DENVER --
A Mesa County man called 911 for help after his wood-burning stove started a chimney fire, but then refused to let firefighters put the fire out, opting to do it himself.
According to the report in the Grand Junction Sentinel, Timothy Winegardner wouldn't let firefighters help him as he climbed on the roof of his home in Orchard Mesa and started dismantling the chimney.
He called for help around 3:50 p.m. Sunday.
"The homeowner refused assistance with his wood stove fire," said Mesa County Sheriffs Department Sgt. Peter Schimek.
A crowd of dumbfounded firefighters and sheriff's deputies watched Winegardner dismantle his roof and spray water into it, the newspaper reported.
At one point, he tossed the top half of his metal chimney pipe off the roof, nearly hitting several firefighters standing below.
Winegardner used a garden hose to spray into the ripped-open roof.
He was still working on the roof late into the night.
Firefighters said they could have had the fire out in two minutes if they'd been allowed to help.
