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A chimney fire in a Winlock home was extinguished before it could do serious damage Sunday night, according to Lewis County Fire District 15.
Crews from Fire District 15 along with firefighters from Fire Districts 2, 5 and 7 responded to a report of a residential structure fire in the 100 block of Creek Road.
“When we arrived the homeowner for the most part had the fire knocked down all the way,” said Lt. Patrick Jacobson.
The fire started in a chimney attached to a wood stove. Jacobson said a defect in the chimney pipe caused a fire to start inside the wall which then burned through the exterior portion of the wall.
The fire never actually entered the residence, he said.
“Everything was contained to the area outside where the chimney is on the house,” he said.
The fire was right next to the residents’ bedroom, Jacobson said.
“The gentleman heard some crackling in the wall and looked outside and saw a glow,” he said.
In a Facebook post, Fire District 15 reminded residents to have their chimneys cleaned and inspected before burning in a fireplace or a wood stove for the first time this season.
Jacobson said chimneys should be cleaned at least once a season and inspected regularly.
“We’re in the chimney fire season right now,” he said.
