A chimney fire spread up into the attic of a home near the
intersection of Genie Lane and Foothill Avenue in San Martin,
displacing the residents and causing an estimated $100,000 in
damage, reports said.
San Martin – A chimney fire spread up into the attic of a home near the intersection of Genie Lane and Foothill Avenue in San Martin, displacing the residents and causing an estimated $100,000 in damage, reports said.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection responded to the two-alarm blaze shortly after 8:15pm Wednesday night. The fire was contained about 30 minutes later.
No one was injured.
“It was a chimney fire that got up into the attic,” said Fire Apparatus Engineer Joe Mackey.
According to Mackey, the fire may have been caused by a build up of creosote in the chimney or by a faulty flue.
There was no damage inside the home, however, the chimney and attic sustained damages of about $100,000.
Chimneys may seem like a logical place to have a fire, however, creosote – a thick black tar made as a byproduct of firewood – can build up inside making the chimney and roof flammable.
Chimney fires are preventable. With regular cleaning, creosote will not be a hazard.
“You need to clean the chimney once a year,” Mackey advised.
