PARIS – A chimney fire damaged the home of Frank Zimmerman on 526 Ryerson Hill Road on Wednesday morning.

Fire Chief Bradley Frost said creosote buildup in the chimney caused the fire, which was called in at 11:15 a.m. Flames were showing inside the house when the first firefighters arrived, he said.

Frost said firefighters had to tear out some of the roof rafters around the chimney to extinguish the fire.

Zimmerman and his wife were inside the single-story, wood-frame house with a friend at the time, but everyone got out safely, Frost said.

He said unburned gases going up the chimney ignited creosote near the top of the chimney. “You get it a lot on a warm day, or when you don’t open up the stove,” he said.

Frost had no estimate of the loss, but said the entire roof of the house will probably have to be replaced. The home is insured.

Norway Fire Department assisted Paris firefighters at the scene, and PACE Ambulance stood by.

Frost said Wednesday’s fire is the 15th his department has responded since the new year. Paris had 193 fire calls last year, he said.