All posts by viking210

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Clearfield, UT – Sprinkler system suppresses fire at trailer manufacturer

 A destructive structure fire was avoided early Saturday morning due to a business’s water suppression system.  At 8:11 a.m., North Davis Fire District responded to a fire alarm at trailer manufacturer, Utility Trailer, in Clearfield, located at 1111 S. 1000 West. When crews arrived, water and smoke were coming from the east side of the building, according to a press release from North Davis Fire District.

About 500 employees working at the time, had already been evacuated and set up outside at meeting points designated by Utility Trailer.  Firefighters found a 40-foot trailer had been destroyed by the blaze. The release states the sprinkler system in the building kept the flames from expanding.

There was damage to two trailers: one by fire and the other by water from the sprinkler system, according to the release.  The cost of damage was estimated at $50,000.  “If not for the water suppression system working, this business could have been devastated and could possibly experienced loss of life,” the release states.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Billings, MT – Fire in storage room of university gymnasium extinguished by sprinkler system

Billing firefighters responded to a fire in a storage room at Montana State University Billings’ Alterowitz Gym, 1500 University Drive, on Thursday evening.  The fire was contained to physical education equipment and the storage room sustained smoke damage, said Deputy Fire Marshal Trever Schilling. The fire was reported at about 6:13 p.m. Electrical wiring failed, igniting nearby combustibles.

A sprinkler system extinguished the fire and minimized damages to the building and contents. The fire was accidental and damages are estimated at $1,000. The property is insured.

 

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Hamden, CT – Sprinkler system keeps fire at high school from spreading

Hamden High School students were briefly evacuated Friday after fire broke out in the nursery/daycare room, fire officials said. No one was injured as a result of the fire, but one teacher did suffer a minor injury attempting to open a window to help clear smoke from the building, a fire official said.

The fire was reported at 7:41 a.m. in the south end of the building. The Hamden High School administration and staff had already started with an orderly evacuation of all students, assisted by both HHS security and Hamden Police Officers, fire officials said in a news release.

The evacuation was taking place as the first HFD apparatus arrived on scene. The entire student body was relocated to the football stadium away from fire department activity. Fire officials said an activated sprinkler head in the nursery helped contain the fire, which was extinguished at 7:53 a.m.

Water damage from the activated sprinkler and fire department suppression was limited to the room or origin and adjacent hallway. The structure was ventilated to remove smoke and the products of combustion.

The entire school was metered by HFD personnel to ensure the safety of the atmosphere, according to the news release. At 8:55 a.m. students were allowed back to class. Hamden Fire Marshal Brian Dolan concluded that the area of fire origin was the stove in the nursery/day care room.

During this event, a second but unrelated fire was reported in an electrical shed adjacent to the Louis Astorino Skating Rink located at 595 Mix Avenue (in the rear of Hamden High School).  This secondary alarm was reported at 8:04 a.m. by the Hamden Public Works Electrician working on scene, and was brought quickly under control by the responding units.

Deputy Fire Marshal Tim Lunn is investigating the fire, which appears to have originated in the electrical panel that controls the outdoor lighting at the facility. There were no injuries at this event.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

St. Augustine, FL – Fire in ballroom at resort hotel quickly put out by sprinkler system

Multiple fire crews were called to the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort and Convention Center during an active evacuation Thursday night, fire officials said. Firefighters confirmed that there was a fire in one of the convention ballrooms and found smoke, according to a post on the St. Johns County Fire Rescue Facebook page.

Alarms went off inside the hotel at 8:15 p.m. and the sprinkler system promptly put out the fire, officials said. Crews said they had to perform smoke removal, salvage and overhaul. The ballroom did suffer damage, according to officials. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Madison, WI – Residential high-rise fire limited by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

The Madison Fire Department says the automatic fire sprinkler system kept a fire in the YWCA building from spreading.

Firefighters were called to the building at 101 E. Mifflin Street just before 5 p.m. Saturday evening. The fire department says the fire was in the fifth floor hallway. The first unit in found heavy smoke on the fifth floor, so firefighters activated a second alarm. With the help of the sprinklers, fire crews had the fire under control by about 5:15 p.m.

Everyone who lived in the building was able to return. The Madison Fire Department says the Red Cross helped some families with emergency needs and Metro Transit provided a bus for residents to stay warm while the building was evacuated.

Damage is estimated at $25,000.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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UPDATE (WKOW) — Fire Chief Steven Davis on the scene says the fifth floor of the YWCA, where the fire was located, is residential housing.  The people there have been evacuated.   No one’s been asked to leave the rest of the building, however. 

Crews were able to put out the fire. No injuries are reported – though there is some water damage. 

Investigators on the scene are trying to determine the cause and when the fifth-floor residents can be let back in. 

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MADISON (WKOW) — Madison firefighters are responding to a second alarm at the downtown YWCA location. 

The fire department supervisor on duty says the call came in just before 5:00 p.m. for smoke coming from the fifth floor of the structure at 101 E. Mifflin.

Residential, Single Family Home

Ventura, CA – Fire in single family home contained by residential sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Crews responded to a fire at a home Friday afternoon in Ventura, officials said.  The incident was reported fire just after 3:50 p.m. in the 100 block of South Dunning Street, according to the city of Ventura Fire Department.

Upon arrival, crews found a fire in the kitchen on the second floor of a home and had it extinguished within 10 minutes, officials said. A sprinkler system was activated as a result of the fire and contained it, but caused water damage on both floors of the residence. Three adults were displaced as a result of the fire, officials said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  There are two homes on the property where the incident was reported, authorities said. The fire was in a house behind the main house, authorities said.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Brampton, ON, Canada – Fire in 800,000 ft² Unilever warehouse extinguished by sprinkler system

Sprinklers are being credited with averting a potentially major fire at a massive warehouse in Brampton Wednesday night.  Flames broke out under some racking in the 800,000-square-foot Unilever building on Airport Road south of Steeles Avenue East around 10:30 p.m.

Firefighters were called to the warehouse, where they had to force open a rear door closest to the fire. But the building’s sprinkler system had been trigged, and extinguished the blaze. Damage was limited to 40 skids out of potentially millions of dollars worth of product, which includes soap and mayonnaise, according to Platoon Chief Gord Fowler.

“That type of fire is very difficult to fight,” Fowler noted, saying getting hose lines into a large, enclosed area like that is one of the many issues firefighters face in such a situation. Employees inside the building were evacuated and no injuries were reported.   It’s a good news stories that highlights the effectiveness of sprinklers, Fowler said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Rome, NY – Apartment kitchen fire put out by sprinkler system

No one was injured after food left on a stove resulted in a fire at Liberty Gardens Wednesday morning.  Fire officials said the residents of Apartment 711 accidentally left food unattended on the stove shortly before 8:30 a.m.

The flames spread from the stove top to the oven hood and the upper exhaust hood before the apartment’s sprinkler system put it out, the Rome fire officials added. The fire was out by the time crews arrived on the scene.

The firefighters checked to make sure the fire hadn’t spread further, and helped to clear the water out of the apartment.

 

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Alhambra, IL – Arson fire at nursing home extinguished by sprinkler system

An Alhambra, Illinois woman was arrested for arson in connection to a fire at the Hitz Memorial Home, 201 Belle Street, that occurred Wednesday evening.

Firefighters responded to a call for a fire at the location at 9 p.m. The fire was contained to two inner rooms within the nursing home and extinguished by the facility’s fire sprinkler system. The damage to the two rooms was extensive. Other rooms suffered serious smoke and water damage.

One employee suffered minor smoke inhalation while clearing out patients. She was treated at the scene.  Ten nursing home patients were displaced from their rooms due to the fire. The home has made accommodations for them.

Around 10 p.m., the Illinois State Police received a phone call from a resident at the independent living portion of the Hitz Memorial Home, who reported she started the fire.

Police say Linda J. Braun, 67, admitted that she deliberately started the fire. She told police that she was angry over staff members trying to boss her around. Braun told the investigating deputy that she started the fire in an empty room and didn’t intend to hurt anyone. The fire was started in the nursing home, separate from the independent living facility Braun lived in.

Braun is currently held at the Madison County Jail. She is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Metropolis, IL – Overnight fire at uniform business controlled with help from sprinkler system

The Illinois State Fire Marshal is looking for the cause of an overnight fire at a Metropolis business.  The fire alarm system at Aramark Uniform Services alerted firefighters around 2:00 a.m. to a fire at the business located at 5317 Industrial Park Drive in Metropolis. 

Firefighters say there was heavy smoke when they arrived on the scene, but no flames were showing.  The business’ sprinkler did go off before firefighters arrived.

The Metropolis Fire Department called for manpower help from Massac County and a mobile ventilation air unit to help fight the fire.  Crews were able to knock down the flames quickly, and contain the fire to one area of the building.  Firefighters say they don’t believe anyone was in the building when the fire broke out, and no one was hurt.