Chimney Gets Blame For Homes’ Destruction

Fire officials believe a blaze that destroyed two Twin Lakes homes may have been caused by a flaw in the chimney of one of the homes, officials said Thursday.

The fire started in the east shore home of Teri and Mike Griffin on Wednesday morning. It quickly spread to a neighbor’s home, burning both buildings to the ground, said Rathdrum Fire Chief Wayne Nowacki.

Although the Griffins live in their home year-round, no one was at the house when the fire started. Their neighbors live next door during the summers.

The Griffins originally thought their two dogs and cat had died in the blaze. However, they later found one dog alive, Nowacki said.

The fire chief said a preliminary investigation suggests the fire started because of a problem in the chimney.

“There seemed to be some deficiencies,” he said. “It’s an old installation using modern heating techniques.”

An air-tight stove had been attached to the older chimney, Nowacki said.

To keep homes safe from chimney fires, Nowacki suggested:

Make sure your chimney is installed correctly.

Make sure it is cleaned regularly.

Have your chimney inspected periodically to ensure it is holding up after prolonged use.