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Norfolk, VA – No injuries in off-campus apartment fire at Old Dominion University contained by sprinklers

A total of 198 people were displaced Monday after a fire at The District apartment complex near Old Dominion University. There were no injuries , Fire-Rescue spokesman Bill Tull said, but a section of the building where the fire took place was shut down for the night.

When firefighters got to the complex on 39th Street in midafternoon, Tull said, they encountered smoke on the fourth floor. He said a small pan of food had caught fire in one of the units, activating the sprinkler system. Water pooled on the fourth floor and flowed down into the lower floors, Tull said. It also reached the complex’s electrical system, and occupants were evacuated.

Firefighters were trying to mitigate water damage, and officials were evaluating the damage overall. The District also called in its electrical contractor.

Fire-Rescue personnel were helping residents retrieve personal items until enough security personnel could take over.

Jalen Ford, maintenance technician for The District, said residents were either being moved to vacant rooms in the complex or sent to the Marriott on ODU’s campus. Ford said he didn’t know when residents would be able to return to their rooms.

“It shouldn’t be days or weeks,” he said. “As soon as they get the water out, they’re just making sure everything electrical is working, there’s no water in the electrical systems, and just making sure all the residents are safe. So as soon as they get all the water out, everything should be back to normal.”

An ODU spokesman and officials at the Marriott declined to comment on the relocation efforts.

 

Veronica Lyell, a senior at ODU, said she lived next door to the fourth-floor unit where the fire occurred.

Jerome, ID – Fire officials credit sprinkler system after early morning fire at market

Jerome fire officials are crediting a store’s fire suppression system for preventing what could have been a major disaster Sunday.

According to the City of Jerome fire crews were called to Ridley’s Family Market at around 6 a.m. to a report of a fire. Jerome Police arrived and found smoke and fire in a back room not open to the public. The store was quickly evacuated before fire crews arrived on scene. The fire spread quickly with help from combustible material inside the store. But, within several minutes the sprinkler system kicked in and halted the spread of the blaze.

Once fire crews arrived they searched for any hidden fires and didn’t find any. Investigators believe the fire was accidental. Officials say that the business was able to open several hours after the fire thanks to the sprinkler systems. The City of Jerome says this is the second building saved by a sprinkler system in the last 18 months.

Belcamp, MD – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in extinguishing fire at McDonald’s restaurant

A malfunctioning fryer operating system caused a fire in a McDonald’s restaurant in the Belcamp-Riverside area on Sunday afternoon, forcing the restaurant’s temporary closure, fire investigators said. The fire was reported at 4:55 p.m. by employees of McDonald’s No. 12138 in the 1300 block of Riverside Parkway, according to a notice of investigation from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The Abingdon Volunteer Fire Company responded and brought the fire under control in about 10 minutes, according to the Fire Marshal’s Office. Also responding were units from Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, Aberdeen Fire Department and Aberdeen Proving Ground, according to the Harford County Volunteer Fire & EMS Association.

“Crews encountered heavy fire on the interior attack,” the association posted on its Facebook page. After containing the fire to the interior of the building, crews continued to check for extension of the fire into walls and ceiling to extinguish hotspots, according to the post.

No injuries were reported, and the restaurant’s smoke alarms and sprinkler system functioned as intended, according to the notice of investigation. Damage is estimated at $5,000 to the structure and $25,000 to the contents, investigators said.  The Harford County Health Department is assisting with reopening procedures, the Fire Marshal’s Office said.

Eugene, OR – Apartment balcony fire contained by sprinkler system

Eugene/Springfield Fire units responded to an apartment fire at the Heron Meadows complex in west Eugene early Sunday morning. The call came in just after 5:40 a.m. Firefighters hurried to building 783 on Throne Drive. The apartment complex is just off Royal Street.

Fire officials say the fire was small and started on the balcony of a second-floor unity. The apartment’s sprinkler system contained the fire to just the balcony where crews extinguished the flames. Officials say no one was injured and the fire was accidental..

Seaside, CA – Sprinkler system keeps fire at In-N-Out Burger from spreading

A fire broke out at the new In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Seaside about 11 a.m. Sunday. Firefighters said someone threw oil in a trash can containing paper towels before the oil had enough time to cool down.  The restaurant is closed for the Easter holiday, so no one was inside when the fire started.

The restaurant’s emergency sprinkler system put out the fire and alerted the fire department. Restaurant officials have not said whether the business will be open Monday. The burger joint opened Tuesday

Richland, WA – Fire in storage room at hotel knocked down by sprinkler system

Firefighters have extinguished a fire reported just before noon Easter day at the Shilo Inn in Richland. They arrived to find guests being evacuated, said Richland Battalion Chief Ron Duncan.  A space heater in a second-floor maintenance room had malfunctioned and set fire to furniture and walls, he said.

Two fire sprinklers activated to control the fire before firefighters arrived and Richland firefighters quickly put it out, he said. The water from the sprinkler system damaged the reception area on the first floor below the maintenance room, but the business remains open, he said.

Far more damage could have been caused by the fire if the sprinklers had not activated, he said.

Olympia, WA – Sprinkler system knocks down fire at apartment complex

One family was displaced from an apartment at 1309 Fern St. SE in west Olympia late Friday after a fire, according to the Olympia Fire Department. Firefighters responded to reports of a kitchen fire and found that the sprinkler system had activated by the time they arrived. One resident sustained cuts to the hand after breaking open a glass door to access a fire extinguisher. No other injuries were reported.

Damage to the apartment was estimated at about $5,000. The fire likely was an electrical fire. The family is being assisted by the American Red Cross. The rest of the apartment complex was undamaged. The Olympia Fire Department responded to the fire with four engines, one ladder truck, two medic units and a command unit

La Mesa, CA – Car fire at apartment complex controlled with help from sprinkler system

A car fire at a La Mesa apartment complex was knocked down by a sprinkler system and quick work by firefighters before it could do any structural damage, Heartland fire officials said Saturday.

Firefighters from La Mesa, El Cajon and Cal Fire responded to the blaze shortly after 8 p.m. Friday at the Alterra Apartments in the 8700 block of Fletcher Parkway, according to Heartland Fire spokesman Sonny Saghera.

The fire sprinkler system was already activated when firefighters arrived within four minutes of being dispatched, Saghera said.

It took fire crews less than 10 minutes to get the car fire out and the sprinkler system off before any damage was done to the apartment units above the garage. There were no injuries, evacuations or water damage, and no damage to other vehicles. The cause and damage amount were not released by Heartland Fire.

San Antonio, TX – Storage room fire at Comfort Inn & Suites put out with help from sprinkler system

A storage fire at Northwest Side hotel displaced dozens of guests Thursday night, officials said Friday. The incident occurred just before 10 p.m. at the Comfort Inn & Suites found in the 6000 block of Interstate 10 West near Vance Jackson Road.

Firefighters said the fire started in a storage room on the top floor of the building. The sprinkler system helped put out the fire. Fire officials said the fire affected about 36 hotel rooms out of a total of 85 in the building.  Arson is investigating the cause of the fire.

Evanston, IL – No injuries in high-rise apartment fire extinguished by single sprinkler

A fire in a high-rise building can be one of the most frightening and dangerous incidents for any resident and one of the most challenging and complex operations for any fire department. Firefighters must contend with numerous factors like location of the fire beyond the reach of ground ladders, wind driven fires, tremendous manpower and resources needs, as well as the evacuation of residents.

On March 12, at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Evanston Fire Department responded to 1900 Sherman Ave. for the fire alarm activation. Upon arrival they were informed of a kitchen fire on the 11th floor with water flowing in the stairwell and smoke showing on the 11th floor.

The fire investigation team found that a kitchen fire in an 11th floor unit had been extinguished by a sprinkler head activation, allowing an invalid resident and guest of the unit to escape to safety into the hallway to await assistance. One resident was treated for smoke inhalation and transported to the local hospital for follow-up care. The Red Cross assisted three residents, who were displaced for two days.

It was just last November that the Cook County Housing Authority, under the direction of the Evanston Fire Prevention Bureau retrofitted 1900 Sherman Avenue with sprinklers throughout the building, including the residential units. “There is no doubt in my mind that the upgrade to the suppression system saved the day for us, but more importantly, the lives of the residents and limited the damage to this property,” stated Fire Chief Klaiber.

Evanston Fire had no report of injury to personnel.