AM had come home from the De Baliviere garage, where the installation of the new fare-boxes is under way. As she spoke on the phone, she looked out of the window, and in the conservancy lane parallel to our home, she noticed a fire in a dumpster:

As we looked, the fire started taking hold:

She immediately called 911…and we waited for the fire truck to arrive.

It seemed as if a fire cobra were consuming the dumpster…

The fire engine arrived (I go past Fire Station no. 30 every day, on my walks, so I know it's very close by)... Here's a video of the firefighters hosing down the fire: High-pressure water went into the dumpster: Soon, the fire was out. The firefighters (they told us later) looked in, and were relieved to find no incendiary substances..or a dead body... Here are some of the fighters:

Their work done, they accepted our thanks, and drove away.

This was a simple job…but it could easily have been a dangerous and difficult one. My salute to the firefighters everywhere.