By Joelyn Hansen
Idaho Falls Post Register
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Will Nelson spent a good portion of his Monday cleaning up and repairing damage from a fire that started in the chimney of his Idaho Falls home Saturday.
And though pulling up carpet and replacing insulation weren’t chores Nelson had planned, he’s glad to still have a house.
“We didn’t lose anything valuable, and we feel fairly fortunate about that,” he said.
Nelson said he and his son, Scott, were at home, at 6380 N. Northside Circle, around 8:42 p.m. when they heard a loud popping noise. As they investigated the sound, Nelson stepped outside and spotted smoke and flames around the chimney over the garage.
They called the fire department immediately.
Idaho Falls Fire Division Chief Jonathan Walker said the fire, which started in the chimney casing, crept into the walls and was actively burning in the garage attic when firefighters arrived. It was beginning to spread into the attic over the living room area, Walker said.
Firefighters extinguished the fire within minutes.
""We were literally just minutes away from losing the whole house,"" Walker said.
Fire investigators determined the fire started after insulation fell into the area around the fireplace box and combusted from the heat.
Walker said the fire caused $35,000 in damage. The house is valued at $165,000.
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