An over-stoked fireplace sparked a fire at one Stevens Point home Thursday morning but authorities say the damages could have been a lot worse.
When units responded to the home on N. Brilowski road, the fire had spread from an island fireplace to a wall when a wooden support overheated. No injuries were reported but Hull Fire Chief Mark Kluck says similar fires are an all-too-common occurrence in the winter.
"When it's this cold people stoke the wood burners or their fireplaces to heat their homes," Kluck said. "Extended heat like that will build up on studs or 2x4s and could cause degradation and a fire to start."
Chief Kluck says the fire had been stoked for the past five days and may have been a full-blown structure fire if someone wasn't at home at the time.
He encourages homeowners to feel the walls near fireplaces for unusual amounts of heat.
