JACKSON, Wyo. – At around 5 pm yesterday Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Fire officials responded to a structure fire north of town.
According to Jackson Fire Chief, Brady Hansen, the fire was a product of a design flaw in a fireplace.
“For some reason, the design and the structure did not hold up and something broke down,” Hansen said. “The fire stayed in hidden space, but the homeowner recognized there was a problem.”
Hansen said that GTNP Fire officials were the first ones to arrive on the scene. With a joint effort between Jackson and GTNP Fire, the fire was able to be contained.
“We had the support of Grand Teton National Park Fire. They got to fire first, and working together as a team we were able to have a quick response,” Hansen said. “We had to tear into the walls to put it out, but we were able to get in contained.”
Even in the summer months, Hansen recommends that homeowners should always have their fireplaces checked and serviced, making sure that fireplaces are operating as they are supposed to.
“This was probably a design problem that was unnoticed and eventually caught up. We like people to maintain their fireplaces and get them checked,” Hansen said.
