LAGUNA HILLS : House Fire Blamed on Faulty Chimney
A poorly constructed chimney was to blame for a house fire that destroyed the attic and caused about $35,000 worth of damage to the roof, firefighters said Friday.
The blaze occurred about 9 p.m. Thursday at 17 Oxbow Creek Lane when the residents lighted some logs in their fireplace, said Orange County Fire Capt. Dan Young. The chimney was missing an 18-inch metal section, and heat from the fire ignited the walls of the chimney near the attic.
“It appears to be a construction error,” Young said.
A motorist passing the house saw smoke rising from the roof and ran to the door to notify the residents, Young said. The residents, who had moved into the house earlier this month, then called 911. Eighteen firefighters put out the blaze in about 15 minutes. No injuries were reported.
In addition to the missing section, “it appears the fireplace was built for only small natural-gas-type fires and could not withstand the heat of wood-burning fires,” Young said. He cautioned other residents in the area to make sure that their fireplaces are built for wood-burning fires.
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