[The Toll]

What's a chimney fire? Isn't it built for flame?
Sounds to me like it wasn't much of a fire anyway. I would have told the fire dept. to get lost also. If they refused then I could see where there would be trouble.
This man will never see his property again.

[ctdonath2]

What's a chimney fire? Isn't it built for flame?

A chimney is built for smoke, not flame. A chimney fire is actually a dangerous condition where built-up creosote ignites, raises the temperature of the chimney dramatically, and begins cracking the masonry and flames start moving thru the cracks and into the house frame. A very real and very dangerous event.