designed to be outside or in a building
Was at a fire today involving an outdoor wood boiler. When we (volunteer fire fighters) got there it was a total loss of the building the boiler was in. I don't know if I would consider one for myself after seeing what can go wrong. If the wind had been the wrong way he would have lost the house and maybe the barn. The fire spread to the shelter belt beside the boiler shed which could have gotten hairy because it's so dry and windy this year.
I'm not sure how much you can tell us here but I have a couple of questions:
Was the "outdoor wood boiler" safety tested and listed to be installed inside of a building?
Was it installed to meet all of the requirements regarding clearances to combustibles?
Did the chimney vent through the roof properly and as required per it's safety listing requirement?
Was all of the wood fuel for the system inside that same building?
Did the owner dispose of his ash properly?
I've seen where people put the "outdoor" units inside of structures where their safety listing requirements specifically prohibit this type of installation. Most "outdoor" units are not designed to be installed inside of buildings...they are free standing units that are designed to withstand the elements and actually be installed "outside." It would be nice to have more information on this to determine if an improper installation was the reason for the fire. Maybe you can tell us more after the investigation has concluded.
Thanks.