A chimney fire can be a scary experience for a homeowner. A chimney fire occurs when the flammable creosote inside the chimney reaches its ignition point. The creosote burns with intense heat. Some homeowners that have experienced a chimney fire explain their accounts as if a train were rumbling through their home. While others state they didn't even know it was occurring until the fire department showed up at the door stating that a passer-by called stating there was fire blowing from the chimney top.
A chimney fire in the home can lead to a house fire. The diagram to the right shows how this process may occur. If the interior lining within the chimney is damaged, it can allow the dangerous creosote to escape the brick structure and leak into the home. The chimney then becomes a time bomb. Every time the system is used, the combustion point of the creosote becomes lower and lower. Then without warning it ignites and a fireball erupts from the bottom to the top. The fire will follow the creosote just like gasoline, engulfing the chimney and sometimes into your home.
This can all be avoided with the annual cleaning and proper maintenance of your wood burning system, whether it be a wood stove or a fireplace. If you do have a chimney fire it is important to have your system inspected for damage before using it again. If the flue liners are damaged all is not lost, it can be relined using stainless steel.
A 2008 study by the NFPA showed that there were 414,000 residential structure fires across the nation; 2,895 of those residential fires had a fatality associated with it. Overall this resulted in just over $7 BILLION dollars in damages nationwide.
Nearly 1/3rd of those residential fires were contributed to the result of a chimney fire. The study showed that 62% of those chimney fires were due to lack of proper cleaning and maintenance of the system.
If you are a victim of a chimney fire here is what to do!1. Call 911 immediately!
Do Not try to battle a fire by yourself.
Call 911 and let your local fire department handle the situation.
2. Close the damper or Air flow!
Closing the damper or shutting the
draft controls helps reduce the
amount of oxygen the fire is using.
Helping to reduce the spread and rate of the fire.
3. Evacuate the structure!
Get everyone out of the building and
wait for the fire department to arrive.
They will let you know when it is safe.
