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Bensalem, PA – (NO MEDIA COVERAGE) Two sprinklers halt car fire in parking garage

*** NO MEDIA COVERAGE — READER REPORTED ** A Sprinkler Saves reader reported that two sprinklers extinguished a car fire in the lower level parking garage of a 6 story building around 9:00 p.m. on January 20, 2016.

According to the reader, a passerby saw the fire, and called 911.

The fire company arrived on the scene within minutes, and witnessed the sprinkler heads activating and extinguishing the fire before any major damage was done.

Department Store, Retail

Shelby Township, MI – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in containing storage closet fire at Kohl’s store; No injuries

A fire inside a Kohl’s storage room early Wednesday afternoon prompted an evacuation and caused extensive smoke damage to the store and merchandise, according to the fire department. The fire ignited just before 1 p.m. inside a supply room at the back of Kohl’s at 25 Mile and Van Dyke, Fire Chief Jim Swinkowski said. There were no injuries reported.  “When our crews got there, they did encounter some heavy fire,” Swinkowski said.

The store was evacuated as soon as employees and customers saw smoke and the fire alarm sounded, Swinkowski said. The sprinkler system activated and fire personnel were able to extinguish the inferno before it spread beyond the storage room, which contained store supplies like signage and batteries.

“It did not spread to the rest of the store or the adjacent stores,” Swinkowski said of the fire. “But there was extensive smoke damage throughout Kohl’s.” Other stores at the shopping center include Target and Home Depot.

Kohl’s will remain closed Wednesday, Swinkowski said. The level of smoke damage to merchandise may make it difficult to reopen soon. “Anytime you’ve got smoke and you’re dealing with linens and clothing, they’re out there (in the store),” he said. “That is up to the Kohl’s loss prevention division to deal with that. It would be tough to be open (Thursday) but that’s not my area of expertise.”

Kohl’s representatives who answered the phone at the store Wednesday refused to comment.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is not considered suspicious, he said.

“We’re just beginning our investigation now so we will not know for some time,” Swinkowski said.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Wauwatosa, WI – Laundry dryer fire at Dave & Buster’s contained by sprinkler system; 2nd save in Wauwatosa in one week

For the second time in a week, a functioning sprinkler system is credited with preventing significant fire damage to a Wauwatosa business.

The Wauwatosa Fire Department responded to an automatic fire alarm at Dave & Buster’s, 2201 N. Mayfair Road, around 2:10 a.m. Jan. 25. Fire crews found smoke in the business’ kitchen and storage area and found a large, commercial dryer with an active fire inside, according to a news release.

The fire was quickly extinguished by fire crews, according to the release. An automatic fire sprinkler system contained the fire and smoke damage to the area using just one sprinkler head.

The exact cause of the fire is unknown but appears to have started with the contents inside the dryer. The Wauwatosa Health Department was contacted and assisted the business owner with cleaning requirements for reopening the kitchen.

Damage estimates were not immediately available. Dave & Buster’s was able to reopen by lunch time Monday

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant, Retail

Hermosa Beach, CA – Sprinkler system helps control pizza shop fire; Neighboring businesses spared

The Hermosa Beach Fire Department responded to a fire inside Pedone’s Pizza and Italian Food, near 14th Street, about 6 a.m., said HBFD Capt. Mike Garofano. Authorities were alerted to the fire by an alarm linked to the restaurant’s automatic sprinkler system, Garofano said. Four engines, one truck and a battalion chief from HBFD responded to the blaze, and the sprinkler system was keeping the fire in check when they arrived.

Because the business was closed, firefighters had to break down the business’ front door to fight the fire, Garofano said. Units from fire departments in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance arrived shortly thereafter, and the group knocked down the fire after about 15 minutes. As of 9 a.m. Monday morning, Pedone’s was sealed off with red caution tape. There were no visible marks to the exterior, but the smell of burnt wood lingered in the air.

Pedone’s Pizza is one of several businesses located in the structure at 1332 Hermosa Ave., including a Pilates studio across a common hallway, but damage from the fire was confined to the restaurant, Garofano said. No one was injured in the blaze.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation, Garofano said. Standard procedure requires bringing in an arson investigator to examine heat signatures and determine the blaze’s point of origin. Initial examination suggests an electrical fire, but this has not been confirmed

Apartment Building, Residential

Henrico, VA – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No other apartments affected

Crews responded to a kitchen fire at an apartment complex in Henrico’s Northside. It happened around 4 p.m. in the 5500 block of Cliffbrook Circle, near Brook Road and I-95.  Officials say someone in the apartment was cooking at the time and left the stove briefly unattended. When she came back, the pan caught on fire and the sprinkler immediately went off, extinguishing the fire.

The fire was marked under control and was determined as “accidental in nature and caused by cooking in the kitchen.” The woman who was cooking was evaluated on scene but not taken to the hospital. Everyone who was in the apartment made it out ok and will be displaced for a short period of time. Two women are being assisted by the American Red Cross, according to fire officials.

No other apartments were affected in the fire.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Stillwater, OK – Sprinklers prevent overnight fire from spreading at popular restaurant

A small kitchen fire at El Vaquero early Sunday morning has forced the restaurant to temporarily close. A pot with oil in it was left on a lit gas burner after all the employees had gone home for the day, according to General Manager Gustavo Villasenor, who Monday said he may need to get more strict with his closing procedures.

The hood above the stove and ventilation system suffered the brunt of the damage from the fire, which started about midnight Sunday morning, about an hour after the last employee had left for the night. Villasenor said a sprinkler system above the stove turned on and prevented the fire from spreading.

Fire Marshal Neal Moore said the fire was pretty much out when firefighters arrived on scene. This isn’t the first time the business has been impacted by fire.

A 2003 electrical fire in the walls of the Mexican restaurant forced them to close for a year as they worked to rebuild the front of the building. “I feel fortunate that it wasn’t worse and that everybody is okay,” Villasenor said.

If all goes well with the cleanup effort and minor repairs, Villasenor said he hopes to reopen Wednesday evening or Thursday in time for lunch.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Portland, OR – Sprinkler system contains parking garage fire at Oregon Health & Science University

Officials say no one was injured in a parking structure fire at OHSU Saturday. The fire was reported around 7 p.m. inside an underground parking garage in the 800 block of SW Campus Drive. The fire was contained to just one car thanks in part to a sprinkler system. The cause of the fire has not yet been released.

Other - Retail, Retail

Grandview, MO – Suspicious fire at surplus store put out by automatic fire sprinkler system

Grandview police and arson officials investigated a suspicious fire at a local business on Friday, according to authorities. Police responded to an intrusion alarm at Patriot Surplus at 1227 East 119th St. in Grandview about 6:40 p.m.  A fire alarm came from the same location and officers found that a “small, suspicious fire” had been put out by the building’s sprinkler system, according to police.

Police said it appeared that someone had forced their way into the building. Damage from the fire was minimal and contained within an office in the building. The fire was being investigated by Grandview Fire Department arson investigators and Grandview police detectives.

Anyone with information about the fire was asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Porterville, CA – Patio fire at senior apartment complex held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire sprinklers on the patio of an apartment at Santa Fe Plaza, a housing complex on North Third Street in Porterville, prevented a fire from spreading Friday afternoon. “This is one of the places we’re always concerned about because of the number of residents,” said City Fire Battalion Chief Glen Hall.

The fire began on the patio of a first-floor apartment, but was contained by the overhead sprinklers. “The fire was held in check by the sprinkler system,” said Hall, adding that it appeared to be contained to a box on the patio and the structure was not burned at all.  Also, the sprinkler only activated on the patio, so there was no water damage to the apartment or any other part of the complex.

However, smoke filled the first floor of the north wing of the complex and the alarm sent more than a dozen residents outside. “I saw smoke billowing … and I grabbed my cat and split,” said resident Sharon Ritchie, who stood outside with several other residents as firefighters inspected the building and worked to clear the smoke.

“I heard the alarm go off and the hallway was full of smoke,” added Norma Fox who lives jus a few doors down from where the fire stated. The fire was reported at about 1:50 p.m. and the city had a full response with five engines, including a ladder truck, and one engine from the county. More than a dozen firefighters were joined by two Porterville police officers who assisted residents out of the smoke-filled complex. One lady in a motorized chair waited outside until a firefighter brought her dog to her. Seeing her dog brought a big smile to her face.

Medical personnel were called to the scene to check out the residents, but no one was injured or sickened by the smoke. One lady said she was winded after walking down three flights of stairs. Hall said the fire was still smoldering when firefighters arrived and they extinguished it at that time. He said there are 105 apartments in the complex, but only the north wing was affected by the fire.

The residents, including the one who lived in the apartment where the fire occurred, were allowed to return to their apartments after about 45 minutes outside. The cause of the fire is under investigation