Category Archives: Other Business

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Hastings, MN – Sprinklers contain dump truck fire at excavating business

Firefighters stopped what could have been a major fire Saturday, Jan. 9, at DSM Excavating in the 2900 block of Enterprise Avenue. Crews responded at 9:33 p.m., after the building’s fire alarms activated.  According to Fire and EMS Director Mike Schutt, smoke was visible on the south side of the building when firefighters arrived and the automatic sprinkler system was already operating.  Crews entered the building, which was filled with thick black smoke that allowed zero visibility.  Inside, they found a dump truck on fire, which they extinguished.

The dump truck’s engine and cab were totally destroyed, with damage estimated at about $200,000. However, the fire could have been much worse, as there was other heavy equipment parked very close to the engulfed truck. Schutt credited the sprinkler system with saving the rest of the equipment and the building, which would have been a $4 million loss.

“While the firefighters did a fantastic job tonight, much credit goes to the automatic fire sprinkler system and the monitored fire alarm system,” Schutt wrote in an email the night of the fire. “As the fire grew in size, the automatic fire sprinkler system activated, keeping the fire contained to the dump truck and not allowing it to spread. Literally, other dump trucks and heavy equipment were parked within two feet of this fire and had no damage.”

Hastings firefighters were assisted by Hastings police and the Miesville Fire Department. The fire department, which also operates an ambulance service, also responded to two separate medical emergencies and one other fire response for downed electrical lines in Marshan Township while battling the Industrial Park fire. Investigation into the cause of the fire continues this week.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Naperville, IL – Sprinklers assist firefighters in containing fire in storage room at business

The contents of a Naperville business in the 2000 block of Aurora Avenue suffered more damage than the structure following a Saturday afternoon fire, according to a release from the Naperville Fire Department. Firefighters received a call from an employee at 1:05 p.m. stating the fire alarm was sounding and there was smoke coming from a rear storage room, but no flames seen, the release said.

The first arriving fire unit reported nothing showing from three sides of the business, the release said. Upon entry, they found heavy smoke, at which time the alarm was upgraded by the shift commander, bringing more equipment and firefighters.

Extinguishing the fire was difficult due to the size of the structure, however after the deployment of several hose lines and coordinated operations, including the building’s sprinkler system, the fire was extinguished 46 minutes after the initial dispatch, according to the release.

Damage to the structure was moderate, however damage to contents within the structure was extensive due to smoke, fire, and water, the release said. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and there were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.

The Naperville Fire Department was assisted on the scene by departments from Aurora and Plainfield. Units from Downers Grove and Bolingbrook as well as the Warrenville and Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection Districts provided station coverage for the city during the incident.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Coventry, RI – Early morning fire at business controlled with help from sprinkler system

Several businesses in Coventry were damaged Wednesday morning after a small fire triggered the emergency sprinkler system. The fire started at about 2:30 a.m. inside a building at 577 Tiogue Ave. The fire scorched an exterior door, but the sprinkler system kept the flames from spreading until fire crews could arrive at the scene.

Several businesses sustained heavy damage from the amount of water used by the sprinkler alarm. Central Coventry Fire District Chief Peter Lamb said the fire was accidental but would not comment on the cause. Nobody was in the building when the fire broke out.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Lafayette, LA – Electrical fire at bingo hall extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries

Lafayette firefighters responded to a sprinkler alarm activation at the Metro Bingo Hall on NE Evangeline Throughway around 7:28 a.m. Saturday. When firefighters arrived, the alarm to the sprinkler was sounding and Firefighters made entry into the building and discovered smoke inside and water flowing from a sprinkler head.

Authorities say the sprinkler extinguished the fire, however, the interior of the building sustained heavy smoke damage. Fire investigators determined that the fire originated under a table/desk in the bingo area of the building where there was numerous electrical equipment including computers under a desk.

The building has been closed since Thursday night. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Portland, OR – Firefighters use sprinkler system’s FDC to help control blaze at abandoned building; No injuries

A fire broke out Tuesday night in an abandoned building that formerly housed the popular dive bar and music venue, Slabtown. Initial reports of smoke coming from a dumpster around NW 16th Avenue and NW Northrup Street came in around 7:30 p.m., Portland Fire & Rescue Lt. Rich Tyler said.

When firefighters arrived, they determined the smoke was actually coming from the basement of what used to be Slabtown Bar. It was upgraded to a commercial fire and several more crews rushed to the scene.

As they began to fight the fire, crews discovered holes they were previously unaware of in the basement of the abandoned building. That discovery, combined with knowledge of the building’s unstable structure, forced crews to retreat. “For us it’s unsafe,” Lt. Tyler explained. “There’s parts of the structure that, in fire conditions, would be unsafe for us as firefighters to be working in.”

It was upgraded to a 2nd-alarm fire as crews worked to devise a new plan of attack. Lt. Tyler said all firefighters taken out of the building were accounted for.  Fire hoses were hooked up to the building’s sprinkler system to help put out the flames. The fire was under control by 8:50 p.m.

As of 10:15 p.m., firefighters were still working to put out hot spots in the basement. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Other Business

San Luis Obispo, CA – Suspicious fire at commercial building suppressed by sprinkler system

The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department is investigating a series of suspicious fires that have occurred over the past couple weeks. Fire crews were on the scene of two fires Friday night and one fire early Saturday morning.  All three fires are suspicious in nature, according to the San Luis Obispo City Fire Department.

The first incident took place at approximately 8:20 p.m. on Friday, in a commercial building located at 346 Pacific Street. When freighters arrived on scene, they found three burned garbage containers. The building’s sprinkler system was able to suppress most of the fire. But crews still had to overhaul the fire.

The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department says there were cigarettes found in the area, which could have caused the fire. However, there are no leads to whether the incident was accidental or on purpose.

The second fire took place at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Friday, behind a commercial building located at 3046 Higuera Street. In this fire, a dumpster and the majority of its contents were burned, according to the San Luis Obispo City Fire Department. Crews were on scene for approximately 15 minutes.

At 3:08 a.m. on Saturday, San Luis Obispo City firefighters responded to a third fire. This took place behind Fire Station 1, at the end of Round House Street. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found a large cluster of Eucalyptus trees engulfed in flames. The fire burned about 600 square feet of vegetation and took firefighters approximately 30 minutes to extinguish. Bob Bisson, San Luis Obispo City Fire Department Chief, says this particular fire required the use of fire hydrant water.

The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department says they’re concerned about the pattern of fires that have occurred in the city. Last weekend, firefighters also battled fires under suspicious circumstances.

Investigators are working to determine their cause.

Other Business

Great Falls, MT – Fire at non-profit business extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire in the rear work area of My Neighbor in Need was extinguished by the sprinkler system Tuesday evening.  Nobody was injured in the fire.  The Times Square building is at 525 Central Ave.

Ron Martin, deputy fire marshal for Great Falls Fire/Rescue, said the fire was likely caused by a candle that employees were burning in the area while waxing over screws to repair a chair.  Employees extinguished the candle, but when it was placed upright in a plastic toolbox, it was still smoldering and caught the toolbox on fire, according to Martin and Snuggs.

The heat from the fire was enough to activate a nearby sprinkler head, which quickly extinguished the fire.  “The system worked as designed,” Martin said, whose office heads up the department’s fire prevention efforts.

On Wednesday afternoon, GFFR ruled the fire accidental and controlled by automatic sprinkler system.  “That is such a blessing, because it could have been so much worse,” Snuggs said by phone Wednesday afternoon. “We can’t speak enough of how well the sprinklers worked, and the fire department was here in minutes and did an outstanding job.”

Martin said the fire was extinguished when firefighters arrived a few minutes after the alarm system notified GFFR.  Snuggs said the damage is estimated at $50,000 or less and My Neighbor in Need’s insurance will cover the cleanup and repairs.

Other Business

Easton, MA – Fire at team sports apparel company is minimized with help from sprinkler system

The fire at Pop Tops Sportswear, 10 Plymouth Drive, was reported to the Easton Fire Department about 6:52 a.m. when the fire alarm was tripped.  Pop Tops manufactures and sells custom team uniforms, apparel, work wear and promotional products.

When firefighters arrived, smoke was coming from the building. The 100×200-square-foot warehouse was filled with thick, heavy smoke, said Easton Fire Captain James Walsh. It took firefighters about 10-15 minutes to locate the fire inside the building.

“The toughest part was locating it because of the smoke conditions. The building was full of smoke.” Walsh said. “There was zero visibility.”

The blaze started inside of a room where equipment is cleaned. Walsh said one of the pieces of equipment ignited the fire.  The sprinkler system went off inside the building soaking some of the company’s merchandise.

“A lot of merchandise was ruined,” Walsh said.  The Stoughton and Raynham fire departments also responded to the scene and the Brockton Fire Department provided station coverage for Easton, Walsh said.

Given the materials inside the building – including clothing and chemicals – the fire could have been a lot worse, Walsh said.  “Everything worked well. The sprinkler system worked well, the alarm system went off. The guys were able to get in there quick and knock it down,” Walsh said.

Other Business

La Crosse, WI – Sprinkler system credited with controlling early morning fire at corrugating business

Firefighters are crediting a sprinkler system for controlling a business fire in La Crosse.  According to the La Crosse Fire Department, they were called to Badger Corrugating on Green Bay Street in La Crosse around 4:45 Tuesday morning.

Upon arrival, crews found smoke throughout the entire building, but the sprinkler system was controlling the fire.   There were no injuries but the building suffered moderate smoke and water damage.

Other Business

Rollinsford, NH – Fire in 160-year-old mill building limited by sprinkler system

The initial call for smoke in a second floor suite came in at 7:28 a.m., Rollinsford Fire Chief Mark Rutherford said. Fire crews arrived to find heavy smoke coming from a woodworking shop in Suite 208 of the 160-year-old mill building, and about 15 people had to be evacuated. No one was injured.

Rutherford credited an updated sprinkler system from preventing the two-alarm blaze from spreading. Firefighters also were able to respond quickly to knock down the flames.

Smoke damage was limited to the room of origin and the hallway, and both the studio and the studio below it on the second floor sustained water damaged.

“You need a system like this in these old buildings to keep fires from spreading,” Rutherford said. “How this system was designed probably saved this building, because once a fire spreads in a building like this, you’re here for a while.”  Grenier said he was led to believe the fire started as a result of an oily rag being left out overnight. He wants those responsible for leaving the rag out will be held responsible.

“The biggest thing right now is, I need someone from an insurance company to come in and tell me everything’s going to be OK and give me money,” Grenier said with a chuckle.

Responders included fire departments from Rollinsford, South Berwick, Maine, Berwick, Maine, Somersworth and Dover and York Ambulance Association. Fire departments from Rochester and Eliot, Maine, provided station coverage.

Kent Scovill, who operates PKS Woodworks, said his business was not damaged.

“It was scary coming in this morning and seeing all the fire trucks,” Scovill said. “I was pretty shocked. I ran downstairs and I ran in through the back, which I probably shouldn’t have done. I made sure everything was all right.”

Painter Shaune McCarthy of Madbury, who has a studio at the mill, said she heard about the fire early Friday morning after getting a call from a friend.

McCarthy said she was glad the damage was not more extensive.

“She said, ‘Guess what, the mill’s on fire.’ I was scared to death,” McCarthy said. “There’s always been big mill fires you hear about in history. It’s scary but I’m glad it was just a small thing.”

Gregory McCrone of Dover, an “eclectic collector” of art, coins and family heirlooms, rents a work space at the mill, which he calls “part museum and part living room.”

 

After his morning swim, McCrone drove to the mill to find half a dozen fire trucks in the parking lot.

 

“I didn’t see the building going up (in flames) so I wasn’t quite as worried,” he said. “They wouldn’t let anyone in at first. I have a lot of stuff up here.”