixes where it has to be fitted on the base, and then the lid turned). It was the base that caught fire. Yes, it was completely burnt out.
Since then, I always turn off all the kitchen plugs. (obviously not for large appliances such as fridge, or those that are hidden, such as washing machine, which is behind the machine).
Many years ago, the build up of fluff in the tumble dryer caught fire, but I was there and using it at the time, and was able to sort it out. I never leave it on at night, and usually leave the tumble dryer door open at night.

I pretty much always have my handbag in the room I'm in . Always take it to bed so could nearly always grab it .as I get up to leave Just having the car keys and my purse with a bank card would be very useful I think . Also if my phone is not on my hand , 80% of the time I put it in my handbag as it is always near me and at most in the next room so hopefully would have my phone as well

Obviously DH and DS more important but if I am passing anyway, grabbing my handbag would be the main thing. Also put on shoes and grab coats or blanket if it was cold outside but only if they are literally by me or as I pass the front door

My goodness, I really feel for you. This is something I often think about. It really would just be my kids, my pets and the keys to my campervan.

When this happened to us the only thing I managed to rescue on my way out was my handbag that had my purse and maternity notes in. I couldn't see to rescue anything.

If I had presence of mind and was in the right room/floor at the time - wallet with passports in.

Probably phone as it's almost always to hand. And to call 999.

But otherwise so king as the three of us get out that's it.

Everything in my phone, tablet and iPad is stored ti the cloud. Likewise for Dh and Dd. And all photographs are on them as I download them and document them regularly.

Almost all of our documents are stored online too. And our IFA has copies of all important stuff too.

My fathers house was set on fire after burglars broke in but couldn't find anything of value. They started the fire by using clothes from the airing cupboard and putting them on the gas hob. He'd lived there since the mid 60's so you can imagine the memories the house held. Absolutely heartbreaking seeing your childhood home in flames. My heart goes out to anyone who has suffered in this way x

I have survived not 1 but 2 house fires. The first one I was only 7 at the time. When I was 14 the only thing that went through my head was get my mum and siblings out alive. I was completely devastated when the firemen told us that they couldn't find my cat when they were putting out the fire. Went back in after they said it was safe, to get my school uniform and found her sat on the stairs covered in soot and soaking wet. So I think if I had to go through that one again I'd grab her first especially as she is the only reason why I was awake and discovered the fire in my brothers bedroom. She did not deserve to go through the fear of being trapped in a burning building then getting soaked on top of that.

I lost everything in a house fire, we only had the clothes we were wearing, it was difficult trying to get bank cards etc replaced because we had no ID to prove who we were. I also couldn't remember who our home insurance was with , it was about 10 years ago when you used to get documentation posted to you rather than emailed and I was sat watching the house burn down desperately trying to remember as I panicked that I didn't have any home insurance. Luckily I managed to remember and contacted them, unluckily it was a bank holiday weekend and there was not much they could do until the Tuesday.

My house did burn down, it was arson, I was in hospital recovering after being shot during an armed robbery at work, in trying to silence me from giving police statements and not knowing I wasn't home they went after me at my house where instead they found my DP, they beat him up and set fire to him, which killed him, I couldn't give a damn about anything that was in that house bar him.

I lost every thing including my will to live.

If I had of been there I wouldn't have even saved myself.

I would grab my kids, my pets and gtfo. I wouldn't risk dying even to save my cabinet full of antiques or the baby photos or anything.

@DimplesToadfoot I’m so so sorry. 💐

@DimplesToadfoot wow I am so so sorry. I really have no words x

So sorry to hear that, Dimples - I hope things are going better now.

My dogs and cats, and if I thought I had time, my external hard drive with so many photographic memories on it.

DimplesToadfoot I'm so, so sorry. I lost my husband to Covid-19 and that was traumatic - I can only try to imagine how much worse it would have been if he had been treated like your DP. I hope you've found something in life now that is helping you deal with such a horrible tragedy. Hugs.

I am so sorry. I have been there. And I can tell you that "stuff" can be, for the most part, replaced. I do regret losing all of my family photos, some of the tintypes from the 1800s, but for the most part, stuff can be replaced.

Thank you for sharing this, it has really made me think. I have no strategy in place, but will have now. I do have smoke detectors, but will start moving important documents etc to my safety deposit box. I hope things go smoothly getting everything sorted out and rehoused. 💐

I must say this is an absolute brilliant but also horrifying post.
I am so very sorry this has happened to you. This is my worst nightmare. I am always very aware to be safety conscious.
I have learnt so much reading through the posts. Things I never would have thought of. In fact, today I am going to do a fire drill and will continue to do one once a month. Heaven forbid an actual fire does happen here in my home, but at least with the fire drills routine hopefully it will kick in automatically if ever needed. Thank you and I hope you are all doing well. x

Dimples..that is horrible. I am so very sorry

So sorry to hear you are going through this. Really hope you had insurance.
I have a certain amount of content insurance but as my house is privately rented I’d have to find somewhere else to live completely. I doubt my landlord would get the property back to being habitable any time soon. I’d also worry about living back in it after a fire too but maybe I would as everything would be new.
I think if I had time I’d grab my child, 4 cats, phone & handbag. Bag is always near front-door (out of sight or reach of it) & contains my purse so easy to access & cats all have a specific place they go if spooked or scared. Child’s room is on the way to front-door & my phone is by my bed.

My local town has had two fires in its Fire Station. After the last time, perhaps 5 years ago, it was so damaged they closed it down and it is now a museum or social club or something. After family out, I suppose it would be personal documents, car keys, some very old watercolours (not worth much) and investment documents and photo albums.

My cat and my oil painting in that order

I'd grab my dog - luckily she's always by my side and then I'd grab my phone, laptop and desktop.

I can't imagine starting from scratch without my PCs especially work (self employed).

@DimplesToadfoot I'm so sorry