On October 25, shortly before 8a.m. Mt. Penn was dispatched along with Lower Alsace (Co4), Exeter (Co25), Oley (Co5), Birdsboro (Co7) and Reading City Tower & Engine 1 to the 100 block of South 22nd St. for a reported chimney fire with multiple calls being received from neighbors. Arriving units found what appeared to be excessive smoke from the chimney with flames eventually erupting from the top. Crews had to clear the firebox and then, due to the construction of the installation, remove the wood burning insert by undoing several bolts and cutting the flue pipe with a sawzall. The insert was moved to the outside by using rollers and the area above the damper cleaned out by hand. Finally a dry chemical extinguisher was used from the inside to ensure extinguishment. No extension was found. Units were able to clear about 9a.m.
With colder weather setting in and fireplaces being used this call highlights the danger of chimney fires. Ensure that you are burning ONLY thoroughly seasoned wood, your chimney has been cleaned and inspected annually and you have working smoke & carbon monoxide detectors in your home. These types of fires can extend out of the chimney to the rest of your house and are also very labor intensive for the firefighters. Although we try our best to minimize damage, it can still run into thousands of dollars! We want everybody to be fire safe this winter!
