Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Fire!


No, unfortunately this is not a cool Christmas lighting effect, but a real apartment on fire that I photographed last night on my way home. The scene was very impressive as it had just started and the firemen were still on the way. I really hope no one was in this place... Like I already said once, there are not that many fires per year in Paris, but of course, all buildings are so attached to each others, that it can quickly become dangerous for the neighborhood.  FYI, here is a map of fires for 2008 with a breakdown by arrondissement.

38 comments:

  1. Whoa! It's a terrible thing for the inhabitants, but a lucky thing for you to be able to catch it. I hope no one was hurt.

    I hope you used the zoom lens!

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  2. Very dramatic, Eric! But I feel so sorry for the people who live here. Hope no one was hurt, and also that they have somewhere to go now.

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  3. Very impressive and scary. Hope the firmen showed up quickly and that nobody were injured.

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  4. How awful. What a horrible thing to happen. I, too, hope no one was there and that the resident(s) have a place to go.

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  5. 'How tragic. I hope everyone is okay.

    BTW, Eric, you have had some great photos lately, as always. I really like the Sacre Coeur and Christmas Tree ones. 'Hope all is well with you ... and with everyone at PDP.

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  6. Eric "Weegee" Tenin!! (Do you know the American photog called Weegee?)

    Unbelievable - you got there before the firemen! This is a wild photo. Amazing.

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  7. I, too, hope no one was hurt or left homeless from the fire. It looks pretty scary from this vantage.

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  8. This is horrible Eric. I worry about this all of the time never having lived the apartment life until moving to Paris. A very lively photo however.

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  9. Wow. I've only come across this kind of thing once and I was tempted to take pictures because I'm addicted to my camera. But alas, there was no time because I was the first one to see the smoke and I had to call 911!

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  10. It's interesting how environment shapes thoughts about fire. In the northeast US where I grew up, smell of smoke made people smile because it meant someone had a nice, cozy fireplace going. In California I was surprised to find people reacting fearfully to the smell. To them it meant a fast spreading brush fire that would threaten homes. Now that I've read Michael's comment, I realize its even scarier in Paris because the city is so dense. It really must be terrifying.

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  11. Hopefully everybody got out okay. Never enjoy seeing this scene.

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  12. Looking at the photo again, its odd that flames are shooting out the window panes. I may be wrong but I don't think fires cause window panes to break - people usually break them trying to get air into smoky rooms, and they don't reach up to break the top ones. It makes me wonder if there's more to this story - maybe a gas explosion or something.

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  13. That's an amazing shot. Dreadful and amazing.

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  14. this is the one thing that i am so afraid of. i can deal with earthquakes here in so. cal, but a fire....hew very scary. i remember driving very close to a fire on the freeway and the heat that we felt through the car windows was so hot, but what i remember the most was the smell. i hope those who lived in this apartment are okay.

    petrea...i am would love to wait until january for our so. cal gathering. i also vote for a new place. not that i did not like the other one, but it was a bit far for me. merci ;-)

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  15. Oh, no, how awful. I hope they are all OK. What a thing to happen upon ~ I'm glad you were able to stay safe, Eric.

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  16. How sad. I hope this had a quick ending. Our intrepid reporter on the scene captured quite the dramatic shot with sparks flying.
    -Kim

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  17. How far up was this Eric? I honestly don't know how you're supposed to get out of a burning apartment in Paris. Scary stuff. Thank God the firemen are usually there REALLY FAST.

    (Amazing picture.)

    Jost

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  18. Where was it exactly Eric? Can we search the web for the outcome?

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  19. That's absolutely scary. I'm living in a flat for only 3 years (grew up in a house) and I always worry about some clumsy or careless neighbours...
    Hope everybody is safe.

    Kind of like this "photo documentaire", Eric! Carrie is right, Eric Weegee Tenin...
    Carrie, a nice exhibition was set up 2 years ago here(Musée Maillol) about him.

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  20. Eric, for as long as I have known him, has always shown a propensity for "statistics" -- he is such a cute nerd with that. I mean that in a good way. :-)

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  21. Regarding yesterday's comments regarding Les Halles, these last few years, I have been hearing that this Paris neighborhood is a growing hi-tech community optimistically dubbed “Silicon Sentier". Is this true? (Sorry I am late with this.) But, I am curious so that is why I am posting it.

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  22. Everyone who wants to do a January Southern California PDP Fan Pod, how about sending me an email? I'll put us all in touch so we don't have to hijack Eric's blog. It's pb (at) petrea burchard (dot) com.

    We're basically in the Los Angeles area. I believe the last group came from as far away as Calabasas to the west and San Dimas to the east and everywhere in between. Not to mention Jeff from Minnesota and Lynn from PHX!
    Join us! We'll find some place central (and French, of course).

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  23. Oh my, scary. Beautiful but scary! I hope everyone is OK including the pets if they had any. I always think of the pets before the people. Beautiful but very frightening. Good thoughts and wishes being sent for all involved. Valorie

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  24. Fire is the worst thing. I, too, hope all are safe and the lives of all the residents of the building are not disrupted too seriously.

    On a happier note, I suggest you So Cal people just have a picnic on the beach, reminescent of the PDPicnics on the Seine. It's California, for god's sake, go to the beach! What about a big box of seafood for $20: Paradise Cove in Malibu.

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  25. Oh no Petrea, we're enjoying all of this talk of get togethers and agree with Jeff, the beach would be perfect!! Photos/videos please!

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  26. That's a scary site we look at today....and should make us all take a moment to be thankfull for what we all have this holiday season. You never know what is coming around the corner, and I for one always try and stop to appreciate the here and now...


    Sean

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  27. It's 43 degrees (F) in Malibu right now! I'll go if it's 70F.

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  28. @ärisian heart. Merci

    @Carrie "Eric "Weegee" Tenin!! (Do you know the American photog called Weegee?)" Well no, I don't?!
    " I may be wrong but I don't think fires cause window panes to break"
    Well I can tell you that all glasses broke one after the other

    @Michael "A very lively photo however" And a very warm too...

    @Maria @Petrea ".i am would love to wait until january for our so. cal gathering. i also vote for a new place." I would love so much to be with you! I'm going to be in Boston around New Year's eve BTW, but not very long.

    @Jost "How far up was this Eric? Second (3rd American) floor.

    @Michael "Where was it exactly Eric? Can we search the web for the outcome?" It was exactly here, at the corner of rue Saint Lazare and rue Bourdaloue, above the Société Générale bank.

    @Lois "[...] for "statistics" -- he is such a cute nerd with that. I mean that in a good way. :-)" LOL

    @Petrea " I'll put us all in touch so we don't have to hijack Eric's blog. It's pb (at) petrea burchard (dot) com." Feel free to hijack my blog ;-) What 43 in Malibu?! Global colding?!

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  29. Well it's obvious that Google Maps is getting old. They haven't even updated their photos yet! Shame....

    Now, do you think the fire was set intentionally so that robbers could get into the bank?

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  30. Thank you, Eric. If you were going to be at the beach in Malibu, I'd go no matter how cold it was.

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  31. Frightening..can't say I have ever seen any fires like that in Paris, hope I never do!

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  32. Oh, what a photo! Scary for any homeowner or flatowner though! How horrible it would be to come home and find this! I hope the people are safe and sound, and can weather this well.

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  35. Hey, have enjoyed Paris through your eyes Eric, apart from the fire of course, very scary.......

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  36. I don't want to say it's beautiful because it's an accident. I really hope no one was inside the place. But your photo is amazing, wonderful shot.

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