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Fireworks Explosion Destroys Home
Fireworks Explosion Destroys Home
scalvert


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2012-05 (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: Portfolio
Camera: Canon EOS-7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS
Location: Easton, CT
Date: May 18, 2012
Aperture: f/4.0
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/250
Date Uploaded: May 23, 2012

 Hope you guys appreciate the entry because I will NOT be reshooting it! This unlikely photo is my neighbor's house burning to the ground in spectacular fashion about 150 feet from my back door. Firefighters from six towns responded the blaze, but the structure was completely gone in 30 minutes and several fire hoses were lost to the intense heat. A huge stockpile of fireworks and ammunition had apparently been stored in the garage, and when the garage collapsed it set off a series of explosions that rocked the entire neighborhood. This was one of the last frames I took before the bigger munitions started going off and I hit the deck. A volunteer firefighter shielded me on the ground with his body as roman candles and flaming debris rained down on us (it burned my hair in one spot). When the explosions had died down enough to look up, we found a brush fire only inches behind us and I had to make a run for home. Fortunately there were no serious injuries and emergency crews did an incredible job of keeping the fire from spreading. They decided to let it burn out, and it was still a pretty big fire when I went to sleep 8 hours later. I gave a framed print of this photo to the local fire department as thanks.

A few outtakes are posted HERE.

Interesting side story: I can see the site through the trees outside my office window, and a week later I noticed some activity over there. Looking closely, I saw that it was a fencing company, but the people appeared to be inside the foundation area of the house. Hmm... I snuck through the woods and videotaped the guys in glorious 1080HD as they poked through the rubble and carried away whatever they could salvage in canvas bags. The police caught them and they confessed to looting the property. Dirtbags. >:-(

Statistics
Place: 20 out of 273
Avg (all users): 6.5738
Avg (commenters): 7.4000
Avg (participants): 6.5385
Avg (non-participants): 6.6774
Views since voting: 1613
Views during voting: 253
Votes: 122
Comments: 26
Favorites: 8 (view)

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AuthorThread
 07/04/2012 08:39:55 AM
Was away when the FS results were announced, can't believe this did not ribbon ! Thanks for sharing your pictures and story - amazing is the only word I could come up with.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 09:28:14 PM
Incredible story you have to tell. The out takes are spectacular! Just seeing the smoke trails gives me the shivers. I was at a fireworks accident once. Yikes! A tremendous PJ shot. I hope the papers printed it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:42:35 PM
Terrible story. Great shot! Glad to hear you came out unscathed (if not unsinged).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 10:04:36 AM
I'm surprised there was anything left to loot! What was the ammunition that was stored there? In any event, it's a spectacular shot. Glad those firefighters were at the top of their game that day!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 07:38:31 AM
Wow....what a story! The picture is incredible!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 04:03:06 AM
Love a picture with a good story :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:46:16 AM
I'm disappointed not to see this in the ribbons. It's a spectacular shot. I'm glad you weren't hurt - thanks for including the story.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:45:33 AM
I came over here to see if there was a story...and there was! Thanks. And I'm glad nobody got hurt, except for your one bald spot. I guess now your neighbor's secret stash is no longer a secret! or a stash!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:15:38 AM
Crazy. Too bad you couldn't get this in Harsh Environments.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:04:12 AM
Fencing company??? LOL. They're supposed to be securing the site, aren't they?? Man, people are loopy. Good for you for bagging the dirtbags!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:53:11 AM
Some images deserve the story in the voting process. Perhaps the two who voted 4 would've seen this a little differently. Good stuff, scalvert.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:45:41 AM
stranger than fiction.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:28:47 AM
Holy CRAP! What a story! What a shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:28:03 AM
HOLY BUCKETS, You deserve a purple heart for shooting this!! Amazeing!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/07/2012 11:06:32 PM
Amazing capture! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 11:01:44 PM
amazing capture
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 10:41:46 PM
That would certainly mess up a good day.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 05:44:10 PM
What a beautiful tragedy!


(commenting only)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 07:40:39 AM
That's one heck of a scene!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2012 04:57:26 PM
I'm picturing a similar scene in the original Naked Gun movie... "There's nothing to see here! Please disperse!"
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/05/2012 05:11:19 PM
Hope you didn't started this. Great catch!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/05/2012 10:28:26 AM
Is this for real or hopefully a movie scene?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/03/2012 10:42:47 AM
Amazing image in more ways than one.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2012 05:31:26 AM
Amazing ! Looking forward to reading about this - 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/01/2012 11:13:26 AM
Amazing energy. The shrapnel really captures your attention!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/01/2012 12:35:08 AM
Wow, nice capture
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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