Nightmare after Xmas!

[Shrtyska9]

So Saturday night around 10:30 I got out of the shower and noticed a strange noise. It was almost like firecrackers. So I walk out into the hallway to find the stairway to the attic filled with smoke. Turns out we had a chimney fire which caused the pipe from our woodstove to get so hot it caused the items in close proximity to ignite. Luckily I was awake and was able to get everyone out safely. Also very lucky that it was contained to the third floor. Unfortunately we lost alot of stuff we had stored up there but they are only things. I am so grateful that the rest of my family is safe.



It got so hot the paint ran!


Now for the PSA part of the post. KEEP YOUR CHIMNEY CLEAN!

PS. Does anybody know how to get the smell of burning plastic out?

Richard

[selfdestroyer]

Wow, thank god you were able to react. Thats just a terrible way to start a new year. Sorry to hear about your 3rd story.

I have used a Portable Ozone Machine to remove smells in offices and apartments before. Some places, like janitorial shops will even rent them. Just an idea.

Cody

[cooder]

Freaky....! Glad you're all safe....! That's a close call....

[Shrtyska9]

They said it ran up that beam and was smoldering and it didn't burst into flames until they broke the back widows out which is a miracle if you ask me. But the heat caused mattresses to melt and smolder and pretty much everything plastic melted to some degree. It also caused the windows in the front of the peak to burst. We lost alot of antique stuff passed down from my grandparents. There is one beautiful dresser that was my grandfather's that is still up there but I am afraid to look at it. Thank you guys for the kind words!

Richard

[Hogharry]

Just as well you heard it in good time. From smouldering to flames just needed the fresh supply of oxygen from the window. That's why opening a door to a room where there's a fire is so dangerous. Hopefully you haven't lost too much stuff but as you say the main thing is that you are all safe.

[sonarchotic]

Glad you and your family are alright! Those creosote fires are no joke.

[Shrtyska9]

Yeah man no joke at all. I am just glad I was up and awake because had I been in my room I probably wouldn't have caught it until it was too late.
Unfortunately the woodstove is our only heat source and it is supposed to drop into the teens tonight so I spent today cleaning the chimney out and the code enforcement Guy came out and said it looked good to fire it back up. No holes in the pipe and said the inside looked good after I cleaned it. But I am still a bit paranoid about having it running. Probably going to sleep in the living room tonight just to be on the safe side.
On the bright side it looks like insurance is going to cover serve pro or another cleaning service to come get rid of the smell and debris which is a huge weight off my shoulders.( both literally and figuratively) now to find out whether they will take care of the stuff the fire department threw out of the window into the back yard.

Richard

[Leevibe]

I'm so glad you and your family are safe, Richard.

[Shrtyska9]

I'm so glad you and your family are safe, Richard.

Thanks Lee! Despite losing what we did in a way I feel like the luckiest man on earth for that reason!

Richard

[alanp]

Good to hear you and your nearest are all good!

Also glad to hear the house entire did not burn out!

[Shrtyska9]

Good to hear you and your nearest are all good!

Also glad to hear the house entire did not burn out!

Thanks Alan! I'm pretty glad too.
It's amazing how one place can hold so many good memories and some as terrible as this.
It is the house in which I used to spend summers with my grandparents. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and was one of my biggest role models growing up. After my grandfather passed away in 2011 my aunt took it over and we are only spending the winter here after selling our house this summer.
It's a good thing it happened while we were here though because my aunt takes care of my cousin's two very young children.

Richard

[davent]

Glad you're all safe!

PSA. Have smoke detectors on every level and in the bedrooms?
dave

[Shrtyska9]

Yeah that's another good psa! Honestly I didn't even know that there weren't. Like I said it belongs to my aunt and she is a stickler for safety so I kind of assumed there were. But you know what they say about that.

Richard

[GrindCustoms]

Very happy that you're safe, chimney fire cause lots of fire up here.... :/

Glad you're all safe!

PSA. Have smoke detectors on every level and in the bedrooms?
dave

Up here it's also a law to have CO2 detectors on each level, they will detect before the usual smoke detectors.

[Shrtyska9]

Very happy that you're safe, chimney fire cause lots of fire up here.... :/

Glad you're all safe!

PSA. Have smoke detectors on every level and in the bedrooms?
dave

Up here it's also a law to have CO2 detectors on each level, they will detect before the usual smoke detectors.

Thanks Rej! Yeah I think it is law here for new houses to have them but this place was built in the early 70's. And to put in perspective my grand father didn't get sheetrock on the few remaining bare walls until the early 2000's and they only stayed here in the summer when there is no need for a fire so smoke detectors were probably the furthest thing from his mind. Lol.

Richard