Personal Note: Dawn alarums

I was on my way to the trolley stop this morning when I saw black smoke billowing up about a block west. That, I thought uneasily, cannot be good. Then I saw people running into the street, exhibiting the unmistakable signs of panic, at which point I hauled out my cell phone to call 911. I had just hit the first number when the fire sirens went off, so I put the phone away and got myself out of the way.

By the time the trolley arrived, about ten minutes later, the smoke was greyish and far less prominent in the sky. The local paper is reporting that there were no injuries. Phew.

ETA: The house's sole occupant jumped out a second-story window after a couple of passing Good Samaritans noticed the fire, called 911, and began pounding on the front door and shouting. God bless 'em.