Chimney fire!
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Haven't seen one of those in *years*. A real blast from the past
I was in a neighbour's house when I was about 7 or 8 and the chimney went on fire.....enormous roaring and shaking. The air was like a gale blowing (pulling?) through the living room. My friends and I got thrown out the back door onto the green to keep out of the way, and we could see the flames and black, black smoke full of cinders belching out the top of the 'granny'. Quite spectacular
My mother said that that neighbour hadn't *ever* gotten in the sweep and we'd all lived there for four years by then. The fire was lit every day, too, since all of the hot water came from the back boiler. The burnt cinder stuff apparently came crashing down into the hearth and out onto the hearthrug and the rug had to be hauled outside full of glowing cinders (wool rugs were the only safe ones in front of a coal fire)
The neighbours were up in arms over the mess, everyone's washing had to be re-done since the fire hadn't burnt cleanly.....sometimes they burn-out fine and just clear the flow
Hope everything's okay.
Cheers,
Toddy
I was in a neighbour's house when I was about 7 or 8 and the chimney went on fire.....enormous roaring and shaking. The air was like a gale blowing (pulling?) through the living room. My friends and I got thrown out the back door onto the green to keep out of the way, and we could see the flames and black, black smoke full of cinders belching out the top of the 'granny'. Quite spectacular
My mother said that that neighbour hadn't *ever* gotten in the sweep and we'd all lived there for four years by then. The fire was lit every day, too, since all of the hot water came from the back boiler. The burnt cinder stuff apparently came crashing down into the hearth and out onto the hearthrug and the rug had to be hauled outside full of glowing cinders (wool rugs were the only safe ones in front of a coal fire)
The neighbours were up in arms over the mess, everyone's washing had to be re-done since the fire hadn't burnt cleanly.....sometimes they burn-out fine and just clear the flow
Hope everything's okay.
Cheers,
Toddy
It was mad as soon as I realised what was happening, (it doesnt take long to realise something is amiss, I poured a few cups of water into the bottom of the wood burner and ran upstairs to collect my sleeping baby. Whilst phoning 999 on my way down. I then checked the neighbours were not in and waited for the fire guys. They were really good. South Somerset (Yeovil) fire brigade, they did a fantastic job! All credit to them.
Although all flues are isolated the chimney shape is not straight up, it has many dog legs and knuckles along its path to the roof, the main roofstack is there to serve six fireplaces and a bread oven in the cellar. We get it swept once a year and burn mainly kiln dried oak and other seasoned woods. Looks like we had a build up of creosote in one of the flue-knuckles equating to a few buckets worth thats been missed by most of the chimney sweeps in the past few decades. Would the best answer be a flue liner all the way up to the stack? It seemed a powerful fire as the house chimney pot looked like a Bunsen Burner. The house is very old 300 years as an estimate of stone construction. Chimney is brick lined. We light our wood burner for an average of 16 hours per day for 6 months at a time (our only means of heating). Luckily we have flagstone floors with no carpets.
It sounds like an aircraft taking off in your front room on a runway made of crisps (chips to our American & Canadian friends).
It would have been fascinating it I was home alone, but it was bum-looseningly frightening with my baby in the house.
Although all flues are isolated the chimney shape is not straight up, it has many dog legs and knuckles along its path to the roof, the main roofstack is there to serve six fireplaces and a bread oven in the cellar. We get it swept once a year and burn mainly kiln dried oak and other seasoned woods. Looks like we had a build up of creosote in one of the flue-knuckles equating to a few buckets worth thats been missed by most of the chimney sweeps in the past few decades. Would the best answer be a flue liner all the way up to the stack? It seemed a powerful fire as the house chimney pot looked like a Bunsen Burner. The house is very old 300 years as an estimate of stone construction. Chimney is brick lined. We light our wood burner for an average of 16 hours per day for 6 months at a time (our only means of heating). Luckily we have flagstone floors with no carpets.
It sounds like an aircraft taking off in your front room on a runway made of crisps (chips to our American & Canadian friends).
It would have been fascinating it I was home alone, but it was bum-looseningly frightening with my baby in the house.
lou1661 said:
I second that! I thought we were careful! Fire guys fitted extra smoke alarms for us. I only had one, in the house, (tested every month) - which didn't go off! But some chimney (isolated) fires are unlikely to trigger smoke alarms, I had my fire extinguisher at the ready but water seemed more prudent at the time.
Get your chimney's swept guys if your're overdue. We could easilly have been less lucky.
It's a liberating thing though. Waiting for the fire engine, I had my baby wrapped up in my arms and knew the neighbours were not in. I could not have cared at that moment if the whole house went up. I was holding everything that mattered to me.
Isotonicpies, I'm glad everything went OK.
I'm a wholetime fireman in Jersey. Chimney fires can be quite spectacular, but they are usually contained by the chimney. I've never been to one that has broken out into the house.
You did the right thing. Our first action is to put the fire in the fireplace out. The steam from this will put out less severe chimney fires or subdue larger ones.
If further action is required the room first has to be protected from the mess that fighting a chimney fire can make.
Depending on severity we'll then either send the nozzle from the stirrup pump up attached to chimney rods or attack the fire from the chinmey stack with a hosereel.
After the fire is out we'll check the surrounding area of the chimney, including the loft, to make sure that the fire hasn't spread from the chimney, and advise the occupier to get it swept.
Lou1661 are you a Hampshire firefighter?
(I trained at Eastleigh)
I'm a wholetime fireman in Jersey. Chimney fires can be quite spectacular, but they are usually contained by the chimney. I've never been to one that has broken out into the house.
You did the right thing. Our first action is to put the fire in the fireplace out. The steam from this will put out less severe chimney fires or subdue larger ones.
If further action is required the room first has to be protected from the mess that fighting a chimney fire can make.
Depending on severity we'll then either send the nozzle from the stirrup pump up attached to chimney rods or attack the fire from the chinmey stack with a hosereel.
After the fire is out we'll check the surrounding area of the chimney, including the loft, to make sure that the fire hasn't spread from the chimney, and advise the occupier to get it swept.
Lou1661 are you a Hampshire firefighter?
(I trained at Eastleigh)
steven andrews said:
Our guys didnt need to attack the stack with the hose, they seemed to be doing the first thing you descibe. We had smoke escapting through the brickwork of the stack which I think means that the pointing will need to be checked. They checked the roof space, etc. I'm glad we have stone floors! Great bunch of guys!
yep i had 2 or 3 t even cleaned it when it was still glowing i keep my ladder on the roof and check it ever two weeks at the clean out door with mirror.Now my brush has a chain on both ends pull down at clean door pull back up at top .One time a fried of mine up the road ask to clean her chimney when i open the clean out door man it was a glowing red now that was fun putting in a pan plus chimney was plug just a little hole it was getting ready for a big one
We use "witch powder" once a week.That is supposed to stop the build of tar in the flue and make chimney fires less likely.
There is also "imp powder" which does the same job.
Not easy to find but Wilkinsons stock it.Or if you are lucky enough to still have a proper hardware store,they should have some.
The chimney sweep always says that it makes his job a lot easier.
There is also "imp powder" which does the same job.
Not easy to find but Wilkinsons stock it.Or if you are lucky enough to still have a proper hardware store,they should have some.
The chimney sweep always says that it makes his job a lot easier.
Glad it all worked out ok for you - that's the first thing I'd say ...
Sweeping is essential, especially if you have lots of nooks and crannies in the chimney. Maybe think about having it done more often to make sure it gets everything out.
I tend to have a number of Corvids typically throw things down my chimney, seeing if anything sticks - if they get one right, more will follow as they'll be thinking about a nest site. I have a block built chimney, almost all straight up, and a good 400mm square (quite hard to get going some nights, as that's a lot of space to heat up) - but when I sweep it out I get almost nothing, as it all lands on the hearth behind the register plate, having no where to catch things.
If your birds do the same, and your chimney is hooky, something'll stick sooner or later.
In my experience, having a well maintained wood burner, and a decently fitting register plate will help control a fire too, as you can shut out the air rushing into the chimney from below.
Lining is an option, but it'll affect your fires draw (and not always in a good way), and more often than not it's quite a big job. Have a word with your local sweep, a good one will know his chimneys well, and can advise from there.
Good luck.
Sweeping is essential, especially if you have lots of nooks and crannies in the chimney. Maybe think about having it done more often to make sure it gets everything out.
I tend to have a number of Corvids typically throw things down my chimney, seeing if anything sticks - if they get one right, more will follow as they'll be thinking about a nest site. I have a block built chimney, almost all straight up, and a good 400mm square (quite hard to get going some nights, as that's a lot of space to heat up) - but when I sweep it out I get almost nothing, as it all lands on the hearth behind the register plate, having no where to catch things.
If your birds do the same, and your chimney is hooky, something'll stick sooner or later.
In my experience, having a well maintained wood burner, and a decently fitting register plate will help control a fire too, as you can shut out the air rushing into the chimney from below.
Lining is an option, but it'll affect your fires draw (and not always in a good way), and more often than not it's quite a big job. Have a word with your local sweep, a good one will know his chimneys well, and can advise from there.
Good luck.
"What's that funny noise?"
:yikes:
Leap up, grab dishcloth, soak, don't wring, throw over fire.
Go outside, stare at the pot hoping the the steam keeps coming long enough for the little red dots to stop.
Back in to listen and chuck a pot of water over the fire(and by now igniting towel ).
Chimney fires are no fun, but they sure do a number on the tarry buildups and you get a really clean clean afterwards .
:yikes:
Leap up, grab dishcloth, soak, don't wring, throw over fire.
Go outside, stare at the pot hoping the the steam keeps coming long enough for the little red dots to stop.
Back in to listen and chuck a pot of water over the fire(and by now igniting towel
).Chimney fires are no fun, but they sure do a number on the tarry buildups and you get a really clean clean afterwards
.
As an aside,my daughter's(Ambulance Technician) pet name for Firefighters is "water fairies".
She means it in a nice way
She means it in a nice way
