Malfunctioning Fireplace Threatens Millburn Home

MILLBURN, NJ - A Millburn family's super sniffers and fast action by the Millburn Fire Department averted a house fire last week, according to officials.

On Oct. 18 the 4th Platoon responded to a call of an odor of burning in the attic of a house.

Investigating firefighters located a running gas fireplace in a room used for storage where temperatures in the room exceeded 100 degrees and the fireplace itself was near 400 degrees. Stored bags were beginning to melt and cardboard boxes were very hot to the touch, firefighters said.

First responders shut down the fireplace, moved the storage to a safe distance, and advised to have a professional make repairs. According to the homeowners, they never use the fireplace and did not turn it on, suggesting that this was a malfunction of the fireplace and or it's controls.

"The homeowners we extremely lucky to come home and call 911 about the odor, as they were minutes away from having house fire," officials said on social media. "Please have your heating equipment and their controls checked regularly by professionals. We also ask that you keep any flammable materials five feet away from any heating source."

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