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At 2:44 PM on February 24 the Duluth Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire on 118 Howard Gnesen Road.  First arriving company 4 Quint reported smoke coming from the house. 

Once inside the house they found that the fire was actually burning in the structural framing around a metal asbestos chimney and was spreading through a concealed space in the first floor ceiling and up the outside wall of the house.  Fire crews used axes and pike poles to gain access to the concealed spaces and used hose streams to extinguish the fire.

The damage from the fire spread to all three levels of the home.  Damage estimates are $50,000 for the building and $20,000 for contents. There were no injuries to any people or animals living in the home.  No firefighters were injured during the firefighting effort.  The occupants will not be able to stay in the home until repairs are made. 

The Duluth Fire Marshall's Office has determined the cause of the fire to be charring and ignition of the wood framing around a chimney used for a wood stove installation.