Power Kite Forum

kite shop tragedy

USA_Eli_A - 3-6-2009 at 10:48 AM

http://www.aboveitallkites.com/photogallery/profile.shtml?in...


i heard she was on her way out for lunch, and the phone rang, she would always head back in and answer it. Then she noticed the back room was going off. She looked for a fire extiquisher and said she couldn't find one. The bathroom was close, but nearly on fire too, with only ONE exit, being the main entrance, she said it made more sense to call 911 and wait for the emergency crew.
She said a bystander even came to aide with no success, and that he himself was a previous burn victim of another accident.

I'd say kite shops are 99% flammable. I'd require many fire extinguishers and training on how to use them.

My mother at Kites NorthWest had manditory fire inspections we had to pass in order to keep the shop satisfactory and safe.
As a result at any shop I'm employed at I always orientate the staff on how to use fire extinguishers and how to call 911.

I hope you are OK Crystal!!!

this could of been much worse. Your discovery literally saved the entire town from going up!!!

bison - 3-6-2009 at 10:52 AM

Very Sad! Look at all the melted ripstop!!!

Are they going to have a fire sale? :wink2:

Bladerunner - 3-6-2009 at 05:54 PM

Kite Karma :puzzled:

kiteNH - 4-6-2009 at 05:07 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bladerunner
Kite Karma :puzzled:


Bad taste.

I can't imagine losing so much in a fire. It must be very difficult to see all of your hard work destroyed. Best of luck to the owners with the new store. Hope it all works out for the best in the end.

Power Kite Guy - 4-6-2009 at 05:20 AM

Hope they have insurance. Looks like a bad fire

Bladerunner - 4-6-2009 at 03:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by kiteNH
Quote:
Originally posted by Bladerunner
Kite Karma :puzzled:


Bad taste.

I can't imagine losing so much in a fire. It must be very difficult to see all of your hard work destroyed. Best of luck to the owners with the new store. Hope it all works out for the best in the end.


OOPS!
I agree !
Sorry!

elfasa - 4-6-2009 at 03:53 PM

i really hope it all gets sorted out.

good luck guys.
tim

PHREERIDER - 4-6-2009 at 05:06 PM

wow, that's terrible ... positive things will rise from this, do not lose sight of what you want. it will arrive

the kite girl - 6-6-2009 at 12:30 AM

Alright here we go... the situation was like this

I was working for Above It All Kites Friday afternoon going about my work the same you do everyday. It was almost lunch time (my kids were taking me to subway) A customer came into the store with a stunt kite said that he bought it in the store a couple days ago and was promised that if anything breaks on the kite to bring it back and we would fix it, not an uncommon thing they have this for all there kites... I opened the kite up and noticed that the line that was holding the left leading edge kite to rode was missing so, I went to the back room grabbed the lighter, like I was trained you burn the line not cut it stops the line from fraying out... when I was walked away from the spool of line it was out I clearly remember touching the line in my hand and the spool of line on the wall with my fingers to make sure it was not going to cause any problems... I continued into fixing the kite and the customer walked around the store, never did he say anything about there being a problem in the back room (I was standing at the counter in the front of the store) his kite was fixed and he left the store... I clocked out for lunch pulled a couple things in from outside so I could close up the shop and leave the store for an hour... As I was shutting the doors and making a sign for the door saying when I was going to return from my lunch I heard the phone ring and what I thought was a child in the store so I walked to the back of the store and did not see anyone in the store but as I was getting to the backroom I looked up where the spool of line where I just burnt some off of on fire (at this time it was about two feet high and barely a foot wide) completely manageable if I was ever told where the fire extinguisher was located in the store... the first thing that ran threw my head was smother the fire, so I grabbed a yard spinner that I was to send out in web orders that day thought that nylon and plastic are not going to do anything but cause more of a problem... I ran out of the store next door asking if the had a fire extinguisher, the worker didn’t know of there being one in there shop either, we called 911 and someone off the street went into the backroom with a fire extinguisher when it ran out he was advised not to return into the store... the fire department took at least 8-10 min to show up and another 5 to enter the store!

when the bosses showed up on the scene I was told to leave (twice)...yes flee the scene... I couldn’t do this for more then one reason, I knew I was going to have to talk to the cops about what happened... my phone and keys to my car was inside the store... my moms car was blocked by two fire trucks... my vehicle was blocked in by three fire trucks behind the store and my keys were in the store anyway... when my car finally was opened after we called a locksmith (I still didn’t get my keys back) I left the scene with her telling me to not find a strange guy on the side of the road??? go have a drink and smoke a joint to relax ( I have two small kids, who just lost there father from drug and drinking, needless to say I don’t do either)

So lets answer some questions that you maybe thinking of
yes my kids where on the scene, no they were not making me rush at all they were very content with sitting in the car with grandma... I was not in any rush, I was not hungry and I wake up to my kids every morning and come home to they every night they just happened to be in town and wanted to hang out with there mom

no I was not hurt, good thing I might say... not one time did I have any sort of medical fire police ask if I was okay in the two plus hours it took them to clear out the store... I must have dropped to my knees at least three times and was a complete panic the whole time and no one asked if I was okay!

no I don’t smoke, drink or do any drugs... I was doing nothing more then working on a kite

no the one fire investigator that I have talked to did not find a fire extinguisher ... how do you not have a fire extinguisher in a store that caries nothing but nylon... nylon burns very fast and hot... throw in a very old building and you get a very big mess...

yes today I got my last pay check from Above It All Kites, they let me go saying things like we can not have you working for us if you can not handle emergencies like this... (if there was any training or a fire extinguisher in there building then we wouldn’t be going threw this anyway)... I was also told that I need to seek help for there are to many things going on in my personal life to be doing any of it alone (the last year of my life has been hell, you couldn’t believe)

Yes I am the employee that has been talked about on this forum before… that’s right I was the employee that worked in the Seaside location for Above It All Kites… ( that’s another story, feel free to ask if you want to know my side)

I LOVED working for Above It All Kites… it was a fun, relaxed atmosphere that I really enjoyed with the few bumps along the road. As many people feel after losing there job, I did everything for these people from working over an hour away so I could stay employed and they could keep there store opened, painting there store in seaside on a ladder all by myself during the winter, caring for there dog(s) when they were on vacation or in the hospital pulling product for the Long beach store after hours off the clock I could go on for a while now I’m just wondering who is going to do all of this now that they don’t have me to do it for them… I’m very hurt that things have ended over a complete accident that could have been a whole lot less if there was any fire safety in the building….

elfasa - 6-6-2009 at 02:15 AM

it sounds to me like it was just an unfortunate accident, and if someone else was in your situation they could have only done the same.

i hope your job situation is sorted out, and all is well in the long term

tim