All posts by viking210

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Pierre, SD – Hotel boiler room fire extinguished by sprinkler system

The Pierre Fire Department spent about an hour at the Clubhouse Inn and Suites early this morning after fire alarms sounded in the building around 1:30 a.m.  Pierre Fire Chief Ian Paul says when firefighters arrived at the hotel, light smoke was noted in a boiler room near the pool area on the building’s main floor. 

Paul says a small fire had occurred and that produced enough heat to trip the fire sprinkler suppression system.  Paul credits the system with putting the fire out before it spread.  Guests were temporarily evacuated into the hotel’s lobby until it was determined the fire was completely extinguished.

Paul says he doesn’t have an estimate of damage to the boiler and says water damage from the sprinkler system was confined to the area near the fire and was not extensive.  Firefighters remained at the hotel for a time to make sure the fire was completely out.  As for the cause, Paul says it appears to have been an electrical malfunction in the unit, but says the establishment’s insurance company will investigate further.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Merrifield, MN – Sprinklers contain fire at metal stamping business to front entry

Five fire departments quickly mobilized Tuesday night to tackle what could have been a commercial structure nightmare, but a sprinkler system did its work. Flames were visible out the front entrance of a two-story vestibule at Clow Stamping. The fire was reported at 9:04 p.m. Tuesday.

Twyla Flaws, Clow Stamping personnel manager, said at least 70 employees were working in the plant at the time and evacuated without incident. The fire call came between shifts as another crew comes in for the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift. Flaws said it’s not unusual for the 10 p.m. crew members to arrive early and she thought one of those early arrivals may have been the one to spot the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Pasadena, TX – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system

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** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Department Reported **
On Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 7:34 pm, the Pasadena Fire Department responded to a reported Automatic Fire Alarm at 3271 Shaver Street in Pasadena.  Upon their arrival firefighters were advised that it was a false alarm but that the water flow alarm was also activated.

Investigation by fire department personnel revealed that there had been a small fire in the kitchen of one of the apartment units which activated a single sprinkler head and extinguished the fire. No Injuries were reported. Fire damage was confined to the top of the stove and the cooking container and water damage was confined to the apartment of origin. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental.

This incident shows the importance of an automatic fire sprinkler system and demonstrates that if the building did not have an automatic sprinkler system, the outcome could have been completely different.

Furthermore there is no doubt whatsoever that at the very least the presence of a sprinkler system saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and property loss to the building owners and potentially prevented citizens and firefighters from being injured or killed.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Durham, NH – Fire at University of New Hampshire contained with help from sprinklers

A small oven fire broke out in Rudman Hall at the University of New Hampshire on Sunday evening.  Durham Fire Chief Corey Landry said the department received a call about a fire in an oven on the third floor of Rudman Hall around 7:25 p.m. Located on College Road, Rudman Hall is home to the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture.

Landry said the caller was using a commercial-sized oven and had placed plastic tubes inside. Landry could not comment what the caller was doing specifically with the tubes.   The tubes had melted and started a small fire, but it was contained to the oven, Landry said. The fire set off the sprinkler system, but the water was drained through drains in the floor.

Landry said the building was evacuated, but there was no one inside. The only damage sustained was to the plastic tubes.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Beaumont, TX – Sprinkler douses fire at Candlewood Suites; Guests return to rooms within the hour

At approximately 8:00 AM, Beaumont Fire Rescue units responded to KJP Hospitality Hotel located at 5355 Clearwater Court.   When firefighters arrived, they found a fire in a room on the first floor.  The sprinkler system had activated and controlled the fire, confining it to a small area of one room but there was smoke throughout the first floor.

The manager reported there were 30 rooms occupied at the time of the fire.   All occupants were able to evacuate without injury. The fire appears to have been caused by a heating unit attached to a massage bed.   The smoke was cleared and occupants were allowed to return to their rooms within the hour.

Apartment Building, Residential

Knoxville, TN – Sprinkler contains apartment fire to stovetop area

Knoxville Fire Department responded to an apartment on fire at the Lyons Den Apartments off of Valley View Road in North Knoxville. When firefighters arrived, they found that a ceiling sprinkler had gone off and contained the damage to the stovetop area where the fire started.  Firefighters plugged and replaced the sprinkler head.

The fire department tweeted today from its official account that a sprinkler had done its job and saved them a lot of work.

A sprinkler head does its job, contains fire

Other / Not Specified

Savannah, GA – Sprinklers keep parking garage fire from spreading

According to Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police, Whitaker Street was closed at Bay Street for about an hour on Friday night, while Savannah Fire worked a vehicle fire in the Whitaker Street Parking Garage. According to Savannah Fire’s Public Information Officer, Mark Keller, an SUV caught fire on the lower level of the garage, triggering the garage sprinkler system, which prevented the fire from spreading. One nearby vehicle may have received minor damage.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Calgary, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system controls fire at plastics recycling plant; Fire crews extinguish blaze

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Calgary Fire Department crews were called to plastic recycling plant Carpenter Canada Co. in the 5880 block of 36th Street S.E. just before 2 a.m. last Friday. When they arrived, firefighters found smoke pouring from the building.

They managed to extinguish the fire, and credit an in-building sprinkler system for keeping the blaze in check before they arrived. Once the fire was extinguished, crews still had concerns about whether air quality would be impacted, as burning plastic can release toxic gases. However, fire officials say the air gradually cleared up.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Norfolk, VA – Sprinkler system activates after fire at senior high-rise living center

The Red Cross is helping nearly 150 people after a fire at a high rise senior living center in Norfolk. Investigators say the fire started in a sixth floor kitchen at Braywood Manor,  a high rise senior living center in Norfolk, at around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Electrical service will remain off in areas of the building where the sprinkler system went off until repairs are made, said Battalion Chief Julian Williamson. 

Firefighters found moderate smoke in the hallway and found one apartment filled with smoke. The fire remains under investigation.  Four residents were evaluated at the scene and two were taken to the hospital with medical conditions unrelated to the fire, added Williamson. In all, the Red Cross says it’s supporting 142 people, 52 of whom needed lodging assistance.

 “Our team provided the displaced residents a safe place to stay, snacks and comfort items,” said Red Cross Communications Officer Jonathan McNamara. “We are currently working with fire officials, apartment management and the families to determine next steps so we can continue to aid the residents in their recovery.

Office Building, Other Business

Louisville, KY – Sprinklers help minimize damage in fire at GE facility

No one was injured in a fire at GE Appliances, located in the 4000 block of Buechel Bank Road. The fire started at 8 p.m. Firefighters said the sprinkler system activated. The fire was in the Global Customer Center, it’s also known as Building 35, and was contained in 25 minutes. The Okolona fire chief said no production was impacted and damage was in a small area of the GE Appliance Park building.

The Global Customer Center houses research and technology and also serves as a place for big GE customers to view the latest appliances in a showroom. Four fire departments responded to the fire. They include: Okolona, Buechel, Camp Taylor and Highview.