A fire that destroyed a house at 96 Kings Highway Saturday morning was caused by a metal chimney that had rotted away, Shelton Fire Marshal James Tortora said.
“There was a breakdown in the metal piping of the chimney,” Tortora said.
The chimney vented a wood pellet stove. The metal pipe was enclosed in a wood structure, which made it match the exterior of the house.
Moisture had most likely seeped into the metal pipe, causing it to rust and rot away at one spot.
“Over the time, there was a breakdown in the metal. Essentially, it rotted away at one of the joints,” Tortora said. “The fire was probably burning for awhile in there, but by the time anyone noticed it, it was going through the attic. It went right up the side of the house and into the attic space.”
Because the metal chimney was enclosed in wood, it was impossible for the homeowners to know the metal had rotted, Tortora said.
The weak spot in the metal allowed the wood to ignite, triggering a fire that caused an estimated $600,000 in damage, the fire marshal said.
Luckily, no injuries were reported.
