Timely fire safety warning for homeowners with chimneys

As we are nearing the end of October and temperatures are starting to fall, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service has issued a warning to those beginning to use their fires again, to ensure they get their chimneys cleaned professionally.

This advice has come following a number of fires where the owners of the home had neglected to get the chimney swept for winter or where logs were piled up alongside woodburners.

A spokesman for the fire service said:

“We have been called to a number of fires in the South Devon area recently which could have been prevented by the owners making sure their chimneys were cleaned before the start of the colder weather.

“There has also been a fire in which the owners had piled logs next to the wood burner and through convection and radiation the logs heated up and caught fire.

“Often people think this is a good way of drying out logs, but it can very dangerous.”

The fire service also offered some advice to those with chimneys explaining how professional cleaning is the only way to be sure they are fully clear of debris. They also explained how logs should be stored well away from a woodburner and that those with old houses should look out for exposed beams near the chimney area.