The Aftermath
The lamp was plugged in but not lit, and the residents, Sarah Fiore and Brad Yeatman, were not at home when the blaze began. A hamper and closet near the source acted like tinder. Heat blasted out their bedroom windows and skylights, feeding the fire plenty of oxygen as it spread to the kitchen and leaped into a loft guest room.
The fire marshal who inspected the source of the blaze told Sarah and Brad that had the inferno continued for five or ten minutes longer, it would not have been containable, with their home a total loss, and neighboring structures igniting as the heat factor exponentially ballooned.
Brad and Sarah are grateful for the rapid response time of the OVFD. It was also extraordinary how delicately the firefighters worked around the ceramics and glass in the adjacent shop, Bella Fiore. Said Sarah, "Only the Ocracoke VFD!"
Flames, smoke and water destroyed their upstairs residence, while leaving the downstairs shop and ceramic studio relatively unscathed. Their bedroom is a charred and blasted pile of sodden ashes, containing a few fluttering scraps of books, the odd remnant of denim, and ghostly furniture. Remarkably, Brad's important documents (passport, visa, social security card) survived, and Sarah was happy to recover a small stash of charred cash from a drawer. They consider these things "lucky," even while so much else is lost.
Food roasted on pantry shelves; plastic tumblers and ceramic mugs melted into Dali-esque shapes.
Now that the fire marshal has determined the cause, and insurance adjusters have stopped by to offer an initial assessment, the couple can take whatever they think is salvageable. Anything porous will have to go, because of water and smoke damage, said Sarah. She is hopeful some of their wooden furniture can be recovered with a liberal scrubbing of Murphys Oil Soap, and re-cushioned.
Clean up will begin Saturday morning, and "the more people here helping, the faster and easier it will be," said Sarah. "I will definitely be here."
The Back Porch Restaurant has offered the use of their industrial dishwasher to help the homeowners recover what they can of their kitchen wares.
Any recovery work that happens saves Sarah and Brad the cost of a cleaning crew, and gives them a little more to spend on a re-build. Demolition will begin after the home is emptied of items that may still have value. Sarah is hopeful local contractor Tyke Ely can find time in his schedule for the job.
"I'd really like to be open next summer," she said.
The couple have not abandoned their plans for a May wedding. "We're taking some of the frivolous things off the registry, and adding things we used to have, like towels and sheets," said Sarah. The invitations survived, and it is hoped they will no longer smell like smoke when they are mailed.
Watching the fire marshal's methodical work was fascinating, said Brad. The inspector could trace the path of the fire by noting tripped fuses, and was able to tell there had been sheets in the hamper, despite its being largely ash.
Some island residents speculated that the fire may have started in one of Sarah's pottery kilns. Brad pointed out that had this been the case, the flames would not have spread, because kilns are designed to contain heat in excess of 2000 degrees.
Volunteer firefighter Mark Justice said it is a good idea to re-wire old lamps. Sarah and Brad are trying to salvage lessons as well as belongings from the ruins. They have welcomed friends with children to see the extensive damage, in order to impress on them the importance for fire safety.
Members of the Ocracoke community have shown support with donations of clothes, food, and other tangible signs. Jen Esham and Jennifer Esham Winstead donated a home where Sarah and Brad are staying while they put the pieces of their lives back in place. Books to Be Red owner Leslie Lanier cleared a corner of her shop, and is selling art from Bella Fiore.
This community is an awesome place to live, said both Sarah and Brad.
