Warning after rise in chimney fires (From This Is Local London)

Warning after rise in chimney fires

9:30am Tuesday 5th January 2010 in News By Andy Carswell

CHIMNEY fires are on the increase in Bucks – prompting a warning from firefighters to take proper care of their fireplaces.

Crews were sent to tackle ten in the first three days of this year, including two within less than an hour of each other in High Wycombe and Little Kingshill on Sunday.

On Saturday evening two fire engines were sent to the Wendover Arms in Desborough Avenue to deal with a chimney fire there.

Overall, Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service were sent to 159 chimney fires last year – which is up from 138 the previous year and 97 in 2007.

In the Chiltern district the number of fires has doubled from 11 to 22 in two years. In Wycombe it increased from 24 to 33 between 2007 and 2009, and in the South Bucks district there was a slight increase from 13 to 17.

It has led to firefighters renewing safety advice to householders who have open fires.

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service's community safety manager Terry Ridgley said: “It appears that more and more people are using open fires and wood burners. It is important to have your chimney swept regularly and to have working smoke alarms."

He advised residents to have their chimney swept at least once a year, and at least twice a year if they burn wood.

Other advice includes to build smaller, hotter fires that burn more completely and produce less smoke, not to overload the grate or appliance and to have a carbon monoxide detector fitted.

For more fire safety advice or information, contact the community safety team on 01296 744477 or send an email to cs@bucksfire.gov.uk.