PERU — Firefighters responding to a reported chimney fire Friday found smoke filling the second floor and attic of a home at 63 Peru Center Road, fire Chief Bill Hussey said.
He said he wasn’t sure if there had been a chimney fire, or if the chimney was just blocked with creosote.
“It may have started as a chimney fire, but it looks more likely that the chimney was clogged, and there was nowhere for the smoke to go,” Hussey said.
Firefighters got the call at 2 p.m.
“When we got to the house, we discovered that there was a lot of smoke filling up the rooms in the second floor, and even more smoke in the attic,” Hussey said. “We later called for Dixfield, Mexico and Rumford to help us out, since our ladder truck wouldn’t reach all the way to the chimney.”
Hussey said they discovered a buildup of creosote in the chimney.
“Creosote is basically a combustible substance that builds up on the inside of chimneys after the wood is burned,” he said. Firefighters dropped a weight down the chimney to clear creosote from the sides, he said.
“They also needed to wear a breathing apparatus, because creosote is a toxic chemical,” Hussey said.
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