Category Archives: Nursing Home/Senior Living

Richland, WA – Sprinkler system activated for possible arson fire at senior citizen apartment complex

Richland Fire and Police were dispatched to the Tri-Cities Terrace Apartments around 2:30 a.m. on January 24 for a fire alarm.

Residents of the apartment complex for senior citizens reported seeing smoke and flames.

According to an RPD press release the sprinkler system in the building did its job and prevented the fire from spreading. Most of the damage from the incident was from the sprinklers rather than fire.

67 residents were either evacuated or sheltered-in-place. One resident was transported to the hospital for a medical evaluation according to today’s press release.

The Richland Fire Marshal Investigator and the RPD Arson Investigator are working to determine the cause of the fire. Multiple suspicious fires were reportedly lit in the building. There are currently no suspects.

Muscatine, IA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at nursing facility; No injuries reported

No one was injured after firefighters were called to a nursing facility in Muscatine on Monday night, according to a news release.

The Muscatine Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM) received a 911 call about 6:30 p.m. Monday for a possible electrical fire in a room at Addington Place, 3515 Diana Queen Drive, a nursing facility in Muscatine, the release says.

“All of our first responders did a great job,” Battalion Chief Ted Hillard said. “I just cannot say enough about them along with the great support we received from the Fruitland firefighters especially since we had to break off some of our crew to answer other calls.”

Upon arrival at Addington Place, fire crews found smoke in a resident’s room with smoke starting to fill up the hallway. The fire sprinkler system activated when fire crews entered the room and the fire was extinguished. The resident was checked for any injuries and the firefighters on scene ensured that the fire was completely out.

All residents were evacuated and accounted for during the fire suppression effort, a news release says.

The sprinkler system for that hallway of the facility was shut down until the sprinkler company was able to respond and make needed repairs to the system. A recovery company was on scene to mitigate water damage. The fire was contained to a heating unit and the area directly above. 

Because the sprinkler system responded exactly as designed there were no injuries and the damage was limited to the one residential unit.

The on-scene investigation is complete. A final cause has yet to be determined but it does appear to be an accidental fire, the release says. The initial fire loss estimate is $10,000. The resident in that room was moved to another room in the facility and “was not externally displaced,” the release says.

The Muscatine Police Department and Muscatine County EMA responded with the initial call. The Muscatine Fire Department was also assisted by fire crews from the Fruitland Fire Department. Approximately 20 firefighters responded to the fire. There were no injuries to any of the responders.

It was a busy evening for the fire department starting with a medical call before the response to Addington Place, the release says. Just 20 minutes after arriving at the fire scene, the Muscatine Station Two engine and firefighters were cut loose from Addington Place to a vehicle fire in the 2100 block of Hershey Avenue, according to the release.

Wilbraham, MA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at nursing home; No injuries reported

Emergency crews were called to a fire at a Wilbraham nursing home Monday morning.

Wilbraham Fire Chief Michael Andrews said that a 911 calls came in around 6:10 a.m. Monday for a kitchen fire at Vantage Nursing Home on Maple Street.

Firefighters arrived four minutes later and found heavy smoke coming from the kitchen area and that the facility’s sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire.

Residents of the nursing home were told to shelter-in-place while crews worked to ventilate the smoke from that area of the building.

Mutual aid from Ludlow, Palmer, Hampden, and Westover was called in to assist.

Andrews noted that the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but it is not considered suspicious.

No injuries were reported.

Silver Spring, MD – Sprinkler system activated for fire at senior living facility; No injuries reported

A fire in the stairwell of a senior living building in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Saturday morning led to the temporary evacuation of the facility and displaced at least 30 residents.

There weren’t any reports of injuries.

According to officials, on Saturday morning around 11 a.m., Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel were called to the Willow Manor at Fairland apartment complex for reports of a fire in the stairwell.

Firefighters discovered “there was a fire in the stairwell, especially between the second and third floors … there was a sprinkler activation, pretty heavy smoke conditions throughout the building,” fire department spokesman Pete Piringer told WTOP.

“We did evacuate some people. We did assist some of the other residents either sheltering in place, or getting out,” Piringer said. “But fortunately there were no injuries and the fire was extinguished pretty quickly.”

The cause of the fire may have been an improperly discarded cigarette.

“Apparently, some folks tend to smoke in that particular stairwell. And they improperly discarded one of the cigarette butts and caused the fire,” Piringer said. “Fortunately, the sprinkler system did keep the fire in check.”

Initial estimates of the damage are around $25,000 — not including water damage, Piringer said in a tweet Saturday afternoon.

At least 30 residents of the building will be temporarily displaced due to smoke or water damage.

“The Red Cross has been called in along with our Department of Health and Human Services Emergency Management Group to assist those residents. It appears as though at least, temporarily, initially, about 30 apartments (and) 30 residents will be affected,” Piringer told WTOP.

Cocoa, FL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at senior living facility

A senior living facility in Cocoa suffered a fire in its second story on Saturday.

The fire occurred on the 1000 block of Clearlake Road in Cocoa, according to the American Red Cross.

Authorities said a sprinkler system put out the fire, but there was water damage and 30 people were displaced.

The Red Cross said no temporary shelter was needed, but that cards were handed out for use of a hotel night if people needed it.

Manhattan, KS – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at retirement home; No injuries reported

Fire sprinklers extinguished a fire at a Manhattan retirement home Saturday afternoon.

The Manhattan Fire Department says crews were dispatched at 1:03 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 26, to Meadowlark Retirement Community at 2221 Meadowlark Road for a report of a fire alarm with a smell of smoke.

Upon arrival, crews found a two-story residential building that had a dryer fire in the basement.

Manhattan Fire says the fire was controlled by the fire sprinkler system and crews finished the blaze off.

The fire cause has been noted as accidental due to overheating of material in the dryer.

No injuries were reported and all residents are able to remain in the building.

MFD says a total of 16 firefighters responded on 4 fire apparatuses with the last units clearing at around 3:00 p.m.

The loss is estimated at $8,000 to contents and $4,000 to the structure.

Manhattan Fire says the owner is listed as Manhattan Retirement Foundation Inc. of the same address.

Please contact Deputy Chief Ryan Almes, Manhattan Fire Department, at 785-587-4508 with any questions.

Oklahoma City, OK – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at retirement home

A small fire put out by sprinklers at an Oklahoma City retirement home caused extensive damage Saturday morning.

The fire took place on a stove at the home on Northwest 12th Street near North Harvey Avenue.

As the sprinklers took out the fire, fire officials said the home suffered extensive floor damage to the bottom floor of the multi-story complex.

Fire crews needed help removing residents from the building. Embark sent a bus to the home so residents had a place to sit as firefighters entered the structure.

One person was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation due to possible smoke inhalation.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department said the damage displaced living spaces for two of the home’s residents.

Kennwick, WA – Sprinkler system activated for attic fire at nursing center

Kennewick fire officials are praising a sprinkler system for preventing a possible tragedy at a rehabilitation and nursing center early Tuesday. About 30 residents were at the facility at 2 a.m. Tuesday when a fire ignited in the attic of the Regency Canyon Lakes Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Ely Street. Fire Chief Chad Michael said the fire sent a light amount of smoke through the building. Firefighters arrived within four minutes of being called and discovered where the fire started.

A heating and ventilation system is suspected of causing the fire. “Fortunately, the attic space is fully sprinklered and a single sprinkler head contained the fire until fire crews arrived on the scene,” said the release.

All the physical, occupational and speech therapy patients living at the center and staff members were able to remain sheltered in the building, though firefighters helped move 12 patients to different rooms. Michael pointed out that sprinklers reduce fire-related deaths by 87% and injuries by 27%, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Danville, KY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at nursing home

A fire in one of the back wings of Landmark of Danville Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Sunday led to evacuation of the building and seven total residents and employees transported to the hospital.

There were no life-threatening injuries, but the people transported had been subject to smoke inhalation, said Danville-Boyle County Emergency Management Director Mike Wilder. He said all the residents were evacuated with no major issues.

Danville Fire Department Chief Doug Simpson said the dispatch to a structural fire at 203 Bruce Court, the address of Landmark, came at 9:05 a.m. Sunday morning. A sprinkler in one of the back wings had gone off. “But the sprinkler system did do its job and knocked the fire down,” Simpson said. “There was just little flames when we got there, but most of the issues were dealing with smoke.”

He said the seven individuals transported were taken to the hospital via Emergency Management Services, and the fire department also received help from the Boyle County Fire Department, “Which we really appreciated.”

“All the first responders did a great job, worked as a team and the Landmark staff did a great job as well evacuating the residents,” Simpson said.

He said there was no structural damage, but there was a lot of smoke, and some damage was done to the origin of the fire area.

Wilder said when the call was first dispatched, he “cringed” because “It’s one of the horrors we have in the first responder business, something like that occurring,” like a fire at a nursing home, since it’s “such a task” to get everyone evacuated.

“It took me a little while to get myself together,” he said.

Luckily, though, everyone was evacuated safely, and he wanted to note that the there was also mutual aid from Garrard and Lincoln counties — one rescue unit from Garrard County and one from Lincoln County to help evacuate residents.

Santa Rosa, CA – Fire at senior housing center extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A small fire Sunday morning at a senior housing center was squelched by the sprinkler system, but the resulting flooding displaced several residents, according to Napa Fire.

The fire department was notified of a sprinkler activation and water-flow alarm at the building in the 1400 block of Redwood Road, according to Napa Fire spokesperson Matt Colburn. After the first engine company at the scene saw smoke in a hallway, other firefighters were called to the building, Colburn said.

Sprinklers doused the fire inside an apartment, but about 10 other units had to be vacated due to the resulting flow of water, according to Colburn, who said firefighters stayed for more than four hours to help clear out the water. No injuries were reported.

The cause remains under investigation.