Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

Portland, OR – Sprinklers halt spread of fire caused by crafting heat gun

The fire caused by a crafting heat gun set on a hardwood floor by a resident damaged a Northwest Portland apartment building Sunday morning. No one was hurt in the fire, which was slowed by the building’s sprinkler system before firefighters arrived.

According to Portland Fire & Rescue, at approximately 8:40 a.m. on Oct. 11, Portland Fire Engine 3 was dispatched to the report of a fire alarm at 1420 N.W. Lovejoy St. When the engine arrived, a resident of one of the apartments met firefighters outside and reported that one of the units was on fire.

After circling the block to check out the building, firefighters noticed smoke coming from a second-story window. The commanding officer then upgraded the incident to an apartment fire, balancing the incident to the appropriate number of responders to handle it.

Once crews entered the building, they found that the alarm system had activated and the sprinkler system was flowing. Interior fire attack crews made entry into the apartment and reported that the sprinklers had slowed the forward progress of the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Gainesville, FL – Fire in elevator room at off-campus apartment complex extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire in an elevator’s engine room at The Bartram apartments on Southwest Archer Road was extinguished by a fire sprinkler Wednesday night. GFR units were dispatched to Bartram at 10:48 p.m. Wednesday due to an active fire alarm, a Gainesville Fire Rescue news release said. When they arrived, the crews found smoke in an elevator shaft and the call was upgraded at that point to a building fire.

It turned out that there was a fire in the engine room beside the elevator, so a sprinkler was activated and the flames were extinguished quickly, the news release said. The fire was contained in the engine room and there were no injuries reported. GFR emphasized in its release that having a working sprinkler system usually can contain or extinguish a fire until Fire Rescue personnel arrive.

Apartment Building, Residential

Charleston, IL – Grease fire at University Court Apartments put out by sprinklers

A grease fire was reported at 7:02 p.m. Sunday in the Cooper Building of University Court Apartments. Assistant Fire Chief Steven Bennett of the Charleston Fire Department said the residents in apartment 23 were cooking when the grease got too hot and started to catch fire.

“The sprinklers had activated and put the fire out, so the sprinkler system did what it was supposed to do,” Bennett said.

There was minimal fire damage and little water damage in other apartments.

“The sprinkler was activated so it was putting the water out on the fire, so some of that water finds cracks and goes down into the apartment(s) below,” Bennett said

“Right now the fire alarm is now activated until the electrician can come and reset it,” Bennett said. “Because it activated when the sprinkler went off and right now the sprinkler system’s down until the plumber can change out the sprinkler head that activated.”

The fire alarm has been reset in Cooper.

The electricians and plumber were called and notified, and building service workers had already started cleaning up the water.

Residents were able to return to their apartments at 7:50 p.m. unless they were in the apartment affected by the fire.

Kelly Miller, associate director of housing and dining, said the people who had to leave Cooper because of the grease fire were staying with friends.

Miller said there was not a lot of physical damage, and the sprinklers went off as they were supposed to.

Apartment Building, Residential

Elko, NV – Apartment cooking fire extinguished by sprinkler system

A cooking fire early Monday morning at the Villas at Riverside showed the importance of having a fire sprinkler system, according to the City of Elko fire department. Deputy Chief Brian Burgess said the resident had fallen asleep while waiting for food to be prepared. The fire caused the sprinkler system to activate. There was minor damage to the microwave, stove and upper cabinets, said Burgess.

He said residents were evacuated for only an hour and the affected apartment was able to be occupied afterwards. It also had mild water damage. “Had this building been an unprotected building, the fire would have likely caused severe damage to the building, displacing all of the residents (and) threatening the lives of the occupants,” said Fire Marshal Joshua Carson, explaining the value and importance of the system.

Even though there was mild fire and water damage, it was far less than what would have been seen in a building without that system, he said. In addition, he stressed how the system salvaged the property and protected the residents. They were alerted by a unit smoke alarm and fire alarm system.

Carson explained this fire comes at a significant time. The Fire Prevention Picnic this past weekend showcased the dangers of cooking-related fires and the benefits of residential fire sprinklers. The latter was exhibited by a live fire demonstration at the picnic, said Carson. “Elko Fire Department is a huge advocate for residential fire sprinklers,” he said. “We hope we can soon protect all of our newly constructed residential use buildings with this lifesaving technology.”

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Hampton, VA – Early morning fire at senior apartment building controlled by single sprinkler; No injuries

Hampton fire officials say several units inside a retirement community were damaged after a fire early Thursday morning. It happened at the Seton Manor Apartments on Marcella Road. No one was hurt.

According to Hampton fire officials, someone was cooking around 6:30 a.m. A pan with grease caught fire and set off the sprinkler.

Bertha Davis said she and her neighbors woke up to fire trucks and sirens. “I heard the alarm go off and then I went to the door. People were in the hallway,” she said. “A lot of people had to come out in their night clothes. The ones that had walkers, they were in the hallway.”

Despite the damage and the inconvenience, officials said the sprinkler system worked. “It did its job. It stopped the fire. That’s the most important part,” Stowers said. Stowers said it should take at least three days to completely clean the damage.

10 On Your Side tried talking to apartment managers about what happened and where the people displaced will go. They refused an interview, but sent a statement to 10 On Your Side late Thursday afternoon. The apartment says all affected residents to family homes or hotels while restorations are being completed.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chester, VA – Sprinkler system keeps apartment fire from spreading; Fire caused by clothes dryer motor malfunction

A fire Wednesday evening at an apartment complex in the Enon area of Chesterfield County has displaced three residents. The Chesterfield County Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded at 5:37 p.m. to the 2300 block of Golden Garden Circle for a dryer on fire inside of an apartment, according to officials. 

Fire crews arrived to find a small amount of fire inside of the dryer. The fire sprinkler system had activated and extinguished the bulk of the fire, stopping it from spreading throughout the apartment. It took crews approximately 20 minutes to get the fire under control, according to a release. 

The fire started as a result of the dryer motor malfunctioning during operation. Two adults and one child were displaced and are being assisted by apartment management.

Apartment Building, Residential

Norfolk, VA – Early morning apartment fire put out by sprinkler system

Multiple people have been displaced following a fire in a Norfolk apartment building Tuesday morning, officials said. The fire, which began in a kitchen at 3:30 a.m. at 819 West 38th Street, was put out by the complex’s sprinkler system before fire units arrived on the scene. No injuries were reported. Red Cross is assisting the six adults and eight children who were displaced by the incident.

Apartment Building, Residential

Rockford, IL – Apartment kitchen fire contained by sprinkler system; No injuries

A grease fire before 4:30 p.m. Saturday broke out at the Zion Development apartment complex, 1055 E. State St., a Rockford Fire Department incident report said.

Rockford Fire Department firefighters found fire in the kitchen of a fifth-floor apartment contained by the building sprinkler system. Occupants of damaged apartments were relocated to other areas of the apartment building.

Rockford fire investigators listed the fire as accidental. No injuries were reported. Twenty-one firefighters participated in the fire response and cleanup activities.

Apartment Building, Residential

Burnsville, MN – Suspected arson fire at apartment building doused by sprinkler system

Authorities are asking for the public’s help to find suspects of a suspected arson fire in Burnsville over the weekend. Burnsville Police and Fire departments say a fire at the Meridian Point Apartments, 51 McAndrews Road West, has been ruled suspicious. The fire, which happened on Sunday, was contained thanks to a single sprinkler head in the apartment building.

Fire crews arrived on scene to find smoke coming from a stairwell leading from the basement garage to the first floor. The building’s sprinkler system had already been activated and managed to keep the fire damage to a minimum. No building residents were displaced by the fire and no injuries were reported.

An investigation into the fire has led officials to believe it was intentionally set. Assistant Fire Chief Doug Nelson states in a release the cause appears to be suspicious and the circumstances of the fire remain under investigation. They ask any residents with information to call the arson hotline at 1-800-723-2020. A reward of up to $5,000 is available for information leading to the identity of the person or persons responsible.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fairbanks, AK – Sprinkler system contains cooking fire at downtown apartment building

A sprinkler system contained a small cooking fire in a downtown Fairbanks apartment building Tuesday evening.

The fire broke out about 5:30 p.m. in an apartment on the third floor of the Golden Towers building, said Assistant Fire Chief Ernie Misewicz with the Fairbanks fire department. The automatic sprinkler extinguished the fire. 

“Nobody was displaced and damage was kept to a minimum,” he said.