All posts by viking210

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Yuma, AZ – Fire at downtown eatery contained by sprinkler system

For the second time in as many months a sprinkler system had mostly extinguished a fire in a commercial building — this one in historic downtown Yuma — by the time firefighters arrived on scene.

Yuma Fire Department spokesman Mike Erfert said that just before 2 a.m. Monday, a water flow alarm was received, indicating the fire sprinkler system had activated at the Prison Hill Brewing Company, 278 S. Main St.

Erfert explained that once firefighters made their way inside the building they found that the fire had been contained and mostly extinguished by an activated sprinkler head.

Firefighters ensured the fire was completely out and assisted with cleanup. Damage from the fire was limited to a small area around a container of rags where the fire was believed to have originated.

Apartment Building, Residential

Dale City, VA – Sprinklers extinguish cooking fire at multi-family complex

On Monday evening, the Prince William Department of Fire & Rescue responded to the call at a multi-family complex building in Dale City.

Emergency personnel observed smoke, and called for a full structure fire response. 

The sprinkler system in the unit where the fire originated put out the fire on the stove and there was minor fire damage in the unit.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Meriden, CT – Hotel manager thankful that sprinkler system contained fire

An East Main Street hotel is undergoing repairs after an electrical fire Saturday night caused the building to be evacuated and the power shut off.

The fire shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday at the Hawthorn Suites at 1151 E. Main St. caused significant damage to the hotel. Fire Marshal Steve Trella said the fire broke out in two control rooms and was contained by the sprinkler system.

After city electricians and cleaning crews worked through the night, electricity was partially restored Sunday afternoon. General Manager Amit Arora said it could be a day or two before occupants are allowed back.

“Water always does more damage than fire but I’m just thankful (the sprinkler system) was able to control the fire and no one got hurt,” Arora said.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Wasilla, AK – Sprinklers keep porch fire from extending into assisted living structures

Firefighters responded to a blaze at an assisted living home near Wasilla early Monday afternoon. Matanuska Susitna Borough deputy emergency services director Casey Cook says that 20 residents and all staff were safely evacuated as firemen arrived at 2:30 pm. No injuries have been reported.

Initial reports indicate the fire started on the front porch of the home, although an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause. Cook says most of the fire damage affects a front porch and an upstairs apartment, while other parts of the building incurred smoke and water damage.

“There was an added on balcony on the second and half of the third floor, and that was pretty much demolished by the fire. The actual living structure was sprinklered, and so the sprinkler stopped a lot of fire extending into the actual living structures…”

Residential, Sorority / Fraternity

Pullman, WA – Sprinkler helps limit damage in fraternity house kitchen fire

Sunday morning at 6:00 a.m., members living in the Delta Tau Delta house [on the Washington State University campus]  were woken up by a fire alarm. Someone had left the stove on after cooking an early morning snack.

“The fire started here and it went to the back of the stove, it lit up,” said Sam Cook, Fraternity President.

Pullman Fire Department officials said the stove had a significant amount of built up grease that hadn’t been cleaned. “That provided a good fuel source for the fire and so once it got hot enough and ignited then away it went,” said Rick Dragoo, Fire Prevention Officer.

The grease flames activated the stove’s hood extinguisher and a nearby sprinkler.  “That kept it from moving into the exhaust system and out and possibly maybe even up the side of the house,” said Dragoo.

Apartment Building, Residential

Rochester, MN – Officials credit sprinkler system with saving apartment building

Officials believe a sprinkler system in an apartment building “definitely saved” the complex from more serious damage after a fire late Saturday.

A general flow alarm — which indicates the sprinkler system has been activated — came in about 10:40 p.m. Firefighters responded to 875 21st Ave. SE, where they found there had been an active fire in one of the apartments on the third floor.

They found a frying pan with oil in it, unattended on the stove, said Larry Mueller, assistant fire marshal. The initial flare-up triggered the overhead sprinkler, which eventually extinguished the flames.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Redmond, OR – Sprinkler system extinguishes overnight fire at race safety gear maker

A southeast Redmond business that makes safety gear for racers and track crews had one key piece of safety gear that saved it from serious fire damage early Thursday – a sprinkler system, officials said.

Redmond Fire & Rescue crews responded shortly before 3 a.m. to reported commercial structure fire at the business at 975 SE First Street, said Fire Marshal Traci Cooper.

Arriving crews found smoke in the structure but that a small fire had been put out by the building’s sprinkler system, Cooper said.

The fire apparently was caused by a light fixture that malfunctioned in the warehouse area, she said.

Cooper said the sprinkler system “did its job,” as the business sustained minimal damage, compared to what it could have been without it.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fargo, ND – Vehicle fire in garage of apartment building controlled by sprinkler system

An early morning fire Thursday woke up a lot of people at the Park East Apartments in downtown Fargo.  Firefighters got a call about smoke coming from the building around 2 a.m. and found a car on fire in the garage unit, which is attached to the residential section of the building.

Fire officials say sprinkler system largely limited the fire damage to one vehicle. Vehicles parked on either side were not damaged because of the sprinkler system. Crews had the fire under control within 15 minutes of the Red River Regional Dispatch Center receiving the first 9-1-1 call.

One person was found on scene with soot stains on his face but he refused medical treatment. The cause of the fire appears to be in the vehicle, but an exact cause has not been identified.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Killeen, TX – Dryer vent fire at substance abuse center extinguished by sprinkler system

The Killeen Fire Department responded to a small structure fire on the corner of Avenue B and Gray Street just after 8 a.m. today. The fire started in the laundry room of the Word of Life building in downtown Killeen, according to Battalion Chief Clay Brooks, most likely caused by lent in the dryer vent.

“Lent accumulates, and it’s very combustible,” Brooks said.  Brooks said the facility’s sprinklers put out most of the flames. “The sprinkler head did its job,” he said.  No one in the building was injured, and there is no permanent damage to the structure.