The Fireplace People on Rt. 73 in West Berlin, NJ did not install our fireplace properly. As a result, an ember fell through an opening in the firebox and ignited a wood support starting a fire that caused so much damage we were out of our house for 8 months. Had the metal strip required by the manufacturer been installed, the ember would have burned itself out without incident. Their engineer who was part of the fire investigation along with the fire department and their insurance company told everyone present at the end of the investigation that he never saw an installation like this. They also put the hearth on top of wall to wall carpet instead of cutting it out.