How to Prevent "Chimney" Fires

The peak of "stove" fires occurs during the heating season, in the cold period. Renters and homeowners lose their skills in handling heating appliances over the summer, forgetting about safety precautions. Moreover, the stove equipment itself deteriorates over time.

Main Causes of "Stove" Fires

- insufficient clearance of chimneys where they pass through wooden ceilings, as well as small setbacks — distances between the walls of the stove and wooden structures of partitions and walls of the house;
- absence of a fireproof mat.
- igniting the stove with gasoline, kerosene, and other flammable liquids;
- using firewood that exceeds the dimensions of the fuel chamber;
- overheating of stoves;
- leaving doors open;
- drying clothes or other items near the fire source.

It is important to remember that with stove heating, not only good draft, heat output, efficiency, and aesthetic qualities are valued, but also safety. A poorly constructed stove can become the cause of a fire in the house. To prevent this, do not entrust the construction of the stove to individuals who are not familiar with fire safety rules for stove heating.

The stove must be white, which will allow for timely detection of malfunctions, cracks that may lead to a fire. On the white background of the stove, black soot marks are easily noticeable.

For smoke removal, vertical chimneys without offsets should be used. To protect combustible and difficult-to-burn floors in front of the stove, a metal sheet measuring 70x50 cm should be provided.

It is prohibited to:

- Leave burning stoves unattended, or entrust children to supervise them;
- Place fuel and other combustible substances, materials on the fireproof mat;
- Use gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and other flammable liquids and gases for igniting stoves;
- Burn coal, coke, and gas in stoves not designed for these types of fuel;
- Operate stoves during meetings and other mass events held in the premises;
- Overheat stoves;
- Install metal stoves that do not meet fire safety requirements, standards, and technical conditions. When installing temporary metal and other factory-made stoves, the instructions from the manufacturers must be followed, as well as the design standards required for heating systems.

Rules of Conduct in Case of Fire

Upon discovering a fire or signs of burning (smoke, smell of burning, elevated temperature), it is necessary to immediately report to the emergency service by calling 101, providing the address of the object, the location of the fire, and your surname. In case of a threat to human life, it is essential to organize their rescue immediately, using available resources and means. Until the arrival of the fire department, use available primary fire extinguishing means (water, sand, snow, fire extinguishers, fabric materials soaked in water) to extinguish the fire. Remove elderly people, children, disabled individuals, and the sick from the danger zone.