Fire Officials Warning of Hidden Fireplace Danger

State and local fire officials are urging Amherst homeowners of homes with brick fireplaces constructed between the 1950s and 1980s to discontinue use of the fireplaces until they've had them inspected by a certified mason or chimney specialist.

This recommendation comes less than a week after the town's fifth fire that started due to a lack of sufficient air space between the fireplace and the home's wooden building materials.

The three-alarm fire at 3 Brookwood Drive on Friday, Dec. 13, destroyed the home owned by Herb Kopf, who wasn't home at the time of the fire. It was spotted by neighbor Heather Bartis who noticed smoke and then fire in the area of the home's chimney.

The fire quickly extended from the first floor wall were it originated into the second floor and into the attic causing heavy fire, heat and smoke damage.   Although the building structure itself was saved the majority of Kopf’s belongings were lost in the fire.  

“This is the fifth fire in Amherst in less than a year that has originated in the same location within each of the structures, has the same cause, and has been built in about the same time period,” Fire Chief Mark Boynton said in a press release on Tuesday. 

He said a lack of fire codes and enforcement of codes during the building boom of the 1950s to 1970s allowed many Amherst homes to be built without the proper separation between combustible materials and heat sources. 

“I am very concerned that a number of these hazards are likely to exist in Amherst,” Boynton said. “What we are seeing is homes made of wood framing materials such as pine studs or plywood placed against the rear or sides of a fireplace, in direct contact with the masonry material leaving no air space to allow the combustible materials to withstand the temperature change. Without that space, over time these materials can heat up, begin to smolder within the walls undetected until a fire breaks out and becomes large enough to cause major damage."  

Amherst Fire Department Officials are working with the State Fire Marshal’s Office and insurance companies in an effort to educate Amherst residents about this situation. The best advice is to have the fireplace and chimney inspected by a professional, though, there is unfortunately no easy way to do this.

Boynton said, in most cases, in order to check for the proper two inch air space required by today's building and safety standards, a portion of a home’s interior or exterior wall must be removed to determine if a fire hazard exists.  

Also a reminder that working smoke detectors are vital to saving lives and minimizing fire related damage. For more information on how to determine if your home is safe, contact the Amherst Fire Department 603-673-1545.