Residents urged to maintain chimneys after spate of recent fires
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue have issued advice
Northamptonshire residents are being urged to make sure that they check their chimneys and maintain them properly after a growing number of fires in recent days.
Over an eight-day period between November 11-19, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to five chimney related incidents. This is a much higher rate than usual, where on average they're called to between 50-60 chimney fires over the course of 12 months.
One of the recent incidents included a fire last week in Towcester, where a blaze started in a chimney flue that had not been cleaned in over a year. Fire crews managed to contain the fire before extinguishing it and recommending that the homeowners get their chimney professionally swept before its next use.
Tina Collett, a Prevention Team Leader at Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We know during winter that people start to consider using the fireplace for the first time in a while, but it is important that chimneys are well swept before using them for the first time this winter.
“Getting a professional chimney sweep to clean it will be a worthwhile investment and help to keep your home safe. Chimney fires can end up being absolutely devastating if they spread to the rest of your home, and during winter and ahead of Christmas we want to make sure that those risks are not ignored.”