Six people, seven animals displaced after house fire in Albemarle

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Six people and seven animals were displaced after a house fire in Albemarle County on Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday, March 17, just before 8 a.m., career and volunteer units from Albemarle County Fire Rescue responded to the 2000 block of Scottsville Road for a reported chimney fire.

Once on scene, units found smoke and fire coming from the chimney of a single-family house. Six people and seven animals were inside the home during the fire, but all were able to evacuate safely, according to fire officials.

There were no injuries reported, and the displaced residents are receiving help from the Red Cross.

The Albemarle County Fire Marshal's Office determined the fire started accidentally from the use of the chimney.

Officials want to remind community members of the following tips to ensure their home's heating equipment is inspected and used properly:

• Have your chimney inspected every year by a professional.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
• Establish a three-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires and space heaters.
• Turn off any portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Ensure your fireplace has a sturdy dcreen to prevent sparks from flying into the room. Make sure ashes are cool before putting them in a metal container, a safe distance from your home.
• Test smoke alarms within your home at least once a month.

For more information, visit Albemarle County's website here.