Category Archives: Apartment Building

Clothes dryer fire in apartment controlled with help from sprinkler system (Cookeville, TN)

The sprinkler system in an apartment on Buffalo Valley Road stopped a fire that started in a dryer there Saturday from spreading to other areas of the home, fire officials say.  Crews were called to at around 11:30 Saturday after residents in an apartment there discovered that a fire had started in their dryer, Capt. Matt White said.  The apartment was equipped with a residential sprinkler system.“The sprinkler system did exactly what it was supposed to do,” White said. “When the flames started coming up and got the sprinkler head hot enough, it discharged and the water put most of it out except just a little bit inside the dryer.”

Fire squelched by sprinkler system at apartment complex (Holyoke, MA)

A 103-unit apartment building had a fire break out on December 10 in one of it’s three-bedroom apartments. The sprinkler system in the hallway activated, containing the fire until fire crews arrived and put out the rest of the flames. Firefighters are crediting the sprinkler system with saving lives and property. 

“Sprinklers help keep the fires in check which gives the residents time to get out of the building, working in connection with a fire alarm that works well definitely saves lives,” Holyoke Fire Captain Anthony Cerruti said. “A small fire can go to a large fire in less than three minutes, and if you don’t have a working smoke detector or more importantly a sprinkler system, you’re looking at a total loss.”

All residents were able to evacuate safely and without injury. 

Sprinklers assist firefighters in apartment fire (Charleston, SC)

Firefighters are crediting fire sprinklers with the safety of the residents of an apartment complex after a fire erupted after midnight on December 8. The fire, which investigators determined began due to unattended cooking, began in the kitchen, and a fire sprinkler activated and contained the fire to that area.

“The fire sprinkler is a critical component in the life safety of this property,” said Fire Marshal Mike Julazadeh. “In this case, a single fire sprinkler head operated and controlled the fire event until the fire department could arrive and mitigate any remaining hazards.”

“Without the fire sprinkler system, we would have had a substantial event, damaged multiple apartments, and displaced numerous families,” he added.

No injuries were reported.

Sprinklers prove effectiveness in unoccupied apartment unit fire (Los Angeles, CA)

A fire erupted in an unoccupied apartment unit on Sunday afternoon. The fire, which is still under investigation, was contained to that unit by the apartment’s fire sprinkler system. The three-story apartment building’s other residents were able to safely evacuate.

“The sprinklers did an excellent job of keeping the fire in check and not allowing [it] to spread,” Orange County Fire Authority Captain Steve Concialdi. “If there were no sprinklers, this fire would have gone into the attic and a number of apartments.”

Fire at apartment unit put out by sprinkler system (San Diego, CA)

An overnight fire that began in a third story apartment unit began when an oven in that unit burst into flames. The fire sprinkler in the unit activated and eliminated the flames; no injuries were reported.

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by reporter ABC 10 News, which focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system**

Sprinklers extinguish fire at two-story multi-family residence (Riverside, CA)

A fire which broke out at a two-story apartment building was put out by the residence’s fire sprinkler system on November 30. The afternoon fire began in a second-floor unit, and firefighters who responded to the scene found the sprinkler system had activated and extinguished the blaze. No one was reported injured in the incident.

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by reporter Martin Henderson and the Palm Desert Patch, who focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system**

Fire sprinklers again prove their worth in fire at assisted living center (South Bend, IN)

A microwave caught fire Friday morning, sending smoke billowing out of Wood Ridge Assisted Living. Fire officials are thanking a working sprinkler system for saving lives. “Without a sprinkler system a fire doubles in size every thirty seconds, so without a sprinkler system it could have been a lot worse,” Battalion Chief Robert Wood said. All of the residents living there were safely evacuated Friday morning without any major issues.

Sprinkler holds fire at bay at apartment complex (Annapolis, MD)

A sprinkler contained a fire inside an apartment complex laundry room preventing anyone from being injured or displaced Monday night, a city fire department spokeswoman said. Firefighters responded to the Admiral Oaks apartment complex shortly after 9 p.m. for reports of smoke coming from a laundry room, fire department spokeswoman Capt. Janet Kiefler said. The sprinkler contained the fire until firefighters could arrive and quickly extinguish it, Kiefler said. The fire was determined to be caused by a malfunctioning dryer.

Residential complex fire put out with help from fire sprinkler system (Winooski, VT)