Scary Night

Last night there was a very bad fire in a large old home diagonally behind our house. It is a 2 family dwelling and apparently the fire started in the second floor unit. However the cause is unknown. What is known is that the 16 year old boy who lived in the third floor unit is dead. His two sisters woke in time and were able to escape out a window in their bedroom. He apparently was overcome by smoke and was not found in time. I lay in bed last night listening to the noise, watching the flashing lights, hoping that everyone was okay. My wife went outside. I couldn't. I wanted to be inside in case our kids woke and were scared. And although I love sitting in front of a controlled fire, watching a building burn frightens me at a very core, very visceral level. I looked at all my kids at breakfast this morning and felt so very lucky and also, so very sad for our neighbors whose lives have been changed forever.