Woolies fire
I used to work in my local Woolies to gain cash, staff discount and grief from staff and customers alike. Anyway, opposite the building was an old cinema (which is now a Waterstones - all that expense and they make a listed building a bookstore that must take £50 a week profit).

They were busy renovating the building and a couple of colleagues (who were on a well earned break) and myself could smell smoke. We looked over and saw they were making a lot of dust and assumed that they were burning a few bits and pieces in the process.

My colleagues had to go back down to the shop floor while I continued drinking crappy coffee and chilling out before returning to the living hell that is retail. The smell of smoke was getting stronger by the second and looking over to the building work didn't show me any increase in smoke and dust.

This carried on for a few minutes until I noticed that the nearby bin had turned into a chimney with billowing smoke and a few flames thrown in for dramatic effect. Fireman Betpet to the rescue!

I ran into the little kitchenette, filled a vase with nice, cold water, ran back in and poured the water into the bin. The fire went out immediately and I felt really pleased with myself. Smug git!

Once the bin had cooled down a little, I proceeded to take it to the managers office to report my mini adventure and got a staggering response of, "Oh, someone must have left a lit fag in there. Aren't you due down on the shop floor now?"

I was naturally underwhelmed by the gratitude I was shown for saving the store from being evacuated and costing thousands of pounds of fire damage (there weren't going to be any more staff in the canteen until lunchtime - 2 hours away).

Saying that, a no smoking policy was introduced in the building by the next day.
( betpet is the fun in dysfunctional, Thu 3 Nov 2005, 17:06, Reply)