A Surreal night...

Just about 11:46 PM December 14 2007 as I was sitting at my computer I heard a call for a possible fire at 80 Middle Street over my police scanner.As usual I paid little attention to the call,most being a false alarm such as food on the stove.A few minutes later a call from the first responders indicated that a resident smelled smoke in the building.Shortly the firemen announced there was indeed smoke present and they would begin to look for the source. No more than 5 minutes went by and next I hear was: "Fire knocked down,looking for extension". Still, I wasn't sure of the exact location of the fire but was glad all seemed under control. Then I hear what really got my attention."Thermal imaging is showing fire in the floor below me and ceiling above"! Then I hear that there are 20 units in the building. "We are evacuating the residents". That's when I knew it was the Lorraine Apartments! GFD struck the second alarm. No more than a minute or two the 3rd & 4th alarms were sounded."We have a person trapped and are trying to get a ladder up" was the call I heard next.That's when I got up and went over to my bedroom window and looking across the harbor toward city hall was an ominous orange glow in the sky.Grabbed my camera,coat and gloves and headed downtown.Driving along E. Main St my attention was towards town and not the road! My senses kicked in,somehow I was driving on auto pilot! As I passed Camerons,a local night spot the orange glow was filling the sky. And out front were patrons oblivious to the conflagration!I almost felt like shouting out "Don't you know the city is about to burn"! It was a surreal feeling,awake on the edge of a nightmare.My next thought was where to park.I didn't want to get too close and take a chance of getting trapped by the fire apparatus. And not too far away....it was cold out,about 25 degrees. I ended up parking in the Gloucester Co-op Bank parking lot. By the time I got behind the apartment building, fire had busted through the back from floor to floor.Within 20 minutes back decks collapsed onto the Temple Ahavat Achim. The Temple was doomed. Fire worked it's way under the eaves charging the space with heat and fire. Smoke billowed from the temple roof,then fire. It was cold,I couldn't wear gloves and use a camera.But watching the efforts of the firemen I hardly noticed my own discomfort. My attention soon shifted to the Sawyer Free Library. Within feet of the Temple it would take luck and skill of our firefighters to save it. Burning embers were falling all around.If it weren't for the snow covered roofs,all of downtown would be in peril.Now I see the embers are heading to where I parked my truck.These were not just sparks falling from the sky,these were large hunks of flaming matter!About 2 AM,that's when I had seen enough and head home. Much was lost that night but one thing grew strong....the spirit of Gloucester! An outpouring of help for the victims came from all corners of our community and beyond!