Chimney fire
Firefighters were called to a chimney fire in Great Dunmow earlier today.
Crews used chimney rods and a stirrup pump to extinguish the fire by 4:55pm.
Most chimney fires are preventable. Regular inspection and cleaning of chimney flues will help prevent fires within chimneys. Keep your family and home safe by following our chimney safety advice:
- Have your chimney swept at least once a year, or more frequently if you burn wood
- Do not stack fires too high and remember to let them burn down well before you go to bed
- Use a fire or spark guard
- Do not place objects on or over the mantle-piece which may cause you to stand too close to the fire to reach or use them
- Inspect your chimney regularly - particularly in the roof space - to ensure that it is sound and that sparks or fumes cannot escape through cracks or broken bricks
- Avoid burning resinous woods as soot builds up quickly. Suitable seasoned timber must be used in all solid fuel stoves
- Buy only suitable fuels. Using the wrong type of fuel on a liner will reduce the life of the liner considerably due to increased corrosion
Could you be an on-call firefighter?
Firefighters from Dunmow and Thaxted are on-call firefighters, who all live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station and attend incidents.
If you live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station, you could be an on-call firefighter and be paid to protect your community.
Find out more about the role at join.essex-fire.gov.uk/on-call