Category Archives: Residential

Huntington, WV – Sprinkler system helps avert potential disaster at senior high-rise building

The fire broke out on Sunday night at Highlawn Place, a senior affordable housing building.  Huntington Fire Chief Carl Eastham tells WSAZ the building was partially evacuated after a mattress caught fire in the trash room on the 7th floor about 9:45 p.m.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, the sprinkler system had pretty much put out the fire.  No one was injured and the displaced residents should be able to move back in later Monday.

Sisters, OR – Apartment fire extinguished by single sprinkler head

A kitchen fire was quickly extinguished when the fire sprinkler system activated and put out a fire at 555 N. Larch St. in Sisters last week. Occupants were frying food on the kitchen range in high temperature oil and then left the kitchen for a brief time, according to statements from the residents. Residents were then alerted to the smoke alarm sounding. When the residents returned to the kitchen they saw three-foot flames above their frying pan. 

The fire only activated one sprinkler which extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived. Fire Chief Roger Johnson is thankful that the apartment complex was equipped with a fire sprinkler system; without it there is a very good chance the fire would have consumed the apartment or even the building.

Charleston, SC – Fire department credits single sprinkler for extinguishing apartment fire

Fire officials have been able to determine a single fire sprinkler head was able to put out a fire in a apartment complex in downtown Charleston.  Crews with the Charleston and North Charleston Fire Departments, Charleston County EMS, and Charleston Police Department were called out to a possible structure fire at North Central Apartments at 1054 King Street.

Arriving units were advised of a possible kitchen fire in a second floor apartment. Fire officials on scene say the fire sprinkler located in the kitchen of the apartment had extinguished a fire on the stove.

“The fire sprinkler system was again a very important tool in this incident,” said Fire Chief Karen Brack. “Without this fire sprinkler system the fire may have grown in size injuring the resident and other tenants of the building. The fire sprinkler system extinguished the fire and ensured the life safety of all occupants in the building.”

Fire damage was limited to the stove area with minimal smoke and heat damage. Officials say the resident received no injuries due to the fire.  Officials say this is the second incident in two weeks that a fire sprinkler system has extinguised a growing fire in a multi-tenant occupancy in the City of Charleston.

Chico, CA – Sprinklers contain fire at senior adult care facility

A Chico police officer rescued an elderly woman from her smoke-filled room Friday after a fire broke out at a senior adult care facility. Officer Carlos Jauregui was the first to arrive to The Courtyard at Little Chico Creek, 1777 Humboldt Road, where a small fire was sending thick, black smoke billowing into the room.

A facility employee called 911 just before 8:40 a.m. to report the incident, Chico interim fire chief Shane Lauderdale said. The small fire was contained by the facility’s sprinkler system, but several residents at the facility had to be evacuated.

Salisbury, MD – Laundry fire in apartment complex doused by sprinkler system

A clothes dryer was blamed for an early Saturday fire that damaged an apartment unit at Riverside Court and displaced the occupant, the Salisbury Fire Department has reported.  A sprinkler system kicked on, controlling the blaze until a dozen firefighters arrived, said Salisbury Assistant Chief Bryan Records.

No one was reported injured, and six other apartment units in the immediate vicinity were not condemned, he said. The fire was confined to a laundry area inside a unit at 720 A Riverside Road. 

Salisbury, MD – Townhouse fire contained to one room by residential sprinkler system

An electrical failure in an HVAC system is being blamed for a fire at a Salisbury townhouse Wednesday, the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office said.  Deputy state fire marshals responded to 1733 Woodbrooke Drive in Salisbury at about 12:50 p.m. for a fire contained to a living room by a residential fire sprinkler.

A fire sprinkler head quickly activated near the small blaze and contained the fire, while protecting the remainder of the home and contents.  The home will remain unoccupied temporarily while maintenance personnel make minor repairs and clean-up from the incident.  There were no injuries.

West Lafayette, IN – Sprinkler system activates to control overnight fire at Purdue University off-campus apartment building

West Lafayette Fire Chief Tim Heath said the fire broke out above a trash receptacle on the third floor. The heat from the fire caused one sprinkler head to start spraying.  Fuse Apartment management said the damage to the apartments is minimal and will be repaired as students are out this week for Thanksgiving break.

Charleston, SC – Fire sprinkler controls downtown apartment fire

The Charleston Fire Department responded to an automatic fire alarm on Market Street this morning at 3:42 a.m.  Fire officials say there was smoke coming from the Canterbury East building from the 4th floor hallway. Fire department officials say the couch fire was contained by the fire sprinkler head in the resident’s apartment building. The damage from the fire was limited to the sofa and the resident was taken to safety.  The specific cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Waldorf, MD – Single sprinkler head douses flames at senior apartment building

The Maryland State Fire Marshall determined that carelessly discarded smoking materials caused a fire at Astor Senior Apartments, 3605 Moses Way, Waldorf at around 12:31 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19.

According to Deputy Fire Marshal John Nelson, a sprinkler system in the apartment was activated and the fire was out by the time 40 volunteer firefighters from Waldorf, La Plata, Bryans Road, Hughesville, Accokeek, Baden and Bel Alton arrived on the scene.

Firefighters discovered smoke on the second floor of the apartment building with an activated fire alarm and sprinkler system. A single sprinkler head activated in Apartment 223, extinguishing the fire, which originated in the bedroom.