Fireman goes wrong way in burning house

We received a call to a house fire. Shortly after arriving, we heard there was a strong likelihood someone might still be inside.

“He’s probably in the middle bedroom. That’s where he always watches TV. He has a little den set up in there…”

We made our way into the house, navigating our way around the flames. It was impossible to see anything with all the smoke.

Checking all the areas as we moved through the home, we got to the room and made a full sweep. No one was in there.

We continued searching.

Shortly thereafter, we found the victim on the other side of the house. He later died from excessive smoke inhalation.

I wonder what would have happened had I gone in a different direction, not taken so long searching empty rooms…

You ask yourself all kinds of “what if” questions like that.

I don’t blame the neighbor who told us to search the house at all. We wouldn’t have known the man was even in there had the neighbor not said anything.

But, I didn’t want them to think that maybe they messed up something by making the suggestion and then having to live with an “I told them to go the wrong way” type of thing. I never told them where we found the man. I didn’t want them carrying any burden.

Ruminating on those questions never helps, but it’s hard to get them out of your head when you really don’t have a solid answer.

I still think about this each time I go into any burning building.