§ 32. Sir William. Davisonasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he can now inform the House of the result of his consultation with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research as to any risk incurred by persons who are able to burn wood logs, either green or dry, owing to the highly-inflammable resinous deposit in the chimney?
§ The Minister of Fuel and Power (Major Lloyd George)Yes, Sir, but as the statement is rather long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, have it circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ The risk of chimney fires from burning wood should not be over-emphasised. As everyone knows, the soot from coal fires is inflammable and chimneys in constant use should therefore be swept twice a year. Provided that the same precautions are taken, there is no reason to believe that wood fires are more dangerous than coal. But the deposit from wood is more tenacious than soot, and the suggestion, made in the Press, that the lower part of the chimney should be scraped, as well as swept, is a sensible additional precaution. The danger of chimney fires spreading is not serious in modern houses, but in some very old ones there may be wooden beams projecting into the chimney. These are a hazard whatever fuel is used. Hard woods, like oak, produce less deposits than soft woods, like pines. All 1579 wood gives off more tar when wet, and that is an additional reason for drying it thoroughly before use. Finally, large fires in the grate are one of the most frequent causes of fires in the chimney. Small fires are now the order of the day to save fuel for essential war purposes.