TURNERS FALLS — Two fires, both with no injuries, at houses on the same street were caused by cracks in chimneys and fireplaces this weekend.
The first fire, at 28 High St. on Saturday night, temporarily displaced the family because the Fire Department had to temporarily shut off water to the home, according to Turners Falls Fire Captain Kyle Cogswell.
Cracks in the chimney had allowed the fire to spread into the walls and floor of the home, according Cogswell.
“We worked at pulling up the floorboards and getting in the interior of the walls,” Cogswell said.
The department raised a second alarm and fighting the blaze took until just after 1 a.m. Christmas morning, he said.
No injuries were reported, but the family of four and their holiday guests stayed with a family member in Greenfield for the night, according to Cogswell. The home is habitable, but the fire department estimates that the fire caused $100,000 in damages.
The timing of the fire was a sensitive one for staffing, Cogswell said. Turners Falls requested mutual aid from surrounding fire departments on both fires.
“Fortunately we are staffed 24/7 here, but as far as when we started calling in additional personnel, they were leaving Christmas Eve gatherings with their family and friends,” he said.
The second fire, at 18 High St., was reported at about 10:45 Sunday morning. Departments responded to reports of smoke in the home near the fireplace. There were no injuries, but there was damage reported to the siding of the home.
Both houses had cracks in either the fireplace itself or the chimney, allowing the fire to escape into the house. Cogswell said anyone who plans on using a wood or pellet stove or fireplace in the winter should have it inspected at least once a year by a professional chimney sweep to make sure there is no damage before use.