Category Archives: Grocery Store / Super Center

Minneapolis, MN – Sprinkler system activated for overnight arson fire at Target

Minneapolis police say a burglary suspect confessed to starting a fire inside the Target Express on Lake Street after breaking in to the store early Tuesday morning. 

Police spokesman Officer Garrett Parten says squads were dispatched to the store at 1300 West Lake Street around 3:40 a.m. after reports of a business burglary. Responding officers noticed a damaged door, went into the Target and found a suspect inside. While that man was being booked he reportedly told police he had started a fire inside a garbage can. 

Parten says the fire activated a sprinkler inside the store. 

Fire crews arrived about 5 minutes later, laid down water lines and extinguished what little remained of the fire and subsequent hot spots. The building sprinklers were then shut down. 

At this point there are no reports on the extent of water damage caused by the incident. 

Peachtree City, GA – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Walmart

A 14-year-old girl in Georgia was charged with arson after being accused of setting a fire inside Walmart.

The Peachtree City Police Department believes the teen intentionally started a fire in the paper goods aisle of the store, WGCL reports.

According to police, officers executed a search warrant at the 14-year-old’s home, where they said she admitted to starting the fire.

Investigators said the girl stated no motive behind setting the fire. It was said to be her impulsive decision.

Authorities said the fire was set around 7:20 p.m. Aug. 24. It took firefighters throughout the night to get the fire under control. It was finally extinguished around 4 a.m. the following day.

Although the store’s sprinkler system functioned as designed, the store suffered extensive damage to the interior and the roof.

Three Peachtree City police officers who evacuated the store had to be treated for smoke inhalation, but no one was seriously injured.

Travis County, TX – Sprinkler system activated for recycling bin fire near target

Lake Travis Fire Rescue officials said a fire broke out Sunday morning near the front of a Target on Ranch Road 620 South.

Firefighters responded for a fire alarm activation and saw smoke near the structure. Officials said the fire was controlled with a fire sprinkler.

According to LTFR, the fire originated in a recycle bin near the front of the store.

LTFR said the fire remains under investigation.

Richmond, CA – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Target store; No injuries reported

The automatic sprinkler system at the Richmond Target store helped keep an arson fire in the store “small and nearly extinguished,” according to Richmond Firefighters Local 188.

The firefighters’ union shared video and photos from the fire response that occurred Thursday at the store in the 4500 block of Macdonald Avenue.

Luckily, no one was injured. While the fire damage was limited to a small portion of the aisle, the remainder of the store suffered extensive water damage from the sprinkler system, fire officials said. The store has been closed since the incident.

“Crews arrived at scene to find the occupants and employees already safely out front,” fire officials said.

Fire crews found smoke in the store coming from a fire in one of the aisles. They doused whatever fire remained after the sprinkler system activated.

According to Richmond police, firefighters deemed that the fire was intentionally set. No suspects were located at the scene and the case was referred to fire investigators for followup, police said.

The  El Cerrito and Contra Costa County fire departments also assisted with the incident. 

Houston, TX – Sprinkler system activated for fire at supermarket loading dock; No injuries reported

Firefighters arrived on scene within four minutes to find a fire in a loading dock connected to a supermarket. The made an attack on the fire and with the sprinkler system the fire was controlled and extinguished. A health inspector was requested and HFD Arson investigators were requested to determine the cause and origin of the fire. Metro PD informed HFD a possible suspect was in custody and HPD was on scene for traffic control. Crews from Stations 28, 51, 68 and 37 responded to this incident.

Harahan, LA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Walmart; No injuries reported

A Walmart in Harahan is closed to the public today after a fire broke out there Monday (May 30) night, and it was caught on camera.

In this video, you can see the fire blazing in a section of the store, located in the 5100 block of Jefferson Highway.

Firefighters got the call around 9:44 p.m.

Responders say that when they arrived, the sprinkler system was already activated.

“Currently, as of the cause, it’s under investigation by Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office, and our fire investigators,” said Chief Travis.

Officials also say a second fire happened this morning as a result of that first one, and electrical issues are to blame.

No one was hurt in either fire.

San Jose, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Trader Joe’s; No injuries reported

Firefighters on Monday night quickly extinguished a fire at the Trader Joe’s south of the San Jose International Airport.

The fire was reported just before 6:15 p.m. at the store at 635 Coleman Ave., said San Jose fire Capt. Mitch Matlow.

“The management in the store heard the fire alarms go off, and then they started seeing water coming down from the ceiling in the area over their fresh meat section,” said Matlow, adding that the water was from the store’s fire sprinkler system.

Firefighters arrived to see flames on the roof of the store, which was also being evacuated. About 19 employees and 60 customers were in the store at the time of the fire.

“Everybody is accounted for,” Matlow said. “There are no injuries.”

Employees described the evacuation as “pretty orderly” and said customers were still trying to check out while being asked to evacuate.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, Matlow said.

Matlow said the fire started on the roof. The cause, however, remains under investigation.

As of 8 p.m., employees were still waiting to be let back into the store to collect their belongings. They said work had taken place Monday on the roof where the fire ignited.

The fire left a hole in the roof, Matlow said. An estimate of the damage was not immediately available, but Matlow said he expected the store to remain closed for at least a couple of days.

Firefighters were working with the management to preserve perishable goods in the store, Matlow said.

Louisville, KY – Fire at walmart extinguished by sprinkler system before fire crews arrived; No injuries reported

A fire that broke out inside the Walmart in the Valley Station neighborhood Wednesday night was extinguished quickly by the sprinkler system, according to fire officials.

PRP Fire chief Doug Recktenwald said the sprinkler system put out the fire before the fire department arrived at the store on Dixie Highway, which is near Valley High School. 

As heavy smoke filled the store and alarms sounded, everyone was safely evacuated from the store, according to a MetroSafe supervisor. No one was injured in the fire. 

A MetroSafe supervisor said they received a report of a fire inside the store in the bedding section. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by fire investigators. One Walmart shopper told WDRB News they saw smoke coming from the ceiling. 

Easley, SC – Sprinkler system activated for fire at market; No injuries reported

A fire at the Ingles on Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley is under investigation.

It happened around 11:06 p.m. Friday. The Easley Fire Department said crews located a fire in the storage area near the bakery. The sprinkler system was actively working and no one was injured.

According to the fire department, this is the second incident at this store this week and the fire has been ruled suspicious.

Fulton, MO – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at business

A Fulton woman was arrested for arson in the first degree after a fire was allegedly intentionally set in the basement of the Moser’s off of North Business 54.  

Pamela Cordrey, 48, is an employee of the Moser’s and was working at the time of the fire. She was arrested and taken to the Callaway County Jail on no bond, the Fulton Police Department said. 

The Fulton Police Department alongside the Fulton Fire Department, Central Fire Department and Callaway EMS responded to the fire around 2:07 p.m.

In a press release, the Fulton Fire Department said upon arrival of the first engine company smoke was showing from the grocery store. Fire crews made entry into the structure and reported moderate smoke inside the structure.

When the fire crews entered the basement, there was an active fire with the fire sprinkler system activated. Fire was extinguished within minutes.

With the help of the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office, Fulton Police said it was determined that the fire was set intentionally and caused significant damage to the area.

The Fulton Fire Department said the structure received smoke and minor water damages and that the Estimated loss is unavailable at this time.

Fulton Police posted on Facebook around 2:55 p.m. Wednesday, announcing Moser’s would be closed until further notice. 

Anyone with any information should call the Fulton Police Department at 573-592-3100, Crime Stoppers at 573-592-2474 or your local law enforcement agency.