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IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!
Let us prevent this from happening to your home. |
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Fire Burns Recently
Remodeled Home to Ground
Deteriorated Chimney Cited As Cause
Fire fighters arrived at the scene of a fire last night too late to save the home or its furnishings.
Several measures had been taken to prevent fires when the home was recently remodeled, said the owners of their loss.
However, under questioning by investigators, it was determined that the chimney, ironically the only part of the house left standing after the blaze, had not been cleaned nor had the masonry been checked for cracks or leaks in several years.
A dense build-up of creosote deposits in the chimney fueled the fire. The deteriorated condition of the chimney allowed flames to escape through holes in the flue, which then spread rapidly throughout the two-story building.
Fire officials said of the tragedy, "We see fires like this every day. People get lazy or forgetful and take the condition of their chimneys for granted. Then something like this happens. Fortunately, no one was hurt. But next time?" |
Why Sweep?
A dirty chimney with only a quarter inch of soot contains the highly flammable substance called creosote. A hot fire around 900 degrees F. or an innocent, errant spark from your cozy woodstove or fireplace could easily ignite this substance into a roaring chimney fire - a terrifying disaster which killed almost 1,000 people last year and destroyed over 180 million dollars in property. At the height of a chimney fire, the creosote can burn at temperatures exceeding 2000 degrees F. Flames and flying embers can easily land on the roof and cause the flue to crack or collapse thus causing the interior walls of your house to burst into flames.
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