Chimney fire summons volunteers

Last updated: January 2, 2023 - 5:48am


Press Enterprise/Susan Schwartz Mark Chamberlain wheels a fan past burned metal from a wood stove to clear the smoke from a home at 210 Main St., Orangeville Saturday.

ORANGEVILLE — Firefighters rushed to a home here Saturday morning after smoke started pouring into a house from its wood stove chimney.

The call came in at 10:20 a.m.

Orangeville Fire Chief Kevin Boyd said the chimney was blocked, trapping heat and smoke in the pipeway, creating a hot spot and sending smoke into the living area of 210 Main St.

Volunteers put out the wood burning in the fire box, removed the pieces of metal pipe from the stove to the chimney, used fans to help clear the smoke, then cleaned the chimney, he said.

“The house is going to stink for a couple of days because smoke stinks,” he said. 

But otherwise, no damage was done, Boyd said.

The department has a chimney sweep tool.

“It’s really expensive, but it’s really cool,” the chief said.

Firefighters use a weight to pull the gigantic, bristled metal brush down the chimney, he said. The bristles conforms to the shape of the chimney and scrape the creosote from the sides.

Tarrah Baptista, who was alone in the house at the time, told firefighters she had the chimney cleaned earlier this year, Boyd said.

But the chief said when the weather bounces from cold to warm and people start and stop using their stoves, the stove don’t burn as hot. That means more creosote forms, which can plug the pipes.

Baptista said she has other ways to heat the house.

Lightstreet Community Fire Co. assisted at the scene.

Susan Schwartz covers the Berwick area. She can be reached at 570-387-1234, ext. 1306, and susan.schwartz@pressenterprise.net, or followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PESueSchwartz.

 

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