Residents warned to have fireplaces checked after Hamilton blaze

ajc.com

.

Fire officials are reminding residents to have their home’s fireplace checked after a fire Monday morning in Hamilton.

A fire at 719 Noyes Ave. in Hamilton started with the home’s fireplace, according to officials. Fire crews were called to the scene just after 2 a.m. Monday and spent nearly three hours on the scene.

A fire in the home’s first-floor fireplace caught flooring on fire, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Shaw said.

“Eventually the fireplace ended up in the basement, but so did the contents of the living room, and everything else,” he said.

NEW: Download the free Journal-News app, Butler County’s #1 source for local news

Damage to the home was estimated at “easily, $100,000,” Shaw said. “The entire first floor is burned through. The house has very significant damage,” he said.

“For folks thinking about using their fireplace, if they haven’t had it checked by a qualified chimney sweep, that would be a good thing, to prevent things like this,” Shaw said.

All residents evacuated the home before the fire department arrived. There were no injuries reported, according to Shaw.

Shaw estimated it took one hour for fire crews to extinguish the fire due to below freezing temperatures.

MORE: Temperatures expect to climb this week

About the Author