Fire caused by Gas Fireplace???

[jheil]

We had a fire that was contained in and around our new gas fireplace--a Regency Panorama P33 model. When it was installed 2 months ago, the installer told me it was ok to leave the pilot on at all times--24/7 even in the summer when we weren't using it. The fireplace is located in the basement. We are currently in the process of making it a finished family room. The fire department and the gas and electric company were at my house, but I am still not clear on the following:

1. It looks like a piece of cardboard was leaning against the fireplace, or was at least near the fireplace, and that's what caught on fire. The problem is that the fireplace is not hot enough to catch anything on fire when the pilot is lit, but the fireplace is not on.

When I noticed the smoke in the house, I checked the basement and saw the fireplace ON and charred cardboard on the concrete floor in front of it. How can the fireplace 'turn itself on?' The on/off switch is hidden in a vented panel beneath the fireplace so it couldn't have been turned on accidentally. There is a remote, but it wasn't in the basement and I am certain that no one touched it. Is the fireplace faulty?

I want to request a new one from the dealer because it was damaged by the fire and I will always be concerned that the one we have will be a future fire hazzard. Should I expect to have to pay for the replacement?

2. The gas and electric person told me that there were some installation concerns that I should have checked out. One is with a spliced gas flex line. The fire department also told me that I should have someone who knows code check out the ventalation system. How do I find a reliable inspector? Is a regualr home inspector the right person to call?

3. The whole house smells like smoke although there isn't any major discoloration of the carpet, furniture or drapes. How do I get rid of the smell??? It's making me sick to my stomach. Also, is this lingering smell dangerous to my family--I am pregnant, my sons are 3 and 4 years old and my husband has asthma. Who is responsible for cleaning up and or replacing anything that is damaged by the smoke?

Thanks for the help

 

[restorer]

First, Welcome to the Hearth. You will get a lot of good advise coming, but we will need a little more information. Tell us the manufacturer of your unit, who installed it, what kind of installation it was, and more specifically details on the fire.

I don't think we should speculate on what happened, but there seems to be some serious concerns from pros about the stove. I would think a Code Inspector would be the best route, others may disagree, but you need to know what is there was done according to code and the components are appropriate. If you tell us your brother-in-law who does mufflers installed the stove, you're screwed, but there are some serious issues you need to address, one of the major issues is your insurance will put you on notice that any fire related losses will not be covered until the problem is corrected to their satisfaction.

Don't go to a "Home Inspector" find a code inspector and have him really spend some time looking at the problem. Get it in writing and load your guns for going after the responsible party.

BTW, A friend had a fire next to his fireplace with a gas insert. The insurance company wouldn't pay, because the adjuster said it was an installation that was not approved. The code inspector said the install was fine, but the fan alongside the stove had shorted and smouldered on the carpet and was not related to the fireplace. The insurance company sent a red faced adjustor out to pay the claim with the recommendation a fan should not be placed by the stove.....

 

[begreen]

What a bummer. Sorry for all the mess, but it's good to know that everything and everyone is safe. Go outside and take a deep breath.

I'm not sure, but if the remote is radio frequency controlled, perhaps something triggered it. If it's like a garage opener, any number of things might have triggered it, such as airplanes, emergency vehicles, phones, toys or even garage openers. When out of the room I would switch the remote off.

It sounds like there are safety concerns that while unrelated to this incident, are worth investigating. Was a permit taken out for the installation? If yes, call that office and tell them what the fire dept. told you. If not, your gas company should be able to inspect the unit and determine if there are issues.

Will this be covered under your homeowner's insurance? There are services that will come in and clean up the mess so that everything is like before as much as possible. Have you contacted your insurance company yet regarding this incident? They may be able to suggest a reputable service. If not, try the fire dept. and ask them.

 

[Gooserider]

I've heard that there are places liike "ServiceMaster" that do cleanups after fires, not sure how much good they do. In the meantime I'd reccomend openning doors and windows as much as you can for ventilation and launder your clothes and other washables as much as possible.

Get anything that was burned out of the house to the extent you can, but be careful not to move anything that might be "evidence" of the fire cause.

For the inspection, I would probably start with the local building inspector, and if he isn't willing to do much, ask him who to go to. It certainly sounds like you need to do a "root cause" determination to see what went wrong.

Gooserider

 

[Metal]

Call you insurance company and file a claim. They will set up an inspection with all parties involved, i.e. fire marshal, stove installer, stove manufacturer, pipe manufacturer, etc. This will decide who should pay for damages. The insurance company should take care of this since they are the ones who will have to pay if no one else is found to be at fault. If they think someone else is at fault and the other party disagrees it goes to the courtroom and things get ugly (most companies will avoid this at all costs due to bad publicity and cost of litigation).

 

[stoveguy13]

it is unlikely the fireplace turned on by itself correct me if i am wrong anyone but i belive that unit is a millivolt system and the only way it cloud have "turned on its self" is if there is a short between the wires connecting from the on-off switch or from the remote the other possibility is if your remote is a radio frequency one that something eles in the house turned on.

 

[R&D Guy]

Was it an Acumen remote control? You should be able to look at the back of the transmitter and find the Mfg. Also, is it a thermostatic remote control?