Category Archives: Residential

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Terre Haute, IN – Fire at homeless shelter extinguished with help from sprinkler system

Officials are investigating an apparent arson after an early morning fire broke out at a Terre Haute homeless shelter. The fire started just before 6 a.m. at the Conners Center on 13th Street. The center, also known as Gary’s Place, is a shelter for women and children.

Kristina Stuff recalls waking up to billowing smoke and several women in the building who were shouting fire. “I thought it was the moment. I was petrified.”

The building is made up of three floors, and three floors up Stuff and her elderly mother were trapped by the overwhelming smoke. Stuff tried to get out but was unable to carry her mother through the smoke. “It didn’t matter what kind of evacuation plan we had it was just too much,” said Stuff as she describes trying to escape.

In that moment stuff recalls feeling helpless, “So I took us back in, soaked down towels and put it on her face, and prayed to God.” It wasn’t long before relief arrived. With the help of the Terre Haute Fire Department all of the residents inside the building got out safely. Stuff and her mother were rescued and treated for smoke inhalation, while the others escaped without injury.

“We don’t like what the future holds for us, but we are alive,” said Stuff.

Terre Haute Fire Chief, Jeff Fischer tells News 10 the fire started in the basement next to the soda machine. It appeared the sprinkler system aided in putting out the flames, but the black smoke continued to cause extensive damage to the second and third floors. “So that means cleaning everything, and taking care of that, and trying to get the smell out,” explained Rev. Timothy Fagg, CEO of the Lighthouse Mission.

The fire is being investigated as arson. Fire officials found evidence of poured gasoline close to the soda machine. “Every dollar we get goes to take care of the homeless here in the Wabash Valley, and when’s there’s something like this it’s difficult for us,” said Rev. Fagg.

All 14 residents are displaced while clean-up takes place. “This is it. This is all we got. We don’t have anywhere else to go,” said Stuff. Rev. Fagg said the residents will be offered a bed at the Lighthouse Mission until repairs are made. The shelter is looking for volunteers to help with cleaning and painting.

The Terre Haute Police Department is spending the day interviewing those at the shelter. The investigation into who started the fire is still on-going.

Residential, Single Family Home

Owings Mills, MD – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire after domestic dispute

A teacher’s aide from Washington, D.C., has been charged with throwing gasoline on her boyfriend and setting his home on fire, Baltimore County Police said Tuesday. Officers were called to the home in the 10800 block of Sherwood Road in Owings Mills just before 5 p.m. Sunday for a report of a domestic situation. While en route, they learned that the home was on fire.

The victim told police that his girlfriend, 29-year-old Lisa Lashell Finley had assaulted him that morning while she was intoxicated, according to court documents. When she went back to his home, he told her he wanted to end their relationship of about two years and told her she could gather her things while he waited in the basement.

He smelled gas and went upstairs to find the stove on but no fire. Finley then threw gasoline on him, according to court documents. Holding a lighter and a can of hairspray, she allegedly threatened to kill him. Police say the man left the home. But when he returned, he found a fire burning inside. A sprinkler system extinguished the fire.

Finley later turned herself in at the Franklin Precinct Monday afternoon. She has been charged with attempted first degree murder, first degree arson and first degree assault. Finley is an educational aide at Anacostia High School, an official with D.C. Public Schools confirmed. She was hired in Oct. 2013. Her current employment status is not known at this time.

Apartment Building, Residential

DeKalb, IL – Sprinkler system keeps flames from spreading in apartment fire

The DeKalb Fire Department responded to an apartment fire at 832 Ridge Drive in DeKalb at 11:09 a.m. Saturday. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, said Jeff McMaster, deputy fire chief, later that afternoon.

“When firefighters got there, there was a light smoke coming from the bathroom,” McMaster said. “When they got in, the sprinklers were on.” The sprinkler system had kept the flames contained and the firefighters were able to put the rest out upon arrival, McMaster said.

No one was home at the time, McMaster said. A neighbor had seen the smoke, heard the apartment’s fire alarm and made the call. There were no injuries, McMaster said. He estimated the damage at about $5,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cookeville, TN – Sprinkler system assist firefighters in extinguishing apartment kitchen fire

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On Wednesday, July 15 around 6:30, the Cookeville fire department responded to a kitchen fire at an apartment complex on West Broad Street. “We were on scene there for a little over an hour,” Capt. Blair said.

A working sprinkler system installed at the complex helped to contain the fire in the unit where it originated and prevented it from spreading to other units.

“That sprinkler system likely saved the apartment complex. It certainly helped contain the fire to the unit where it started, and it made it easier for us to extinguish the blaze after we arrived on the scene. Because of the sprinkler system, we had the fire out in no time,” Capt. Blair said.

“We can’t stress enough the importance of sprinkler systems in saving lives,” he said.  As a precaution, the department evacuated several buildings at the complex while fire fighters worked to put out the blaze.  A total of 19 fire fighters responded to that call.

Apartment Building, Residential

Tualatin, OR – Sprinkler system contains apartment fire to one unit

Seven people had to find a temporary place to stay Thursday after a fire broke out in a Sherwood apartment complex, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue reported.  Crews were sent to the 20000 block of S.W Roy Rogers Road just before 6 p.m. after receiving multiple calls about a fire in a third-floor unit. The building’s commercial sprinkler system was activated and stopped the fire from spreading.

Although the fire was contained to one unit, four units were considered uninhabitable because power had to be cut off, firefighters said.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Rapid City, SD – Apartment deck fire extinguished by sprinkler system

The Rapid City Fire Department is crediting an apartment complex’s sprinkler system with rapidly extinguishing a noon Sunday fire that could have spread to other parts of the building.  According to a release from the department, firefighters went to a fire on an apartment unit’s deck at 2871 Belgrade Blvd., Rapid City.

A single heat-activated sprinkler head put out the fire. There were no injuries, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.  In the release, Oliver White, the department’s spokesman, wrote: “Here we see a fire that easily could have spread into the building, but it didn’t.”

Apartment Building, Residential High Rise

Orange, CA – Overnight high-rise apartment fire suppressed by sprinklers; potential disaster averted

(Blog Note: Please let us know what you think of this journalist’s focus on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the sprinkler system in this overnight, high-rise fire).   Orange police and fire officials responded around 12:15 a.m. to reports of a structure fire at the Community Garden Towers in the 4000 block of West Garden Grove Boulevard, and found smoke coming from the fourth floor, officials said.

Authorities found a mattress on fire on the floor and the flames activated the sprinkler system in the building. Authorities said the building was evacuated and electricity may have been briefly turned off, but residents were able to re-enter the building shortly after the fire was extinguished.

Orange police initially detained a man who lives in the unit where the fire started on suspicion that he may have intentionally started it, Deputy Fire Marshal Casey Fieldhouse said.

But he was later released and not arrested, police Sgt. Phil McMullin.  Three people were displaced due to the damage and were assisted by local Red Cross officials. Authorities did not initially release the cause of the fire or damage estimates.

Apartment Building, Residential

Hilton Head, SC – Port Royal apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Interior sprinklers extinguished a fire in a unit at Laurel Hill Apartments in Port Royal Saturday, likely preventing the fire from spreading, Beaufort Fire Chief Sammy Negron said.

However, damage from the fire, smoke and water forced the four apartment residents out of the unit. The local Red Cross is providing assistance.

At about 2:30 Saturday afternoon, firefighters from the Beaufort-Port Royal Fire Department responded to a fire call at 1640 Ribaut Road, the Laurel Hill Apartments. Upon arrival, firefighters found the fire limited to one apartment unit.

“The building’s sprinkler system worked as it is supposed to and extinguished this fire before it had a chance go grow and spread,” Negron said. “Properly installed and maintained, these types of automated fire suppression systems save lives and property, and we saw that at this apartment fire.”  Also responding to the blaze were the Port Royal Police and Burton Fire District.

Residential, Sorority / Fraternity

Salt Lake City, UT – Suspected arson fire at University of Utah fraternity is contained by sprinkler system

Fires at two fraternity houses at University of Utah are being investigated as arson, Salt Lake City Fire officials said Friday morning.  At about 4:13 a.m., fire crews arrived on scene at the Pi Kappa Alpha house, 1431 E. 100 South, to find a fire on the third floor.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze and kept it contained to one area of the house, which caused damage in the game room, according to a press release from SLC Fire.  Just 18 minutes later, SLC Fire crews responded to the Beta Theta Pi house, 70 S. Wolcott St., on a report of a fire in the basement laundry room.

When firefighters arrived, they found the sprinkler system had kept the small fire under control, the release indicated. Crews then quickly extinguished the remaining flames. Officials say the fires are likely connected. Both fires are currently under investigation. No injuries were reported at either incident.