Category Archives: Residential High Rise

Residential, Residential High Rise

Schaumburg, IL – (no media coverage) Kitchen fire in residential high-rise building extinguished by sprinkler system

** Fire Department Reported – No Media Coverage ** Around 6:30 pm on March 4, the Schaumburg Fire Department responded to 1427 Valley Lake Drive for a general fire alarm. Fire companies found a small fire in the kitchen that was extinguished by a single sprinkler. The fire department was able to isolate the sprinkler system on the floor and limit fire damage to approximately $6,000. The cause of the fire was cooking. 1427 Valley Lake is a residential high-rise occupancy that was required to install fire sprinklers as part of Schaumburg’s high-rise retrofit ordinance.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential, Residential High Rise

Newark, DE – No injuries in fire at high-rise student housing complex; Sprinkler system contained fire

No one was injured in an early morning fire at a high rise student housing complex behind the Newark Shopping Center, the Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Co. reported. At 2:36 a.m., Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder Company along with mutual aid from Christiana Fire, Cranston Heights Fire Company,Mill Creek Fire Company – Stations 2&21, andMinquas Firewere dispatched to 1 Easton Court.

Crews arrived to the six-story wood-framed 220 unit high rise structure to find a fire on the 4th floor with the sprinkler system containing the blaze. Firefighters credited the sprinkler system for minimizing what could have been a serious situation. Thirty six units sustained water damage and building management assisted displaced students, who are now in other housing including hotels. No one was injured. Newark Delaware Police Department and the Newark Fire Marshal’s Office also responded to the incident.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Austin, TX – Kitchen fire at off-campus high rise apartment extinguished by sprinkler system

A stove fire that broke out Saturday night in a West Campus high-rise apartment building displaced six residents from two units, Austin fire officials said. Firefighters responded around 11 p.m. to a fire on the 15th floor at 1909 Rio Grande St.. They said the sprinkler system extinguished the fire, so crews helped mitigate smoke and water. The fire started after a tenant left a stove-top burner on, which ignited combustibles on the stove, according to fire officials. The displaced residents plan to stay with friends, officials said. No injuries were reported.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Santa Monica, CA – Sprinkler system keeps high rise building fire from spreading

A Santa Monica high rise by the beach caught fire last Monday night before Santa Monica and Los Angeles firefighters put out the blaze, according to the Santa Monia Fire Department (SMFD).

On Monday, February 11, at 7:15 p.m. SMFD Engine 2 responded to the Shores Apartments at 2800 Neilson Way to investigate a fire alarm activation. Upon their arrival firefighters discovered smoke billowing from an apartment balcony on the 10th floor of the 17-story high rise building. Additional resources were immediately requested, bringing in all SMFD resources as well as aid from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, which were kept from spreading to the common hallway of the building thanks to an activated fire sprinkler head, according to the SMFD.

“A challenging component to this high-rise fire incident was keeping the dozens of impacted residents safe and out of harm’s way. Firefighters used a combination of sheltering occupants in place until the fire was brought under control, as well as systematically evacuating those who could be, safely out of the building,” SMFD Captain and Public Information Officer Patrick Nulty said in a press release. “Thanks to a functioning fire alarm and fire sprinkler system, residents were alerted to begin evacuating immediately and the fire was kept from spreading.”

According to the department, it took 33 firefighters approximately 19 minutes to suppress the flames, which were confined to the kitchen and living room area. There was extensive water damage to several units below the fire from the fire sprinkler. No injuries to residents or first responders were reported. The resident of the apartment where the fire occurred was not home at the time of the fire, and was displaced as a result of the damage. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Tysons, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in 19-story high-rise building; No injuries reported

There was a fire earlier this week at the 8200 block of Crestwood Heights Drive in Tysons, but even before Fairfax Fire & Rescue arrived it was doused by the building’s sprinkler system.

The fire started just after midnight in an upper-floor apartment of a 19-story high-rise building. There were no injuries and $200 in damages.

Bill Delaney, a public affairs officer for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, said fires being taken out by sprinklers before firefighters arrive is uncommon, given that sprinklers are only typical in newer high rise buildings.

“Sprinklers are mostly located in high-rise buildings, condos, apartments,” said Delaney. “Also a variety of commercial type buildings and businesses. Older types of those buildings do not have fire sprinklers as it was not a requirement at the time they were built.”

Delaney said the fire was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials. Delaney noted that this was the sixth fire in 2019 caused by discarded cigarettes or other smoking devices. One last week caused significant damage to a home after cigarettes were thrown into the trash.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue offered a few suggestions for safely disposing of cigarettes.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Fargo, ND – Fire on 14th floor of residential high-rise contained with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

An automatic sprinkler helped contain a fire in an apartment on the 14th floor of the 22-story Fargo Lashkowitz High Rise. Firefighters were called to the fire at 101 2nd St. S. at around 6:15 a.m. Saturday. A man inside the apartment was removed to safety and evaluated by FM Ambulance. No one was injured. The Fargo Housing Authority had crews on scene to take over clean up before fire crews had cleared. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Hoboken, NJ – Residential high-rise fire suppressed by sprinkler system

One person was injured when a three-alarm fire broken out in a Hoboken apartment building Wednesday, police said.  It’s not clear what caused the blaze at 2 Marine View Plaza, but two apartments were heavily damaged, according to police. The sprinkler system helped quickly knock down the fire.  No one was in the apartments but at least two other residents were complaining of smoke inhalation.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential, Residential High Rise

Pittsburgh, PA – Fire chief credits sprinkler system in preventing worse situation in high rise senior apartment building fire

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The Pittsburgh fire chief credited a sprinkler system with likely preventing a worse situation for seniors evacuated by a fire Saturday at their high-rise apartment building in Hill District.

“Thankfully, this 10-story building had a working sprinkler system,” Chief Darryl Jones said in a news release.  The residents of Ebenezer Towers on Dinwiddie Street were evacuated from the 99-unit apartment building after the two-alarm blaze broke out shortly after 5 p.m. The fire was quickly contained to two units.  Two people were transported to the hospital — an 85-year-old woman who was burned on her foot and a man who needed evaluation for a pre-existing condition. The man since has been released; the woman was in stable condition.

One resident was rescued from a second-floor balcony, according to the release. During the fire, police took several elderly people and families to the Zone 2 station for shelter. The city said residents on the upper floors were allowed to return to their apartments. The 24 residents of the first two floors were displaced due to smoke and water damage.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Waikiki, HI – Sprinkler system contained fire to one unit in 38-story high rise fire; No injuries reported

The Honolulu Fire Department says an automated fire sprinkler system stopped the flames from spreading in a blaze at a high-rise in Waikiki late Friday night.

Firefighters responded to a blaze around 10:50 p.m. and no injuries were reported.

Some 22 personnel responded to the 38-story Waikiki Baynan complex on Ohua Avenue.

HFD credits an automated fire sprinkler system with containing the flames to the original unit on the 30th floor of the building.

Hundreds were evacuated after the fire broke out.

“It was pretty orderly. We just went to the fire exit and opened the door and joined the crowd and walked down the stairs,” resident Sheila Palmer said.

It took firefighters less than 40 minutes to completely extinguish the flames.

“One adult male and female were alerted to the fire by an audible pop and the activation of a smoke alarm. They safely escaped the unit without injuries,” HFD officials said. “Another adult male was not in the unit at the time of the fire.”

Meanwhile, fire officials spoke to condo owners and building managers Saturday about the city’s new fire safety ordinance, which passed this May.

It’s a measure intended to avoid deadly fires like the one that broke out in the Marco Polo building in July of 2017.

“The ordinance is very important,” said Kevin Mokulehua, who works for HFD. “We want everyone to remain focused on the intent of having sprinklers: it’s going to save lives; they’re going to save property; and they’re going to allow occupants to get out of a building if there is a fire.”

There are exceptions to the ordinance, but most high-rise residential buildings would need to be retro-fitted with automatic sprinkler systems.

“One of our buildings is below the high-rise standard and one of our buildings is above the high-rise standard so it needs to have those laws applied,” said Thomas Ebner, manager for the Ka Hale Moi condominiums.

He knows just how costly adding sprinklers can be, but agrees with the ordinance.

“The association will have to cover that I am sure, it’s all for the better,” Ebner said. “You need to make sure that everybody is very happy and very safe.”

Fire investigators say Friday’s fire was accidental, sparked by an electrical electrical failure in the microwave.

Total damages to the building and its contents were estimated at $320,000.

“HFD would like to encourage our visitors and residents to discuss and practice their fire evacuation plans. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere,” officials added.