A chimney was damaged in a fire on Timbertop Road in New Ipswich Dec. 29.
The call came into the fire department at around 5:30 p.m., and was initially reported as a possible structure fire, as there was smoke in the home and the possibility the fire had spread from the chimney to the walls, said New Ipswich Fire Chief Meredith Lund. When crews arrived, they determined the fire was limited to the chimney only.
Chimney fires are usually caused by a buildup of creosote, a byproduct of wood-burning that sticks to the walls of the chimney and can ignite at hot-enough temperatures. In this case, the fire in the flue of the chimney had dropped down into the clean-out area at the base of the chimney. Crews were able to put out the fire using specialized chemical powder designed for fighting chimney fires without water. Lund said there was no damage to the main house, but there was damage to the chimney, and the homeowner was advised to have it inspected before further use.
Lund said it is a good reminder, during the coldest months of the year, for people to have their chimneys inspected and cleaned at least once a year, and to test their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. She also advised those with wood-burning stoves or fireplaces to only burn seasoned wood without a lot of moisture, a contributing factor in creosote buildup.
The Jaffrey Fire Department assisted on the scene.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.