Re: Oops . . . glad I am not with this FD . . . chimney fire gone wrong . . . very wrong
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offroadaudio
New Member
Always call 911.
The fire department does not get mad if it turns out to be nothing or under control when they get there.
The fire department does not get mad if it turns out to be nothing or under control when they get there.
maverick06
Minister of Fire
that talks about chimney flares...
This is an interesting read: http://www.firehouse.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63584
Summary, a ziplock bag full of dry chemical is probably the best option.
I have an old extinguisher, might save that dry chemical in a ziplock bag next to the fireplace.
This is an interesting read: http://www.firehouse.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63584
Summary, a ziplock bag full of dry chemical is probably the best option.
I have an old extinguisher, might save that dry chemical in a ziplock bag next to the fireplace.
RedGuy
Member
LLigetfa
Minister of Fire
BrowningBAR
Minister of Fire
colebrookman
Minister of Fire
Not as bad as the house we went in with the stove sitting on a braided rug so opening the door could let sparks fall on the rug. Common sense ain't to common. Be safe.
Ed
Ed
colebrookman
Minister of Fire
We use the bags by dropping them down the chimney. We also empty the stove into a bucket and bring it outside and dump in a safe spot, wet down if needed. That's why you also call the FD. You can't see hot spots in the walls, broken tiles if you don't have pipe, and we check and clean any creosote. We've had chimneys so plugged our heavy chains would barely penetrate the creosote when we dropped them down. And the homeowner would swear that they had just cleaned the chimney. Russian roulette with fire. Be safe.
Ed
Ed
RedGuy
Member
The safety booklet the insurance company gave me said to through water on the fire and the rising steam would extingush the chimney fire. Then call the fire department.
colebrookman
Minister of Fire
That's a lose of precious minutes playing fireman. Some people would open the stove door on a roaring fire and throw a pail of water while others would use the wet paper towel on the same fire. Meanwhile the creosote fire in the chimney is roaring like a freightrain. They have and will continue to burn down houses. Call 911, make sure that all of your family and pets are out and in a safe place so they don't run back in. And thank the working smoke and Co detectors for waking your family in time to get out. Be safe.RedGuy said:
Ed
In most of these cases the scene is set for disaster and the after pictures show it. I have seen places that would scare the pants off ya. Wood stoves basically right on carpet and inches from combustibles. Some you read about, some you don't.
colebrookman
Minister of Fire
Danno77
Minister of Fire
Random thoughts . . .
Gotta agree 100% with Ed . . . call 911 first . . . get us on the way . . . here in the Big City we have fantastic response times of 5 minutes or less . . . in my home town with paid call and volunteer firefighters we're looking at a 10-15 minute response time (depending on who is around town and where in town they are responding from and where the caller lives.) Even in 5 minutes a lot can happen . . . and a lot can go wrong . . . heck, even in 3 minutes in the right situation you can have a fire go from first flame to blowing out the window . . . I suspect Ed and other brothers here have seen the NFPA video Countdown to Disaster. It's always better to have the calvary on the way and not need them . . . vs. waiting until the last minute and hoping they get there in time.
I've posted before, but this is what we do in the bustling metropolis of Unity . . . well really it's only a small town, but chimney fires are pretty common . . . although truthfully I don't remember hearing of any chimney fires in town this year . . . at least yet. Since many of the folks who tend to have chimney fires almost invariably have their stoves hooked up to a conventional masonry chimney we almost always find a clean-out at the base . . . which is useful since often some of the glowing, hot creosote embers drop to the base . . . where we sprinkle half a cup of water or so on the hot embers . . . the water turns to steam, steam expands and the natural draft carries the steam up the chimney . . . and voila the chimney fire is almost always extinguished. Sometimes we fire off an ABC dry chem extinguisher from the clean out . . . but since it costs to refill the extinguisher and we're cheap . . . we generally stick with the water.
In the past we have also used chimney "bombs" (Ziplocked baggies of ABC dry powder) by dropping them from above . . . useful when the chimney is completely or nearly completely blocked off by creosote . . . and oftentimes we end up having to drop the weighted chain down the chimney to break out the creosote.
And like Ed . . . I can't tell you how often the home owner has told us that they "just cleaned" the chimney.
Gotta agree 100% with Ed . . . call 911 first . . . get us on the way . . . here in the Big City we have fantastic response times of 5 minutes or less . . . in my home town with paid call and volunteer firefighters we're looking at a 10-15 minute response time (depending on who is around town and where in town they are responding from and where the caller lives.) Even in 5 minutes a lot can happen . . . and a lot can go wrong . . . heck, even in 3 minutes in the right situation you can have a fire go from first flame to blowing out the window . . . I suspect Ed and other brothers here have seen the NFPA video Countdown to Disaster. It's always better to have the calvary on the way and not need them . . . vs. waiting until the last minute and hoping they get there in time.
I've posted before, but this is what we do in the bustling metropolis of Unity . . . well really it's only a small town, but chimney fires are pretty common . . . although truthfully I don't remember hearing of any chimney fires in town this year . . . at least yet. Since many of the folks who tend to have chimney fires almost invariably have their stoves hooked up to a conventional masonry chimney we almost always find a clean-out at the base . . . which is useful since often some of the glowing, hot creosote embers drop to the base . . . where we sprinkle half a cup of water or so on the hot embers . . . the water turns to steam, steam expands and the natural draft carries the steam up the chimney . . . and voila the chimney fire is almost always extinguished. Sometimes we fire off an ABC dry chem extinguisher from the clean out . . . but since it costs to refill the extinguisher and we're cheap . . . we generally stick with the water.
In the past we have also used chimney "bombs" (Ziplocked baggies of ABC dry powder) by dropping them from above . . . useful when the chimney is completely or nearly completely blocked off by creosote . . . and oftentimes we end up having to drop the weighted chain down the chimney to break out the creosote.
And like Ed . . . I can't tell you how often the home owner has told us that they "just cleaned" the chimney.
This thread is so on target for us that I really hate to throw something else in here but I will anyway:
Some years ago a neighbor to my mother-in-law entered a nursing home. Other family members of the neighbor moved into her home. Somewhere along the line, nobody paid the homeowners insurance. You guessed it: There was a fire and there was no insurance which brought the insurance issue to the fore in our family. We then asked my MIL about her insurance. Her response was: "Do you want me to eat or pay my homeowners insurance?" Yikes! We got her insurance re-instated and then instructed the insurance company to just change the mailing address for the yearly bill. As a family, we contributed to the bill and made sure it was paid. As a real estate agent I began to bring this non-payment of insurance by the elderly issue up with all the potential buyers/sellers I had contact with. You would be AMAZED at how many persons got back to me telling me their elderly relatives had indeed let their homeowners insurance lapse and thanked me for the tip.
So, what am I saying here: Check with your elderly relatives & friends and in a kind way just ask them if they are indeed paying their insurance premium. If they are not figure out a way to get that premium paid. The heartache of losing a loved one in a fire is enough as you don't want to also have to deal with restoring a home after a fire.
Now, let's go back to fire prevention/calling 911/etc.
Some years ago a neighbor to my mother-in-law entered a nursing home. Other family members of the neighbor moved into her home. Somewhere along the line, nobody paid the homeowners insurance. You guessed it: There was a fire and there was no insurance which brought the insurance issue to the fore in our family. We then asked my MIL about her insurance. Her response was: "Do you want me to eat or pay my homeowners insurance?" Yikes! We got her insurance re-instated and then instructed the insurance company to just change the mailing address for the yearly bill. As a family, we contributed to the bill and made sure it was paid. As a real estate agent I began to bring this non-payment of insurance by the elderly issue up with all the potential buyers/sellers I had contact with. You would be AMAZED at how many persons got back to me telling me their elderly relatives had indeed let their homeowners insurance lapse and thanked me for the tip.
So, what am I saying here: Check with your elderly relatives & friends and in a kind way just ask them if they are indeed paying their insurance premium. If they are not figure out a way to get that premium paid. The heartache of losing a loved one in a fire is enough as you don't want to also have to deal with restoring a home after a fire.
Now, let's go back to fire prevention/calling 911/etc.
colebrookman
Minister of Fire
Really great point. I've met with relatives about paying for a LifeLine phone hookup when their love ones lived alone. Thirty $$ per month is a lot for some seniors but if others split the cost it enables seniors to still live alone and be safe if they fall or get sick and can't use the phone. Think stroke as an example. Also check their smoke and Co detector batteries. Often they will pull them out and not replace them. We all will need help as we age. Maybe good karma will come to us for helping out. Great point Shari!! Be safe.Shari said:
Ed
colebrookman
Minister of Fire
Really cold week end coming up, -6 to -12 in western Ma. Perfect chimney fire weather with residents pushing the stoves. Please be careful. No house fire is worth a life. Be safe. Great points Firefighterjake. Thanks for the random thoughts.
Ed
Ed
littlesmokey
Minister of Fire
Just a couple of comments. First, B-Bar's picture of the stove does seem to be an older sheetmetal stove, but it could be a European style. The room does not show signs of burning, the woodwork paint isn't even bristered. And the stove seems to be sitting on stone slabs, as I see it. Four inches of granite would make a great heat sink.
That said, the article seemed to say he went home after the fire bomb and relit his stove, or "lit the downstairs stove." What was he thinking. If there were more than one stove and were plumbed in the same chimney chase or pipe, he should not have used anything in the house until it was completely inspected. This has to be a case of total brain cramp on the part of the firefighter and the "tenant".
On as different note. Most states, maybe all have services for the elderly and the disadvantaged/poor. One of those is a telephone service plan. Each of us are taxed to pay for the service on our home phone and cellphone bills. Often called life-link or life line, seniors can get free phone service, sometimes limited in scope to keep in touch. It is often part of the HEAT programs. If you qualify for heating assistance, generally you qualify for phone assistance. Lately there are a few cellphone carriers, Tracfone being one, that will assist with a phone and a limited number of minutes a month. I would encourage all of you to look into what is available in your area and check with those you know who might need help to see if they qualify. Besides the people I talk to on a regular basis, I frequently ask those using pay phone outside neighborhood convenience stores if they are aware of the programs. Surprising how many need the help these days.
That said, the article seemed to say he went home after the fire bomb and relit his stove, or "lit the downstairs stove." What was he thinking. If there were more than one stove and were plumbed in the same chimney chase or pipe, he should not have used anything in the house until it was completely inspected. This has to be a case of total brain cramp on the part of the firefighter and the "tenant".
On as different note. Most states, maybe all have services for the elderly and the disadvantaged/poor. One of those is a telephone service plan. Each of us are taxed to pay for the service on our home phone and cellphone bills. Often called life-link or life line, seniors can get free phone service, sometimes limited in scope to keep in touch. It is often part of the HEAT programs. If you qualify for heating assistance, generally you qualify for phone assistance. Lately there are a few cellphone carriers, Tracfone being one, that will assist with a phone and a limited number of minutes a month. I would encourage all of you to look into what is available in your area and check with those you know who might need help to see if they qualify. Besides the people I talk to on a regular basis, I frequently ask those using pay phone outside neighborhood convenience stores if they are aware of the programs. Surprising how many need the help these days.
colebrookman
Minister of Fire
https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/ParticipatingStates.aspx Again some great points littlesmokey. Here's one link for those interested. There are also other providers. I was referring to the " I've fallen and can't get up" and you do need phone service for that. Maybe we should have a post with tips on helping the elderly who often don't seek out help. We all will need a caring person in our lives to help and look out for us as we age. Nice tips littlesmokey. Be safe.
Ed
Ed
I lived w/an Ashley one winter, and boy, that sure looks like one to me. Scary stove. I put some birch in there one night and the walls glowed cherry red.
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