a fish tale

[RICHARD]

Fish helps puts out school fire

Firefighters responding to a smoke alarm at a Minnesota school arrived to find the flames had already been dampened by the class fish.

The heat from the fire, triggered by candle left burning on a desk, was enough to crack Dory's fish bowl and release a splash of water to subdue the flames.

Staff and students at Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran School in Eagan say Dory was left with about one inch of water and managed to survive the incident.

Trinity Lone Oak parent Steve Blumke told the Pioneer Press: "It's not every day a fish saves a school. But this fish actually saved the day."

A teacher forgot to blow out the candle when she left work on Friday evening. After the wax melted, a cardboard box holding it caught fire, and the flames spread to workbooks, then the desk. Dory - named after a character in Finding Nemo - was in a decorated glass vase nearby.

Firefighter Al Taylor said: "It was certainly looking distinctly unhappy [when we arrived], like it would have rather been anywhere else."

Though the fire wasn't completely out, the extra splash is thought to have stopped the fire from spreading to the ceiling, Taylor said.


Story filed: 14:40 Sunday 1st February 2004

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Distinctly unhappy???

I put out the fire for you fools and you have the never to say I am unhappy?

[Twisterdog]

Poor Dory! I hope she is ok!

And ... sorry ... but why would a teacher burn a candle on top of a cardboard box ...in a school. Sheesh!

[CathyBogart]

Aww, go Dory! Maybe now they'll get you out of a vase!