Fire Danger @ The Vaux

04/30/13 – Recently a near disaster was discovered @ The Vaux — an outdoor grill was placed a little too close to a couple of Parklex panels on a resident's deck, scorching them. This example of momentary carelessness might well have resulted in an actual fire. Thankfully it did not.

Decks are "limited common elements" owned by the Vaux Owners' Association, but when individual action causes damage the responsible owner must pay. In this case, a few hundred dollars. Had fire actually erupted — who knows what the consequences and cost would be?

The danger of fire is ever-present, especially in condominiums where many dwellings are packed close together. A fire at one condo can potentially spread to another, and even if it doesn't, damage from the smoke, ash, and watery side-effects of fire fighting pose a serious communal hazard. We owe it to ourselves and all our neighbors to be very careful — with outdoor grills and every kind of open flame.