A Thanksgiving Eve fire that started in a chimney on Hanson Road both forced the family out of the house and forced more than two dozen invitees to Thanksgiving Dinner to quickly make other plans.
The following account is based both on Darien Police reports of the incident and an interview Wednesday with Darien Deputy Fire Marshal Marc P. McEwan:
No one was injured in the fire that was reported to authorities at 6:03 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, after one of the homeowners heard a rumbling noise from the chimney, then looked up it to see the chimney pipe red inside.
The homeowner then "ran outside an noticed flames coming from the top of the chimney, above the roof line," McEwan said. Firefighters found that fire had also started near the chimney within the walls of the house, which is a home to both parents and children.
In order to put out the flames, firefighters had to break into the wall on the second floor and in the attic where the fire had spread. The area near the chimney on the second floor and attic were damaged severely after the fire and the firefighting. There was also some smoke damage in the house.
The house was no longer habitable after the fire, but the family had relatives nearby and were able to make arrangements to move out temporarily, McEwan said.
McEwan said he'd been told a big Thanksgiving dinner had been planned at the home for the next day, with about two dozen guests.
The chimney rather than being made of brick or stone and mortar, is a modern type made of metal surrounded by whatever siding a builder uses, according to McEwan.
The chimney and fireplace are commonly sold as a unit, with the fireplace being a metal box lined with bricks and the chimney a steel flu pipe.
"It's a very common practice today [to build with this kind of material], because it's much cheaper than a masonry/brick fireplace," McEwan said.
McEwan and insurance investigators are looking into how the fire may have started. Manufacturers of the fireplace/chimney units have instructions on how they're supposed to be installed and maintained, he said.
Although the investigation is continuing, he said, "It doesn't appear that anybody did anything wrong."
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
