Creosote buildup causes chimney to catch fire
No injuries or significant damages reported
The chimney of a house in the 1000 block of Bangs Avenue went up in flames Wednesday afternoon due to a large amount of creosote buildup.
Firefighters headed to the scene at 1:39 p.m. and arrived to find fire and heavy smoke emanating from the chimney and heavy smoke conditions in the attic due of the home, according to Fire Marshall Garrett Giberson.
Giberson said the fire was caused by a “severe” buildup of creosote in the chimney. Creosote is a byproduct of wood burning and builds up over time, he said.
Firefighers were still on the scene at 2:15 extinguishing some parts of the fire and letting the creosote burn off in other portions of the chimney, he said.
No injuries are reported at this time.
Two residents, an older male and a female in their 60s or 70s, will not be displaced from their home, said Giberson.
Giberson recommends residents have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean their fireplaces so that they can be safely operated.
“The moral of the story is, before you use your fireplaces, wood stoves and burners, that you have your chimney swept and cleaned — especially if you used it heavily the year before.”
[Photos provided by Garrett Giberson.]
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