Firefighters respond to chimney blaze

Fire spread to basement of Grand Junction home

Author: PJ Edgell, Digital Content Director, pjedgell@kjct8.com
POSTED: 08:30 AM MST Feb 11, 2013    UPDATED: 08:32 AM MST Feb 11, 2013 
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -

The G.J.F.D. was called to a Grand Junction home early Monday morning to a reported chimney fire.

The fire occurred at 604 N. 7th Street. Firefighters arrived to the scene around 2:00 a.m.

According to Battalion Chief Doug Walsh, the fire started in the chimney and the homeowner believed he had extinguished the flames by the time crews arrived.

However, when firefighters investigated further, they discovered a fire in the basement of the home.

Walsh reports that the fire in the basement was put out quickly and damage to the home was limited to an estimated $35,000. Crews estimate an additional $25,000 loss from products in the home suffering smoke damage.

Nobody was injured in the fire but the resident were displaced overnight.

Officials determined the blaze started in the fireplace and chimney on the main floor of the home. The flames breached the lower level of the home through an unused fireplace which was covered by an earlier remodel of the basement.