There's a HUGE Fire...No, Really..There IS!

Well, since I'm on a rant abut the news desk, I'll add this gem. This is my absolute favorite story about life as heard from the desk.

I was heading into work one night two years ago. My regular guy on the desk, Russ, was on vacation. I was handed a new girl, Amy. She was hired to work weekend nights but I felt secure in the fact that she knew what she was doing. As I was driving to my station, I get a call on the radio.:

"Newshutr, where are you right now?

I'm headng West on 480 near the Valley View Bridge.

"Great!! Independence has a fire. Sounds huge. They're evacuating a part of a block, and calling for mutual assistance."

Ok, well I'm on the bridge looking towards Independence and I don't see anything from up here. No smoke plume or lots of flashing lights or anything.

"Well, they definitely have a fire there. They're staging at the high school."

Ok, I'll head there.

Well, yours truly heads to Independence High School. And, you've guessed it. No fire trucks.

Hey Amy, there's not one fire truck here. Place is all quiet. Sure it's Independence??

"Yes, I'm sure. The scanner is showing Independence FD. I've called them, but they're denying they have a fire."

Ok. I'll head by city hall see if the trucks are out.

Well, I get there and the trucks are all berthed for the night. Nothing happening here. A police officer sees me driving by slowly and pulls me over. I hear him run my plate and when it comes back belonging to my station, he tells his disptch that he'll handle it. No backup needed.. He gets out and comes over to me. He asks what I'm doing.

I'm looking for a big fire here in Independence, somewhere.

"Well, it's not here. It's been quiet all night. Try Seven Hills or Walton Hills or even Bedford. Good luck!!",he wished me, getting into his car and driving away.

Amy, I just talked to the PD here and it's all quiet.

She says back, "Well, it's NOT quiet there. They're calling in foam trucks and planning to evacuate two blocks around the fire." And the scanner is still showing Independence."

Well, the cop suggested I try Seven Hills, Walton Hills or Bedford. I'll start heading to those places.

Fast forward an hour later with no sign of a fire in any of those suburbs...

Amy, I'm coming up with nothing. It's not around here. Are you sure it's Independence?

"Well, they're calling in Leamington's aerial ladder trucks. Is that nearby??", she asked.

I had to pull over. I couldn't believe what I just heard. Leamington.

Umm, Amy. Do this for me. Pull up Google and search for Leamington.

"Ok..hold on..OH MY GOD!! It's in CANADA!!"

Yes, it's in Canada. Near Windsor. The tomato capital of Ontatio.
(Actually, it's very pretty there

"Then why am I hearing it?? It keeps coming over under Independence's fire department??

Because it's called a skip. You're hearing them because they're close to Lake Erie. There's a lot of traffic, and they share the same frequency. The scanner is just programmed to show Independence for that signal.

"I never knew that. Think there's video available of the fire??"

Well, first, I'd call Leamington's FD and find out what's burning. Then call CTV or CBC or anyone up there close to Leamington and ask them about it.

Well, Amy made some calls. Turns out there was a plastics factory that went up in flames, so they had to evacuate some small homes around the factory. But when she called the CBC, they had no idea it was happening. They thanked us for the heads up. I guess they called a local bureau because I saw it on CNN's feed the next night.

The thing that gets me about that night, is that I spent about two hours, chasing down a fire THAT WAS IN CANADA.

ARGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH