Kyabram Fire Brigade Captain Mick Crompton has urged residents to clean their chimneys and check other heating appliances following a damaging chimney fire in Kyvalley on 4 June.
Firefighters from Kyabram and Tongala brigades attended the scene at around 8pm with the support of Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) crews.
The fire was caused by a build-up of creosote within the chimney area of an old combustion stove within the residence.
This caused the chimney to ignite and damage the two-storey structure.
“The main thing for people to do is to get them cleaned regularly,” Cpt Crompton said.
“We take firing up the stove and fireplace for granted in winter, thinking it will be fine.”
“Often people aren’t aware of the build-up of birds’ nests, creosote which can happen over time and cause fires like this one.”
Crews deemed the incident under control just before 11.30pm on 4 June.
“Firefighters worked for around an hour extinguishing the fire once the platform appliance had arrived, trying to mitigate damage to the property and stopping the fire from spreading.”
Once the fire was extinguished, crews were released from the scene after 12.17am on 5 June.
To learn more about home fire safety, visit the CFA website at cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/fires-in-the-home.
Chimney and heating tips
- Have chimneys cleaned annually and gas heaters inspected and serviced every two years.
- A secure guard or fireproof screen should always be used to prevent sparks and wood from falling out of the fireplace and causing a fire or burn injury.
- Never dry clothes or have flammable items such as curtains close to a heater or open fire – make sure they are positioned at least one metre away and constantly monitored to reduce risk of a fire.
- Children and pets must be supervised near all types of heating. Maintain a safe distance between children and heating.
- Always extinguish any open flames and turn off heaters before going to bed or leaving the house.
