If it sounds like Fire and smells like Fire and looks like Fire...

I went to bed early last night in hopes that I would get up refreshed and get to work early so I could leave early. I am usually a very light sleeper and just do not sleep well in general, so I was excited that I was going to get some peaceful rest.

Around 4am, I started to hear this loud beeping noise. I thought it might just be a dream, but it kept going even as I woke up. I then thought that it might be one of my neighbors (since I live in a building of 4 apartments) alarms set really loud. After about 15min I realized that no alarm would be that loud and would be going on for so long.

So I got out of bed...against my better judgement and will.

In a half daze I stare out the window and think that maybe the beeping is coming from the Walgreens next door. I would not put it past my neighborhood (ghetto-like) that someone tried to break into the store. As I walked into another room, I realized it could not be coming from outside because the sound got louder or softer depending on where in the apartment I went.

Then I realized that my apartment smelled weird. I smelled burnt toast. The smell got worse when in certain areas of the apartment. All of a sudden, my heart started to race. I ran around my apartment checking every outlet, every radiator, every power jack, scared to death that there might be a fire.

Thank goodness....nothing, or at least not in my apartment unit.

So I open the back door to my porch and the beeping is louder and the smell is worse. They had just painted the porch so I thought maybe something had caught fire....No, nothing.

I go out through my front door with my cell phone and the beeping gets even louder. I realize the lights in the apartment below me are all on but the blinds in every window are closed as well as every window is closed. I hear the TV on so I knock on the door. No answer. Knock another few times, still no answer.

I am getting REALLY worried at this point.

I was not sure if I should just mind my own business and go back upstairs or do something about this. I figured if I ignored it, I would not be able to sleep and I could not imagine my belongings going up in flames.

I called Drake security, since they police the area around my apartment. I tell them about the noise and smell. Within 5min two of the security cars show up. The guys get out and start asking questions while pounding over and over on the door to the apartment below me. Final a disheveled girl opens the door and out pours a NASTY cloud of smoke. The girl seems confused (and probably drunk) and cannot explain what the noise or smoke is so the security men enter her apartment and find a pan burning on her stove. She finally explains that she fell asleep a few hours ago and forgot her cooking. The apartment is FULL of smoke and smells HORRIBLE.

How could she have slept through this all??????

The security has to call the fire department. Two fire trucks show up with about 8 firemen. They have to check out the apartment building and try to air out her apartment with a gigantic fan....does not really help with the smell. After some more questioning, I go back to me apartment around 5:30am.

My apartment smells DISGUSTING at this point as I try to go back to sleep....no success. So my attempt to get some sleep...FAILED!

I guess now I have an interesting story to tell. But... how do you get the smell of burning toast out of an apartment???