02-23-1982 Letter, Fire Investigation

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Mr. Thomas J. Jacobs February 23, 1982 Page -2- as the one in the Carlsons' home should have been installed with a minimum 36-inch clearance between it and surrounding combustibles, including the wall behind the stove. That wall was a stud wall with sheet rock overlay. Had the wall been asbestos with a one-inch air space behind it, the clearance between the stove and combustibles could have been reduced to 18 inches. Other installation options could have reduced the required minimum clearance to 12 inches. The installer of the stove did not employ any of those options, nor did he/she observe the 36 inch minimum clearance requirement. Instead, the stove was installed so close to the back wall that the circulating fan on the stove was actually cut into the wall. That is, a portion of the sheet rock had been cut out of the rear wall to permit the fan blade to rotate freely. Another problem with the stove installation was the manner in which the chimney was put in place. Had the chimney been installed according to the manufacturer's instructions, there would have been a 2-inch minimum clearance between the chimney stack and surrounding materials. As it was, however, the floor joists on both the first and second floor, as well as the insulation between the joists on both levels, fell within the 2-inch clearemce zone. When I asked you why the previous owner did not have fire damage of the type Carlsons experienced, you stated the previous owner was probably ve^ lucky, and that he/she apparently did not use the stove as a primary source of heat for the residence, as Carlsons did. You explained that before fire damage of the type Carlsons experienced can occur, the fire from the stove must "super heat" the wood and sheet rock wall behind the stove, thereby drying out those construction materials. Those materials will not catch fire, typically, unless all moisture is removed from them by the high heat given off by the stove. Once the wall and insulation were super heated, fire followed as a matter of course. When I asked you how the previous home owner should have proceeded with the stove installation, you replied that he/she should have visited your office and picked up a permit for stove installation. No construction license is required by the City of Orono for that type of work, but the City does inspect such construction prior to it being put into use. That is the purpose of the permitting process; To inform the City of ongoing construction, so that it may monitor the correctness of the installation. I asked you if your office, at the time of issuing a permit, reviewed construction plans and specifications for proposed construction. You replied no, and stated you typically require persons wishing to install a stove to install a "listed" one (i.e., one which has been tested and approved