Everett house damaged after fire spreads from old chimney into walls

EVERETT — A fire late Sunday afternoon damaged a house in the 10000 block of Fourth Avenue W., north of Everett Mall Way.

No one was injured. The 1950s-era building sustained about $20,000 worth of damage, Everett Fire Battalion Chief Joe Johnston said.

The house was vacant, but its

owner was there working outside on a remodel project. The furnace wasn’t operating, so the man had started a fire in the fireplace. The chimney was in bad shape and the fire spread into the walls of the house, Johnston said.

Engine and ladder crews extinguished the fire about 4:30 p.m., shortly after arriving at the scene, and then worked to make sure smoke wasn’t lingering elsewhere in the house, Johnston said.

“When the owner saw the smoke, he went inside to try to put the fire out,” Johnston said. “Our advice is it’s better to be safe than sorry. Call 911 and don’t go back in.”