Firefighters stop blaze early at Monroe house

MONROE - A house fire believed to have spread from a chimney pipe was extinguished with no injuries reported at a township home last week.

Carole and John Harchar, of Carlton Avenue, were home and using their fireplace around 8:08 p.m. Nov. 15 when they noticed a smoke condition and flickering lights, police said. Melting electrical lines in the wall where the fire had started was causing the flickering.

The couple called 911 and immediately exited the home, according to police.

Police, firefighters and emergency medical service workers arrived, and firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, which were located in a portion of the garage roof and a wall joining the garage to the house.

The house suffered minor smoke damage, police said. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation, but fire officials believe it originated in the aluminum chimney pipe meant to expel smoke from the fireplace.