Three houses evacuated in Northampton as firefighters tackle blaze which started accidentally in chimney

Firefighters spent nearly 12 hours damping down a blaze which started in the chimney of a Northampton house early on Tuesday (December 6).

Three houses were evacuated as four crews used breathing apparatus and an aerial platform to stop the fire spreading at roof level between terraced properties in Newington Road, Kingsthorpe. A Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service A spokesman added: “The fire started accidentally in a chimney flue and all people were safely accounted for.”

Emergency services across Northamptonshire have been called to a number of incidents involving chimney fires in the last week or so and are braced for more as a cold snap sets in. Advice from firefighters includes keeping chimneys, flues and appliances clean; ensure fires are extinguished and appliances turned off before going to bed and ensure you have smoke alarms installed.