Man Tries To Make Sword: Sets Entire City Block On Fire

(CNN) The fire damaged 32 buildings, displaced at least 18 people and forced the city to declare a state of emergency.

And it all began, officials say, because a man wanted to imitate a stunt he'd seen on TV.

The fire broke out Thursday in a neighborhood in Cohoes, New York.

The man was trying to bend metal with fire in a barrel, said Cohoes Fire Department Chief Joseph Fahd. He was trying to create a sword -- something he'd seen done in the TV show, "Forged in Fire."

The reality show pits bladesmiths against each other as they compete to recreate historical weapons.

Full article here.

Man, what a tough day to be John Gomes, huh? First thing you're just trying to ring in the weekend the right way, you know, making a sword in a barrel fire. Next thing you know you're burning down an entire city block because the wind blew the wrong way!  I mean, what are you going to do? Is it the weekend if you're not making a sword in a barrel fire? John Gomes would say no!

Really sounds like things got out of hand pretty fast, as one would suspect when something turns from a contained fire to an inferno in an instant. Tough day for Cohoes, New York, but at the same time you've gotta do what you gotta do to achieve your dreams; and if your dreams are to become a barrel-fire bladesmith, sometimes you've got to burn down six city blocks. Better ashes than dust. Don't let your dreams be dreams. John Gomes, legendary bladesmith, will one day just look back at Cohoes, New York as another block in the road.