All right here is the story. The other day we got called out to a smoke filled house. When we got there the crawl space was ffull of smoke as well as the house. The floor and joists undder the hearth at chimney was smoldering glowing red but not a working fire. After we tore out the charr and got it out we noticed about a 1/2 inch gap between the hearth and the fireplace where the glass weent against it. The hot coals had got down the crack and to the osb floor. The fire had no ventalation and could not breath to get goinng. The unusually high winds we felt helped it draw more air under the house and this had probably happend before and went out but the high winds got some air stiring under the house to elp the smolder breath (my water under my place froze at about 25 deg out;never has happend until that day). I just cant understand how a contractor could risk the lives of people with shoddy work like that. Would the house setteling cause that over the years. It had 2x4 exterior walls so it is not a newer construction but the chimney andhearth could have been added. No other visable cracks on the home or chimney nor on the inside brick on the wall. I just find it hard to believe someone would build like that.