One Photo; One Story: The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is on Fire

4:30pm May 11, 2011. I was on the radio at 925XTU, Philadelphia.

The hotline rang in the studio just as I was putting on my headphones to talk. The traffic person was ready and I was prepared to be busy for the next two minutes.

When the hotline rings at a radio station, you answer it. The voice on the other end was our VP/General Manager. “Razz, This is Natalie….” I immediately cut her off and said, “Have to talk Natalie…hold on”…

I could hear her voice become more animated as I hit the hold button….”RAZZ DON’T……”

I proceeded to give away some tickets, tell a story, introduce the traffic, do a live commercial and then return to the hotline some two and a half minutes later.

“RAZZ, THE BUILDING IS ON FIRE! GET OUT”! She was firm and a bit afraid. I hadn’t heard the fire alarm in the back corner studio where I was working.

The fire was burning in the restaurant on the opposite side of the building. I could not see the commotion or the smoke, nor hear the approaching fire trucks. I gathered my things, opened the studio door and was greeted by the screaming fire alarm, and I bolted down the stairs and out into the parking lot.

On the far eastern end of our parking lot a street carnival was happening. All of the radio stations on the block where we work were there. They were spinning prize wheels; people were talking and laughing, eating hot dogs and having a really good time.

A hundred feet away the fire burned. Nobody was in the dunk tank because it may have been too close to the fire apparatus. We all watched the firemen work.

The band on the stage began to sing the hook from Rock Master Scott and The Dynamic Three’s classic; The Roof is on Fire!

Behind the dunk tank we watched the fire consume Houlihan’s restaurant as the band sang, “The Roof, The Roof, The Roof in on FIRE! We don’t need no water let the mother fucker burn”…..