Category Archives: Other Business

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Americus, GA – Arson fire at Boys & Girls Club controlled by sprinkler system

Police are still looking for the person or group responsible for lighting a fire inside that gym. The club says the damage caused by the fire and sprinkler system will take months to repair.

They call the crime “disturbing and disappointing.” The damage was discovered last week.  However, they still aren’t sure exactly when it happened. They’re reviewing video, to hopefully help catch who did it. Dozens of fans are blowing inside the gym at the Americus Boy’s and Girl’s Club to dry out the floor.

There are no kids playing here because vandals took chairs and benches and lit them on fire. The floor melted. The basketball net burned, and a nearby drink cooler was destroyed as well.

“Kids look forward to coming in the gym every day to play basketball so I just don’t know who would do something like this,” said basketball coach Quentin Moore. The sprinklers saved the building. Unfortunately, they also ruined the floor. The gym was a staple for the community.

“So I just don’t see any reason why they would come up and try to destroy what they like during the evening time,” said Director of Operations Jimmy Green. Fortunately, insurance will cover most of the cost. It’s not just this floor that needs to be repaired though.

“Really the whole gym got to be repaired and it’ll probably be months before we get back in here,” said Moore.

The club turned away kids trying to play Monday. They’re reviewing cameras to see if they can catch the culprits. Due to the weight of the bench and how hard the doors are to open, Green and Moore think it was someone older.

“I hope they catch him and prosecute him to the fullest because it’s just ridiculous,” said Moore.

“We going to find out who did this. And that’s when we’re going to prosecute them,” said Green.

It’s a prosecution that would mean a lot to this club and to these two men. The club is looking for a new place to play basketball.

The director of that club told us she was baffled by this crime. If you saw anything in the area last week that looked suspicious, you’re asked to call the Americus police. 

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Mount Vernon, KY – Fire at Renfro Valley entertainment center controlled by sprinkler system

In the early evening hours of July 16th the Mount Vernon Fire Dept. was dispatched to a reported building on fire in the Village at Renfro Valley.  Upon arrival, fire units observed a large amount of smoke coming from the replica fire station building in the village, across from the gristmill.  Once crews made entry, it was determined that the fire was actually a golf cart on fire inside and not the building itself.  The building’s sprinkler system activated and kept the fire contained.  It was quickly extinguished, with only smoke and water damage to the building and its contents.  Brindle Ridge Fire Department responded automatic aid while Brodhead Fire Department responded mutual aid.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Amarillo, TX – Sprinkler system keeps vehicle fire from spreading at wrecker service business

A wrecked car inside a storage facility was destroyed by fire at T-Miller Wrecker Service in Amarillo on Saturday morning.  Amarillo Fire Department responded to 1201 S. Johnson St. at 2:07 a.m. and found a light haze surrounding the large single-story metal storage building.

Fire crews entered and found a single car in the building on fire. The sprinkler system kept the fire from spreading to dozens of other vehicles, fire officials said. The fire was under control by 2:38 p.m.

A representative from the wrecker service said the vehicle that caught fire was involved in a wreck earlier and was the last one brought inside before the business closed at 6 p.m. Friday.

No injuries were reported. Fire damage was contained to the car. Minor heat damage was sustained to the ceiling above.

Office Building, Other Business

Chattanooga, TN – Office fire controlled by sprinkler system

Firefighters responded to a business fire around 7:21 Tuesday morning.  It happened at the Data Storage Center on Crutchfield Street.  Fire officials say an employee smelled smoke around a computer in an office. Crews say when they arrived  found a small fire.  Six fire trucks responded as s a part of protocol for a business fire.  Officials say the company’s sprinkler system activated containing fire to one room. Crews are cleaning excess water from the fire sprinkler system. There were no injuries. The cause is under investigation.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Boca Raton, FL – Overnight laundry fire at veterinary office contained by sprinkler system

At 12:37AM Thursday, Boca Raton Firefighters responded to a fire located at the Calusa Veterinary office, 6900 Congress Ave, Boca Raton. Firefighters arrived and found heavy smoke inside the building and the fire being kept confined to a clothes dryer by the activation of a single head from the buildings fire sprinkler system. Firefighters quickly extinguished the limited remaining fire which was located inside the drum of the clothes dryer with a pressurized water extinguisher. Several staff members were on scene at the time of the fire and were moving animals to a safe location as the fire department arrived. There were no firefighter or civilian injuries. All animals were rescued, one dog suffered smoke inhalation and was treated by paramedics and then turned over to the veterinary staff for follow-up treatment and is doing better.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

San Diego, CA – Fire at Petco Park food court extinguished by sprinkler system during MLB All-Star events

At least one restaurant at the Petco Park food court was to remain closed Sunday afternoon during some All-Star related events, due to a grease fire in a kitchen.  The fire activated the sprinkler system, and was out by the time San Diego Fire-Rescue firefighters arrived on scene, according to spokesman Lee Swanson.

Firefighters were dispatched to Petco Park at about 10:15 a.m. Two engines, one truck and a battalion chief, were sent, but the first crew to arrive cancelled some of the responding firefighters when they discovered the fire had already been extinguished, Swanson said.

It was unclear which restaurant was affected, but Swanson said the San Diego County Health Department would have to re-certify the restaurant before it could serve food again.  San Diego Fire-Rescue Chief Brian Fennessy tweeted photos from the scene, showing the fire had been contained to a small area.

Two events were scheduled to take place at Petco Park Sunday, in advance of the Major League Baseball All-Star game on Tuesday. The All-Star Futures game was scheduled for 4 p.m., followed by a softball game at 7 p.m. featuring celebrities, athletes and former MLB players.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Chandler, AZ – Sprinkler system helps contain early morning fire at recycling plant

Firefighters from Chandler and Gilbert were battling an early-morning fire at an East Valley recycling plant.

An employee at the plant at 1100 N. Hamilton St.noticed fire in a pile of materials outside the facility but on plant property.

Reverse 911 was used to notify the surrounding neighborhood of the fire.

A sprinkler system activated and helped contain the fire.

Dense smoke blanketed the area. No one was hurt.

Once it’s safe to move in closer, investigators will try to determine what triggered the fire.

As of 7:30 a.m., the westbound lanes of Ray Road between Hamilton and Arizona avenues were closed.

Office Building, Other Business

Philadelphia, PA – Fire in downtown high-rise controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries

A sprinkler system prevented a Center City Philadelphia high-rise fire from spreading early Tuesday morning. The blaze, believed to be electrical in nature, broke out shortly before 2 a.m. on the 18th floor of 2000 Market Street, said the Philadelphia Fire Department.

Luckily no one was hurt as the sprinklers kicked in and doused the fire, said firefighters. Crews declared the blaze under control around 2:25 a.m. but hazmat crews remained at the 29-story building.  The building, which opened in 1973, houses a slew of businesses including law firms, a restaurant and a Santander Bank branch.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Windsor Locks, CT – Laundromat fire contained by sprinkler system

A fire that started in a dryer at Cozy Corner Laundromat injured one patron Tuesday evening before firefighters could douse the blaze.

At 6:35 p.m. firefighters responded to an emergency call from the laundromat, located at 255 Main St., and found heavy smoke when they arrived, Assistant Fire Chief Francis DeBella said.

“The sprinkler system held the fire in check, while we were able to get in there and extinguish it in about an hour,” he said.

The fire originated in a dryer, DeBella said, and burned a female customer who had tried to douse the flames.

The woman’s burns were minor ones, he said, and she was evaluated by the Lions Club ambulance crew.

Firefighters from Bradley International Airport responded to the scene with their ladder truck, and police assisted with traffic control.

The fire marshal is investigating the cause of the blaze.