Rokinronda
05-04-2008, 02:30 PM
Barefoot, I didn't know fireboy meant just that!! Could I please put out a much needed plea with you and fireboy and all grandparents and parents!?? Could you spread the word?? Our story, In 1995 I was headed off to bed, and took a peek at our son (11)sleeping, and daughter(15) reading in bed, saying "good night sweetie, don't stay up too late!". At 6:55 AM the smoke alarms sounded! Thank God! We ran to our daughters room and the horror of seeing her bed in flames! Got the kids outside, hubby grabbed the hose, I grabbed a huge vase of flowers in water and we put the fire out. The firemen arrived right after and said "good job", but it was their job to fight fires. It was probably 3 minutes total. Our daughter had burns on her legs. I thought she was smoking in bed. You see, grandpa had bought our daughter a clip-on lamp that she could attach to her headboard to read (avid reader). Grandpa had recently passed and would have had a heart attack if he had been alive. Our daughter fell asleep with the clip-on light on and must have knocked the wire during the night and the lamp fell between the bed and the wall and caught the bedding on fire. The firemen took the lamp to check for an electrical malfunction and determined that it wasn't electrical and threw the lamp away. The dumpster was empty and "The lamp" in the landfill. Apparently the clamp was not strong enough!!! We had no proof. I found a similar lamp at a store and sure enough, it was a weak clamp!! I told the store manager. I wrote letters. There was nothing I could do without "the lamp". No proof of the maker, etc.. I did get a letter similar to this note published in the Providence Journal twice, and the town paper and spread the word. I received many thanks from many concerned people. How many college DORMITORY FIRES have been started by clip on lamps??!! I shudder to even think about it. PLEASE PLEASE CALL EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!! Throw away any novelty type clip-on lamps. I really tried to put them out of production!!! But I am afraid they are still being sold!!! Horrifying!!!