Firefighters Extinguish 2 Chimney Fires in Bowie Sunday

Prince George's County firefighters had a busy weekend in Bowie, extinguishing two chimney fires in Bowie Sunday evening.

The first fire occurred in the 13800 block of Urbana Lane at around 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters responded to the home to find fire showing from the second floor of the structure. It was determined that the fire began in the chimney and extended to the second floor of the two-story home and into the attic, according to PGFD spokesperson Mark Brady.

The blaze was quickly extinguished with no injuries, Brady said, but there were damages to the home estimated at $20,000. A malfunctioning fireplace was determined to be he cause of fire.

The second fire occurred just a few hours later, in the chimney of a home in the 1800 block of Packer Court. That fire was contained to the chimney with no extension and no fire damages, Brady said. 

As temperatures have dropped in the past few days, more and more people are turning on the heat and using fireplaces. Proper maintenance can reduce the risk of fires caused by these heat sources, Brady said.

"Your furnace and fireplace should be checked annually by a certified technician," Brady said.

There are two main causes of chimney fires, according to Brady. The first is caused when creosote—which builds up in wood burning fireplaces over time—builds up to such a level that it ignites. The second is caused when a the brick and mortar of a fireplace is cracked. 

"If there is a crack in the brick or the concrete, that could allow the fire to extend up into the interior of your home," Brady said.

The heat from the fire makes it way through the cracks and will ignite whatever it can in attics and upper stories of home, Brady said.

A chimney sweep will clean the creosote from the interior of the fireplace, and will also be able to identify cracks in the brick and mortar.