Wood stove blow back causes? claims two lives

[Industrial Toys]

Our main fireplace tile was replaced with 1/4" stainless manufactured pipe. It never gets cleaned and once in a while you hear the cryosote explode, but I have never sensed any pressure against the fireplace glass or had anything disturbed. My downstairs wood stove has never exhibited any signs of blow back. This case is a mystery.

 

[CobyRupert]

You get "blowback" explosions when you have a heat source (hot coals) that releases the wood gases in the wood, but there isn't enough oxygen for combustion because the stove is dampened down too much. When a gust of wind comes buy and draws in draft air or when you open the door, the gases can violently ignite. This is when the hot coals and sparks probably lit nearby papers which then probably ignited some other accelerant in the basement that the official referenced.

 

[Thomas]

Indeed a shame.
Yet to have anything like that happen,I always open damper first than wait few before opening front door when re lighting.

 

[Egon]

Firebox/chimney explosions were not uncommon when the flue damper and combustion air were both adjusted to increase heat & extend burning time.

 

[jimmyj]

Sad story. We sometimes get negative pressure if the store is dead cold and I want to start it up. All I have to do is open the door or a window a little bit and then it reverses back up the chimney.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Coal stoves have a tendency to blow back because of the coal gasses. You have to be careful when opening the door, and airtight coal stoves are not a good idea. My wood fireplace insert has a 2-stage door latch. The first stage allows the door to open about an inch and a half. You then have to reverse the latch direction to let the door open fully. I always thought that was to keep smoke from drafting back into the room, but it might also be a safety measure.

 

[Oldpath05]

Maybe there was some sort of gasification going on in the stove, if one fills the stove up at night with wood, then closes down the damper to much, all that wood smolders until morning, turning it into a fire box full of half burnt wood, then open the door, I don't know.

Something's that is known, the sons bedroom was downstairs>1st floor, 25 year's old with down syndrome, after a futile attempt to get the fire out down cellar, 911 was called, the wife Liz went to get her son out from his bedroom, Issac, he was a fairly good size person and in panic mode I guess, he would not get off the floor, Liz got out with some minor burns and severe smoke inhalation, some how the husband Steve got out from the cellar, Liz told him Isaac is still in the bedroom and wont come out, Steve ran back in house to get Issac and being a big guy fell threw the burning floor, he was later found under the rubble. The fire dept. got there in time to drag Issac out, tried to revive him but couldn't, Liz was immediately taken away in ambulance, with burns and smoke inhalation.

This all took place last Monday morning, and just that, based on the Bible being true, they are now with the Lord......Pro.27>1

 

[RNeumann]

See post #4. We see this far too often. Get out and stay out. I know-easier said than done

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have no property insurance of any kind. I'm afraid I will do something stupid in a situation like that. Although I must say, I have suffered burns and know how fast that can happen and how long the recovery takes. The associated pain is immense.

 

[Oldpath05]

I have no property insurance of any kind. I'm afraid I will do something stupid in a situation like that. Although I must say, I have suffered burns and know how fast that can happen and how long the recovery takes. The associated pain is immense.

This is the exact reason why I posted this story, I wasn't going to, but I thought it might help us to be more aware of how things can get out of hand real quick with burning wood. I have some house insurance, but still dont want to deal with a house fire, I even gave my wood stove setup another look over. I think most people will risk their lives to save a family member, I've even seen people on a news story risk their lives at a highway car crashes with people they don't even know, car flips over, catches on fire, someone's trapped inside, people run over to get the guy/women out........sometimes it works out, sometimes it dont.