Bird’s nest causes chimney blaze

A DISLODGED birds nest which caught fire is thought to have been behind a chimney blaze at a home in Market Bosworth.

Crews from Market Bosworth and Hinckley were called out at around 7.50pm on Thursday October 12 after the occupier realised something was wrong.

On arrival firefighters donned breathing apparatus and used a hose reel to tackle the fire which was centred on the chimney, wooden hearth and surround.

The gas fire was isolated to prevent further destruction.

Crews were on site until 9.30pm after dealing with the fire and then inspecting the roof space and chimney stack to make sure there was no further danger.

The incident left the first floor lounge and landing with smoke damage and some minor damage to the fire surround.

The incident comes just weeks after Hinckley Fire and Rescue Station posted chimney sweeping tips on its Facebook page.

Conscious the nights were drawing in and the weather was turning colder, firefighters wanted to draw attention to the need to keep chimney’s clear.

The post said: “As the summer sun starts to drop and the heating comes on, for some of us that means starting the fire. So now is the time to get your chimney swept. Top tips - ensure your chimney is swept regularly and remind your friends and family to get theirs swept.

“How often? Chimneys should be swept according to the type of fuel being used - smokeless fuels - at least once a year, bituminous coal - at least twice a year, wood - quarterly when in use, oil - once a year and gas - once a year, refer to the Gas Safe Register.”