The SAFI pipe fire extinguisher did what it was intended to do
Fire Inspector Werner Øveråsen says that in the evening the fire department responded to an older wooden house – and encountered a chimney fire that was already under control.
When the fire department arrived at the older wooden house on Grim this March evening, there were clear signs that there had been a major chimney fire. However, they encountered a situation that was already under control.
According to fire inspector Werner Øveråsen, the outcome could have been far more serious if the fire had been allowed to develop further.
Fire Inspector Werner Øveråsen
"The consequences could be huge"
– This was an older wooden house with a relatively severe chimney fire. There was a lot of soot in the chimney, and it had burned for practically the entire length of the chimney. The consequences of that could be major. In the worst case, it could develop into a building fire, Øveråsen explains seriously.
An ordinary evening that ended with an emergency
The incident took place at the home of Jørgen and Kamilla Thorsdalen in Grim. What started as a normal evening with the fireplace lit ended with an alarm from the SAFI chimney fire extinguisher and the fire department being called out.
While Kamilla was in the kitchen cooking dinner, Jørgen had lit the fireplace to burn the last wood of the season. After a short time, the SAFI unit began to alert.
The couple followed the instructions they received from the SAFI indoor unit: The hatch was closed and the fire department was contacted immediately.
SAFI chimney fire extinguisher mounted on the chimney of the Thorsdalen family, Grim.
The fire was already extinguished.
When crews arrived on the scene, there were still a few embers left at the top of the chimney. The rest of the fire had been extinguished.
– There were clear signs of a chimney fire. The soot was covered in a layer of powder that had smothered the fire. The only thing left were a few embers at the top of the chimney, says Øveråsen.
"The sooner you get control, the less chance there is of the fire developing"
— Werner Øveråsen · Fire Inspector
Early warning reduces the extent of damage
He believes early warning and rapid response are crucial in chimney fires.
– Regardless of the type of fire, it is important to start containment and extinguishing it early. The sooner you get control, the less chance there is of the fire developing further. At the same time, the extent of damage and costs are reduced afterwards.
The little gray box is all the difference — the SAFI unit mounted on the outside of the barrel, connected to the extinguishing mechanism in the barrel.
Most chimney fires occur in older homes.
According to Øveråsen, most chimney fires occur in older homes.
– Statistics show that many chimney fires occur in homes built before 1990. In older brick chimneys, it takes less time before cracks or heat transfer to flammable material around the chimney occurs, he explains.
In this case, he believes the chimney fire extinguisher helped prevent further development.
– In this incident, the fire was out when we arrived. In my opinion, the pipe fire extinguisher did what it was intended to do.
Hear fire inspector Werner Øveråsen talk about the fire
"We never thought this would happen to us"
For Jørgen and Kamilla, the evening was a reminder of how quickly a chimney fire can occur – and how important it is to detect it early.
– We never thought this would happen to us. Now we are just incredibly happy that we had SAFI installed that night, the couple said afterwards.
Read the full story about Jørgen and Kamilla →
"Early warning can significantly limit the consequences"
— Werner Øveråsen · Fire Inspector
Time before the fire department arrives
And that is perhaps the most important point, says Øveråsen:
– It always takes some time for the fire department to arrive. Solutions that can provide early warning and reduce the temperature in the chimney before we arrive can help to significantly limit the consequences!
Facts about SAFI chimney fire extinguishers and the chimney fire at Grim
SAFI reported the chimney fire a few minutes after it was lit.
The couple followed the instructions from the installer: closed the vent and called the fire department.
When the fire department arrived, the chimney fire was already extinguished.
Fire Inspector Werner Øveråsen believes SAFI did what the product was designed to do.
SAFI can both extinguish chimney fires and help lower the temperature in the chimney before the fire department arrives.
The alarm allowed homeowners to react early
The chimney fire extinguisher helped smother the fire inside the chimney
All that remained were a few embers at the top of the pipe.
Early warning reduced the risk of spread to the rest of the house
The incident at Grim gave the fire department experience with how the solution works in a real chimney fire.
Do you want to secure your chimney?
SAFI chimney fire extinguisher automatically detects and extinguishes chimney fires – before they develop into a building fire.