Category Archives: Other – Retail

Other - Retail, Retail

La Crosee, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at ACE Hardware; No injuries reported

The cause of a fire at the ACE Hardware Distribution Center on French Island is under investigation.

The La Crosse Fire Department was called to the center at 500 Fanta Reed Place shortly before 2 p.m.

Light smoke was showing when crews arrived. Given the size of the building, a total of eight trucks with crews were eventually called to the scene.

According to Captain Lance Tryggestad, three crews went inside to find the location of the fire. No employees were on the scene when the fire occurred.

The fire was tracked down in the warehouse. It was being actively suppressed by a fire sprinkler system. Fire crews were able to get control of the fire and ultimately extinguish it and turn off the sprinkler system.

No injuries were reported.

Other - Retail, Retail

West Union, OH – Fire contained to one wall in women’s restroom thanks to fire sprinklers

In the morning hours of Thursday, Feb. 6, an alarm was sounded at the site of the old Prather’s IGA store and the future site Adams County Workforce & Development Center. A small fire was reported but no significant damage was done to the structure.

According to reports sent to The Defender, the fire was contained to just one wall in the women’s bathroom, and it was believed to have been caused by a shirt in the bathroom’s exhaust fan. Fortunately, the sprinkler head was an estimated foot from the exhaust fan and helped quickly extinguish the small fire. The wall that was damaged was scheduled for demolition in the future remodeling of the site to become the training center and there was no damage to the roof or trusses.

According to Holly Johnson, Director of the Adams County Economic Development office, the small fire “will not impede progress” in the work on the new Training Center.

Johnson continued, “We cannot thank Officer Jason Hanson of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and Officer Brown of the West Union Police Department for their early detection of the alarm, plus all of the other law enforcement agencies and personnel that responded to the incident. West Union Life Squad personnel and the West Union Fire Department were there in full force, also assisted by the Manchester Fire Department.

Other - Retail, Retail

Orland Park, IL – Sprinkler system keeps fire in check at pet store, saving the animals

Officials in Orland Park believe a sprinkler system helped save a group of critters from a fire that broke out at a pet store Monday in the southwest suburb.

Crews responded about 8:15 p.m. to reports of a fire at Chicago Fish and Coral Company, 14412 John Humphrey Drive, according to Ray Hanania, spokesman for the Orland Fire Protection District.

The sprinkler system was activated soon after the blaze broke out, and firefighters extinguished the small fire when they arrived, Hanania said. Smoke was removed from inside the store with the help of additional crews.

The store’s owner, Brian Potter, said he was initially worried the fire would cause “total devastation.” However, the animals were all safe and in good condition.

“We had a fire at the store there was no loss of life for any animals it was very minor and contained we have a lot of cleanup to do we just wanted everybody to know all the animals are safe!,” a post on the store’s Facebook page said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the quick activation of the sprinkler system helped keep the blaze in check, Hanania said.

Potter said the fire stemmed from a chiller near a fish tank. The shop was closed Tuesday and is expected to open Wednesday.

Other - Retail, Retail

Starkville, MS – Fire caused by bathroom exhaust fan at local GameStop contained by fire sprinklers

GameStop on Highway 12 in Starkville was shut down after firefighters battled a fire in the back of the building.

In a Facebook post, firefighters said the structure fire broke out early Tuesday morning.

The fire alarm and fire sprinkler system activation alerted the fire department.

Firefighters who responded to the scene said they were able to contain the fire and keep damage to a minimum because the “fire codes and safety building feature worked perfectly.”

Investigators said the cause of the fire was a ceiling bathroom exhaust fan.

The post read, “This could have had a completely different ending it if were not for the fire sprinkler system and fire alarm system all working just like designed.”

Other - Retail, Retail

San Luis Obispo, CA – Fire sprinklers contain fire at PetSmart to one room; No injuries reported

Firefighters responded to a fire at PetSmart off Froom Ranch Way in San Luis Obispo just after 5:10 a.m. Sunday.

Fire officials say an employee of PetSmart called the department after getting to work and seeing flames. No other occupants were inside the building at the time of the fire.

The blaze was contained to one room, but the building was filled with smoke, and water from the sprinkler system.

Firefighters were able to knock down the fire within 10 minutes without injuries.

Officials with San Luis Obispo City Fire say they were no pet casualties. However, some of the store’s product was damaged.

Firefighters were able to ventilate the building, but there will be significant clean up.

PetSmart employees say they’re hoping to have the store open by 5 p.m. Sunday.

Officials say this could have been an electrical fire, but the fire marshal is still investigating.

Other - Retail, Retail

Duluth, MN – Sprinkler system helps contain pallet fire at Goodwill store; No injuries reported

In Duluth, firefighters responded to an automatic alarm at the Goodwill Store at 700 Garfield Avenue on Friday afternoon. They found smoke coming from the rear of the building where pallets of assorted goods were on fire. Fire containment was assisted by an activated sprinkler head. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Other - Retail, Retail

Courtenay, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system stops fire from spreading from roof at pharmacy

A fire in the roof of Living Room Pharmacy was quickly extinguished by Courtenay Fire Department.

There was nobody at the business when the fire broke out, at approximately 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.

“It started [around] the sign at the front of the building; there’s actually no damage inside the building, really,” said Living Room Pharmacy owner Greg Oksanen.

By the time the Courtenay Fire Department arrived, the business’s sprinkler system was fully activated.

“Absolutely – that’s what kept it in the location that it was at,” said Courtenay Fire Chief Don Bardonnex. “The fire was contained inside that peak point. The fire followed the wiring up over to the side, then ran up to the top, and went through the roof. That’s where it was when we arrived. The sprinkler system stopped it from spreading anywhere else.”

Bardonnex said the fire started in behind the sign itself, but the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Oksanen said he doesn’t expect the setback to affect business too much.

“We will have to mop up but we will deal with people who have to get a prescription today; otherwise we will ask them to come back tomorrow or the next day,” he said.

Other - Retail, Retail

Portland, OR – Sprinkler system keeps fire at Goodwill in check; No injuries reported

A fire significantly damaged a Goodwill at Northeast 122nd Avenue and Northeast Halsey Street early Thursday morning, Portland Fire and Rescue said.

Crews responded to the fire shortly after 3 a.m.

When crews arrived on scene, they found heavy smoke filling the building.

Firefighters entered the building from the front and called for reinforcements. They found the fire in the back of the building near the loading dock.

Fire investigator Rob Garrison said the fire started somewhere in the vinyl or foam lining of the loading dock pad.

Garrison said a triggered sprinkler head helped keep the fire contained before crews arrived.

The fire damage was confined to the back wall, the area where trucks load and unload, and a truck that was backed up to the door at the time of the fire.

No one was injured and no one was inside the building when the fire started.

Garrison is still investigating the cause of the fire.

The store is closed until further notice.

Other - Retail, Retail

Napa, CA – Fire in compost bin extinguished by fire sprinkler system

A fire broke out Saturday night in a compost bin on the third flood of the Riverfront complex on Main Street and was promptly extinguished by an automatic sprinkler, the Napa Fire Department reported.

The incident prompted a brief evacuation of the Morimoto restaurant on the first floor as water cascaded down the outside of the building.

Fire officials said the fire was confined to the compost toter, which was located in a trash room, and damaged none of the upper floor residences.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Other - Retail, Retail

Batavia, IL – Sprinkler system put out fire at local company before firefighters arrived; No injuries reported

A sprinkler system at a small company in Batavia put out a fire before firefighters arrived late Tuesday, according to a news release.

A fire alarm notified firefighters at 11 p.m. July 2 at Mat Masters, 1055 Paramount Parkway, Batavia, but it was extinguished by a sprinkler system, the release stated.

When firefighters arrived, however, the building had smoke and they upgraded the situation to a general alarm for a fire. Other responding agencies were St. Charles, Geneva, North Aurora and Fermilab, who assisted with overhaul and ventilation, the release stated.

Firefighters controlled the area within 20 minutes by 11:30 p.m., the release stated.

No one was injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation, officials said.

According to its website, www.matmastersil.com, the company offers floor mats, napkins, table cloths, towels, aprons, paper products, hand soaps, air fresheners and dust mops.

John Denormandie, owner of Mat Masters, said firefighters had to go through the building to make sure there were no hot spots, which can reignite the fire.

The company’s second shift of two employees had just left an hour before the fire alarm, Denormandie said.

“As of right now, I have no idea how it started,” Denormandie said. “There is no third shift.”

The first shift has seven employees, he said.

The business was operational by 4:30 a.m., he said.

“The first shift is in at 5:30 a.m., but they came in early at 4 a.m. to clean up,” Denormandie said. “We have the most amazing employees. … They showed up. How much more could I ask? They’re good people.”