At about 12:47 a.m. Monday, the Appleton Fire Department was dispatched to 3223 Crestview Drive for a report of a possible chimney fire.
According to a fire department media release, an occupant of the home was awake watching television, when he heard what sounded like “crackling” in the wall near the fireplace. The occupant stated that the room then began to fill with smoke. The occupant stated he used an extinguisher on the fire in the fireplace and then went to the basement and saw a glow in the rafters beneath the fireplace. The occupant then got everyone out of the home and called 911.
Upon arrival, fire crews reported smoke coming from the home. The fire was quickly knocked down and crews remained on scene until about 3:15 am.
The fire was caused by embers falling through a gap in the one-piece fireplace unit. There was significant fire damage to the floor beneath the unit, as well as to the structural members around the chimney. The home suffered moderate smoke damage to the first floor. The damage is estimated to be about $30,000.
The home did have working smoke detectors and there were no injuries, according to the release.
