I was told an amazing story today by our friends who live on the beach in a vintage VW van. Our friends are a woman and her daughter who is a bit older than my daughter.
We hadn't seen them in a while and when we spotted the van it was repainted. She told me why: A couple of weeks ago she was using her gas stove to boil water, it was one of those ones with a small sideways disposable canister. I'd heard they are not safe, now I'm convinced! Don't buy one!!! She had the stove on a unit outside her van and was just inside the door when it went on fire. Two passing men noticed it and came and knocked on the door to show her. She now knows that she should have instantly grabbed her daughter and run away! But she didn't, she reached into the van for a large glass jar of water to throw over the stove! If she had succeeded in doing so she would have been killed as the super heated gas canister would have gone into metal shock and exploded in her face while she was holding a large glass jar. Luckily for her our two unknown heroes knew better and seeing that the woman and her daughter were not running they grabbed the whole unit with burning stove and supper heated gas bottle on top and dragged it between them some feet from the van. A few seconds later it did explode! Everyone was knocked down and the side of the van and surrounding ground was showered with twisted metal shards and globs of melted plastic the size of golf balls. In what I feel was literally a miracle the larger chunks missed all four humans and the each only had small plastic burns! My friends top was on fire and she had to pull it off and sit there in shock in her bra!
Without the courage of two unknown Spanish men my friend and her daughter would have been standing NEXT TO that explosion!
I am in complete awe of someone who could look at a gas canister unknown seconds from becoming a bomb and decide to run TOWARDS it for the sake of two strangers! My life has never tested my courage that far, I hope it never will, if it did I hope I have half as much selfless bravery. I guess firemen and lifeboat crews make similar choices frequently, I'm in awe of them too.
It's been my experience in life that most people are nice, and will help you if they can. This story really impressed me with how true that is.
So here is to all the unknown heroes everywhere, ordinary men and women who do incredible things for others - real people are amazing!
Finally some advice on gas stoves:
1. Get one with a bottle separated from the stove by a tube.
2. Keep a fire blanket or appropriate extinguisher within reach.
3. If you fit it in a van or home have it checked by a professional.
4. Never leave them unattended - even to pop in the door of your van!
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