Question: We have been in the same rental house for the past eight years. Last Monday night, we were awakened by a strange noise in the kitchen, and discovered that the kitchen was on fire. My wife and I got our kids out first, then the dog, and everyone is OK. We also managed somehow to get the garden hoses out and fight the fire ourselves, and managed to put a good deal of it out before the firefighters arrived. However, there is severe damage to the house, and smoke and soot damage to our belongings. The cause of the fire (per the fire department report) was the dishwasher.  more...