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I saw another thread about having gas pumps shut off due to a fire threat, and customers still trying to pump gas. It reminds me of one I once had happen.
I was working graveyard shift at this c-store in my hometown. Business was fairly dead, so I was going about the busy work chores on my duty roster. All of a sudden, I see this car come flying into the parking lot, headed straight for the nearest gas pump. Smoke is billowing from the back of the car, and I see the glow of flames shooting out from under the car.
I just felt my jaw drop in disbelief. Sure enough, he stops right in the middle of all the gas pumps and bails out of the car. I make a bee line for the emergency cut off behind the counter and grab the phone to call 911. Of course, I'm trying to keep my whits about me. The guy comes in huffing and puffing, "MY CAR'S ON FIRE!!! MY CAR'S ON FIRE!!!!"
I'm already on the phone trying to relay the problem to the emergency dispatcher, and trying to think of anywhere to go that I could be shielded if it gets worse. The only door to the building is the front door FACING THE PUMPS. I was literally in a state of disbelief as I told the dispatcher what was happening.
So, my only response to the guy as he's telling me about his car being on fire, "I KNOW!!!! I CAN SEE THAT!!!! GO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE PUMPS, QUICKLY!!!! WHY WOULD YOU EVEN PULL IT UP TO THE PUMPS OF ALL PLACES?????!!!!!!!!"
The next minute or two was literally a blur, but I stayed in the building because I couldn't even think straight. My mind was just racing. I'd lost track of the guy driving the car. The fire trucks arrived shortly. It didn't take too long for the firefighters to put the fire out. It was like I was on the phone trying to think what to do, then all of a sudden time just flashed forward.
The first thing I did after that was lock the doors, then call the manager to tell her what had happened. Then, I realized that the guy was still around, I'd totally forgotten about him. He was talking to the police. I just kept the doors locked and stayed inside the building until the manager came. Then, I told one of the police officers about what had happened, and the manager sent me home early. I think she finished shutting the store down, and just closed up shop until her shift the next day.
Honestly, I remember enough to know most of what happened, but some of the details are unclear. It was just like one of those Star Trek episodes in which time becomes distorted and skips forward at random intervals. Plus, things like that just never seemed to happen, so I was shocked.
I was working graveyard shift at this c-store in my hometown. Business was fairly dead, so I was going about the busy work chores on my duty roster. All of a sudden, I see this car come flying into the parking lot, headed straight for the nearest gas pump. Smoke is billowing from the back of the car, and I see the glow of flames shooting out from under the car.
I just felt my jaw drop in disbelief. Sure enough, he stops right in the middle of all the gas pumps and bails out of the car. I make a bee line for the emergency cut off behind the counter and grab the phone to call 911. Of course, I'm trying to keep my whits about me. The guy comes in huffing and puffing, "MY CAR'S ON FIRE!!! MY CAR'S ON FIRE!!!!"
I'm already on the phone trying to relay the problem to the emergency dispatcher, and trying to think of anywhere to go that I could be shielded if it gets worse. The only door to the building is the front door FACING THE PUMPS. I was literally in a state of disbelief as I told the dispatcher what was happening.
So, my only response to the guy as he's telling me about his car being on fire, "I KNOW!!!! I CAN SEE THAT!!!! GO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE PUMPS, QUICKLY!!!! WHY WOULD YOU EVEN PULL IT UP TO THE PUMPS OF ALL PLACES?????!!!!!!!!"
The next minute or two was literally a blur, but I stayed in the building because I couldn't even think straight. My mind was just racing. I'd lost track of the guy driving the car. The fire trucks arrived shortly. It didn't take too long for the firefighters to put the fire out. It was like I was on the phone trying to think what to do, then all of a sudden time just flashed forward.
The first thing I did after that was lock the doors, then call the manager to tell her what had happened. Then, I realized that the guy was still around, I'd totally forgotten about him. He was talking to the police. I just kept the doors locked and stayed inside the building until the manager came. Then, I told one of the police officers about what had happened, and the manager sent me home early. I think she finished shutting the store down, and just closed up shop until her shift the next day.
Honestly, I remember enough to know most of what happened, but some of the details are unclear. It was just like one of those Star Trek episodes in which time becomes distorted and skips forward at random intervals. Plus, things like that just never seemed to happen, so I was shocked.
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