How Do You Clean Your Boilers? Photo

Photographer’s Note

This is more of a being at the right place at the right moment kind of photo.

As I was returning to the hotel yesterday and pulling into the secure parking lot, we noticed smoke belchiing from the top of the Palestine Hotel. Transfixed on the smoke, the driver could barely comprehend me telling him to pull into the parking lot so that I could get out.

Within seconds of getting out of the car and on foot at a good vantage point, the smoke erupted into flames. WOW! All I could think of was my computer was not far at all from those flames.

As it turns out, and I still can't quite figure out the logic, but someone mentioned that they were just "cleaning the boilers". Well allright then! I guess?!

Quite a sight and a unique picture, I thought. At least my computer is OK!

RGatward, langaloo, nchifan, benkrut, Serendipity has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Cat (0) 2004-07-06 13:21

Holy cow Batman!! From first glance, I was thinking... Well, you can guess what I was thinking!

Glad everything turned out alright and you are safe! This is a great shot by the way!
Nicely composed angle looking up, and you got the flames too!!

Very nice! Next time, please, no heart attacks, ok Buddy??
Stay safe!

snuggleaphagus (4138) 2004-07-06 22:59

After reading your explanation I thin I would opt for dirty boilers.
Great timing and good definetion.
Glad you and computer are OK.

RGatward (19737) 2004-07-07 8:13

Yes quite a sight. How often do they need to be 'cleaned'? Funny that this looks more dramatic than most of your shots of real incidents.

langaloo (489) 2004-07-07 11:25 [Comment]

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banyanman (7716) 2005-11-05 22:24

Wow, I thought your notes were going to tell us about you had just survived a mortar attack, Bill. As Richard mentioned above, this looks more dramatic than some of your 'real' shots. Fascinating to see all those satellite dishes on the balconies. I suppose some of them must be SNG uplinks for the various news correspondents that are based at the Palestine. I have only just come across your gallery from Iraq, so I look forward to browsing through it in the coming days. Cheers . . . David