Firefighter stands by with hose line as Beltsville's Tower 31 inspects chimney
Oct. 10, 2001. People walking along Main St. near the Red Hot & Blue Restaurant got a scare when they looked up and saw what looked to be fire coming from the roof of the building. From the front of the building it looked just like the whole back and roof was on fire said one Laurel Fire Department member who was in the area when the fire broke out. When he went around to the back of the building it was clear that the fire was coming from just the chimney. While this was a much better scenario, for firefighters as well as business owners, it still could have been much worse. Had the chimney been cracked or damaged the fire could have easily extended into the building and caused major damage. The Laurel Volunteer Fire Department reminds you that chimneys should be inspected by qualified personnel at least once a year to prevent chimney fires. This is especially true for home fireplaces and wood burning stoves. For more fire safety tips or questions, please call the firehouse at 301-776-3600.
