All posts by viking210

Arcata, CA – Fire in residence hall knocked down by sprinkler system; No injuries

At approximately 7:40 p.m. Friday Humboldt State University police (UPD) received a fire alarm activation at Alder Hall. At the same time Arcata Fire District was dispatched to the same location and for the same alarm. Upon further investigation, a University Police Department officer saw smoke coming from the first floor of Alder Hall and upgraded the alarm to a full fire alarm response.

The first engine on scene reported light-to-moderate white smoke coming from the first floor laundry room of Alder Hall. The fire crew made entry into the laundry room and reported it to be a dryer fire. After further investigation, the crew reported there was no fire; the sprinkler system had activated and knocked down the fire.

“There was heavy smoke in the room but, after we cleared it out, we realized the fire started because of a malfunctioning motor blowing unit inside the dryer” Fire Captain Nate Padula said.

There were no injuries reported and the student housing authorities are currently working on getting the students back into their apartments.

Arcata Fire District responded with two engines, one truck and two chief officers. Blue Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded as automatic aid with one engine and Humboldt Bay Fire Department responded as automatic aid with one engine and one chief officer. The University Police Department responded to the initial alarm and provided logistics after fire crews arrived on scene.

 

Cumberland, RI – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at business caused by charged batteries

Charged batteries shipped to a company that refurbishes electronic equipment “heated up to ignition temperature” and started a fire in the Cadillac Mills complex Thursday, Cumberland Fire Chief Kenneth A. Finlay said.  The fire, at Aztek Technologies, 30 Meeting St., Cumberland, was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system before firefighters arrived, Finlay said.

Firefighters were called to the mill, which has entrances on Meeting Street and Titus Street, at 5:16 p.m. Thursday. They found only smoke, water and a 24- by 36- by 18-inch cardboard box of batteries where the fire apparently started.  Some of the company’s product near the box of batteries had been damaged, he said.

Usually the company receives shipments of batteries that haven’t been charged, but the box contained live batteries, which Finlay attributed to a packing error. Employees of the many businesses in the mill complex evacuated when the alarm sounded, including 10 from Texcel Industries, which makes military and camouflage webbing.  No one was injured.

The building sustains some water damage because firefighters had trouble turning off the sprinkler system, Finlay said.

Firefighters from the Saylesville fire company in Lincoln assisted with a ladder truck.

 

Daytona Beach, FL – Mattress fire at residential building put out by sprinkler system

Firefighters responded to a mattress fire at the Three Oaks Inn at 331 S. Palmetto Ave. about 12:40 a.m. Wednesday. The fire is believed to have started because of someone smoking in bed, Daytona Beach fire spokeswoman Julie Maddux said. The building’s sprinkler system put the fire out. About 35 people were displaced. The displaced residents were assisted by the Red Cross.

Tampa, FL – Early morning arson fire at business extinguished by sprinkler system

An early morning fire at the Hookah Hut in South Tampa today has been ruled an arson, firefighters said. Tampa Fire Rescue responded to the business, 3215 Henderson Blvd., at 6:19 a.m. and found that the fire had already been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system, according to a release from the agency.

The Fire Marshal arrived to investigate and found that the front and rear doors of the business showed signs of forced entry, the release said.  The Fire Marshal also discovered that the fire started in multiple places and found an unknown liquid with a strong odor. 

Tampa Fire Rescue’s HAZMAT team was called in to investigate the liquid. About $20,000 in damage was caused to the building and contents, firefighters said. Firefighters continue to investigate.

Anyone with information should contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at (813) 274-7000 or use the anonymous tips page at www.tampagov.net/arsontips. Rewards of up to $2,500 or more are available for information leading to an arrest.

Carbondale, CO – Suspected arson fire at non-profit organization is suppressed by sprinkler system

A fire apparently set on purpose at Carbondale’s Third Street Center early Wednesday may be linked to a fruitless bank break-in that also happened overnight. “The fire was suspicious in origin, and we don’t think it was accidental,” said Rob Goodwin, Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection District deputy chief.

Linda Taylor, executive director of the Center for Independence, based in Grand Junction, said officials told her that the fire at her organization’s Carbondale office was set on purpose.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation was helping Carbondale fire and police officials with the investigation.

In a twist, Police Chief Gene Schilling said authorities think the fire may be related to a break-in at the ANB Bank at 409 Dolores Way.

Here’s how the night unfolded

Firefighters and police responded at 1:30 a.m. to the Third Street Center, 520 S. Third, to find smoke coming from a window on the east side of the building. Audible alarms and flashing lights were going off, and a neighbor had already extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived.

“It was pretty much out, but the building was full of smoke” when the Fire Department got there, Goodwin said.

A couple hours later, at 3:55 a.m., police responded to an alarm at ANB Bank to find glass broken in both sets of entry doors.

“It appears that a suspect entered the bank but did not take anything,” police said in a statement.

The break-in suspect is described as tall and thin and was wearing black clothing.

At the Third Street Center “there’s more water damage than fire damage,” Goodwin said.

“This fire reinforces the fact that fire sprinkler systems really do work,” he said. “Having a sprinkler system in place prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the Third Street Center and causing further damage.”

The fire did not spread beyond the center’s office, but it was unknown when the nonprofit will be able to reopen.

No one was injured, and no loss amount had been determined.

Evansville, IN – Sprinkler system credited with limiting damage in overnight fire at Aramark Uniform Services

A sprinkler system credited with saving an Evansville business from an overnight fire. It happened at Aramark Uniform Services on Florence Street just past midnight Wednesday morning. It took about 30 minutes to get the fire under control. Investigators say the fire was started by some sort of chemical reaction.

Thanks to the sprinkler system, damage was limited to mostly smoke and water. We’re told nobody was inside at the time and no firefighters were injured.

Chapel Hill, NC – Home cooking-related fire put out by sprinkler system

A sprinkler system extinguished a cooking-related fire Tuesday at a home in the Southern Village Neighborhood in Chapel Hill. Just before 1 p.m., Chapel Hill fire received a call from an alarm monitoring company reporting a fire at 500 Market Street.

Six trucks responded to the call as a sprinkler system was able to put the fire out. Responding fire fighters worked to ensure the fire was out. Chapel Hill fire officials said the cause of the fire was cooking related. No one was injured in the incident.

Decatur, IL – Sprinkler system controls laundry fire at downtown commercial building

The Decatur Fire Department says firefighters responded to a small fire at a building in downtown Decatur Tuesday morning. The Decatur Fire Chief tells WAND News that crews responded to a fire in the laundry room on the basement floor of One Main Place. The fire chief says the building’s sprinkler system helped keep the fire under control until crews arrived, at which point the fire was extinguished.

The fire chief also says smoke caused from the fire resulted in the evacuation of everyone in the building. West Main Street was also temporarily closed off while crews responded to the scene.

Rantoul, IL – Fire in filtration system at manufacturing plant contained by sprinkler system

Employees at a Rantoul industrial plant were evacuated from the building Monday morning when fire broke out in a filtration unit. One employee at the Eagle Wings plant in the industrial park complained of smoke inhalation but refused to be transported to a hospital, Rantoul Fire Chief Ken Waters said.

He said embers in a filtration system caught filters on fire, filling the plant with smoke. The plant’s sprinkler system contained the fire, and employees were allowed to return to the plant. Firefighters used a high-velocity fan to pull the smoke out of the building.

Waters said the fire damaged 64 filters. He said the plant’s head of maintenance indicated it will be five days before new filters can be brought in, but production will not be limited because filters from another part of the plant will be used. Firefighters received the call at 8:56 a.m. and cleared the scene about 90 minutes later.

Eleven firefighters responded with a ladder truck, engine and rescue unit. No dollar estimate of damage was available.

Rockford, IL – Apartment kitchen fire contained by sprinkler system; No injuries

A grease fire before 4:30 p.m. Saturday broke out at the Zion Development apartment complex, 1055 E. State St., a Rockford Fire Department incident report said.

Rockford Fire Department firefighters found fire in the kitchen of a fifth-floor apartment contained by the building sprinkler system. Occupants of damaged apartments were relocated to other areas of the apartment building.

Rockford fire investigators listed the fire as accidental. No injuries were reported. Twenty-one firefighters participated in the fire response and cleanup activities.