Something fallen down behind my gas fire- help!

Kaz2904

Something's fallen down our chimney and it's going to die if we can't get it out. It's been scrabbling around for days and we don't know what to do.
The fire's going when we redecorate so not bothered about that but being gas don't know what to do?
Is there any way to turn off the gas so that we can rip out the fireplace to try and save whatever it is?
What would you guys do?

recyclingbox

hi this happened to us last summer - something was behind the fire for two or three days. i finally managed to move the fire sufficiently to get my hand behind and there was a young magpie! it just let me grab hold of it - it was close to death, anyway rescued the !!!!!!, took him outside washed all the soot off it gave it some food and water. it staggered around the garden for a bit then flew off. :T a happy bird and a happy man. marvellous. then all i had to do was fix the gas fire back getting the seal airtight wasn't easy all in all about 5 hours to resuce a little bird. still if it had died behind the fire the smell would have been awful!

Rescuing it is a matter of opportunity and conscience. it is up to you. although with summer coming up and you are removing the fire soon anyway what harm is their in pulling it off the wall completely. there may well be a gas tap/valve somewhere near the fire. turn off the main supply before you start too much fiddling. if in doubt get a CORGI in. better to be safe than level the street...

recycler

maninthestreet

If it dies behind the fire, it's going to start smelling a bit.

emweaver

and youll get maggots eugh, we had a dead bird behind our gas fire when i was a child we only disocvered it when we saw the maggots. didnt smell mind but omg how horrible when we moved the fire out.