Fireplace and Woodstove Ash Safety

While the Christmas morning is still under investigation, preliminary clues are pointing towards remnants of a fire from the fire place.  Ashes from fire places and wood stoves count for many origins of cause of structure fires across the country each year. Careful handling of the ashes and embers will help prevent a catastrophic fire in your house.

When removing ashes from a fireplace or wood stove, use only tools specifically made to handle such heat. Even thought there may appear to be no fire, tiny embers may still be smoldering deep beneath the surface. As the embers are exposed to air, they get the oxygen needed to increase their rate of burn. If they come in direct contact with an object that will ignite, such as a plastic bucket, a fire can result. If the embers are placed into a metal container that transfers the heat through it, the wood or other combustible flooring can ignite. Use a good quality metal container to empty the ashes and get them outside as soon as practical.

Once the ashes are outside, don’t stop there. Many fires start just outside the door, on a front porch or deck, where unsuspecting homeowners thought there was no possibility of heat to be transferred from the ashes to the house. The container should be covered, and placed on the ground as far from the house or any structure so as to make it not possible ignition can take place. They may be dumped into the ground or garden where no contact with vegetation can occur which may cause a brush fire. If a hose is available, they can be thoroughly wet down. If there is snow on the ground, they can be put in snow and covered. Do not put them into the garbage container, or deposit them at the transfer station in the garbage compactor.

The Haddam Volunteer Fire Company responded to an electrical fire at approximately 4:45am Tuesday, December 27th. Upon arrival it was found that the homeowner had dumped ashes from a wood stove at the base of a telephone pole to fill in a trench on top of the PVC conduit that protected the power wires.  The embers caught the PVC on fire, which in turn shorted out the electrical service to the house. The fire was following the conduit towards the house and only stopped burning when CL&P cut the power. With the conduit energized, there was nothing the Fire Company could do other than ensure the family was out of the house in case it got to the house and that caught fire.

Please take the disposal of ashes from fireplaces and woodstoves seriously – do not rest until they are out of your house and in a safe place where no damage can happen should they flame up. 

More information on the activities of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. and ways you can get involved can be found on our website – www.HaddamFire.com.  

Submitted by: Bob Norton, Haddam Volunteer Fire Company Public Relations Liaison