Check out the pictures in this link

[LarryD]

I ran across this while checking weather on local tv channels web site. The blog is of mild interest, but the pictures of where/how the fire started are a bit scary.

http://wtnh.tv/blogs/index.php/weather/2007/12/12/banged_up_but_alive

The smoke detector or lack there of isn't the real issue!

Larry D

 

[stoveguy2esw]

i saw a few things that werent exactly "code' at a glance , chimney hookup wasnt what i'd want , hearth only a few inches from front of the stove , doubt there was proper clearance from that stove to combustibles, bet it stunk too looks like the septic drain melted as well. i didnt look too hard, bet there are more. might hijack the picture and play a little "find the violation" with it just for funsies

 

[Hogwildz]

I see this.............
An overfired stove, way small looking for the space it was heating. A stove pipe run that begging for crap draft, with a heat reclaimer on it that was prolly caked with creosote. Over fired stove, creosote riddled stove pipe flared up, wonder what the clearance of the pipe through the wall is if any.
Can see the wall burnt all at and above that heat reclaimer. Fi'n morons. wamm bamm ugga bugga

 

[elmoleaf]

It appears that the horizontal stove pipe was routed a few feet in front of the wood post that supports the second floor & a wood staircase that crosses above the stove.
The fire appears to have started at the unprotected post next to the uninsulated stove pipe and unprotected waferboard wall.

Not too smart a setup.....the only exit is an open wood staircase that crosses above a woodstove!

 

[begreen]

I think Hog~zilla has it right. That heat miser, on a level run is a creosote trap as was the exiting pipe into another elbow. I'm guessing he stoked a big fire in the stove for overnight and it ignited the creosote.

 

[derbygreg]

No way that stove was safe. Looks like it could have been one of many things that started the fire.

I don't think too many of us would use such a setup.

Glad he is all right and all got out.

 

[SlyFerret]

I keep perusing craigslist, just looking at whats for sale. I see a lot of really OLD stoves on there, many of them do not look save or to be in working order. I wish I could tell people not to bother with them. Who knows if they actually sell anyway. Talk about a scary situation. Yeah, I can't believe that there were not smoke detectors that would have allowed for a more safe escape. An escape ladder would have been nice, too.

-SF

 

[fbelec]

i'll bet he had the firewood to close also if you see the pictures of what burnt, his firewood was part of it.

 

[swestall]

Unsafe installation. That stove (if in good repair) would be fine for buring for warmth while awake, not the type of unit we want for 24/7 operation. Too bad he didn't tell us what actually ignited, I am with the heat exchanger theory.
The should have had a masonary (durock or something) on the ceiling above. But, all of you have pointed out many problems.
I wonder if it was a rented weekend place?