Mattituck FD extinguishes chimney fire

How do you put out a chimney fire?
The Mattituck Fire Department volunteers who climbed up on the roof of a Village Lane house shortly after 6 p.m. Monday did it by rattling heavy chains inside the chimney and scraping its interior with a hook on the end of a long pole to loosen burning creosote. That’s a highly combustible material carried in wood-fire smoke that can build up inside a chimney.

In all, 40 firefighters responded to the call and had the blaze well under control within an hour, said Chief Sam Bail.

No injuries were reported and the house apparently escaped serious damage, the chief said.