Category Archives: Retail

Thrift store fire put out by sprinkler system (St. Cloud, MN)

The cause of a fire at a St. Cloud thrift shop is under investigation.  The blaze started about 5 p.m. … The fire started in the merchandise storage area, said Greg Newinski, battalion chief at the St. Cloud Fire Department. The sprinkler system put it out. The damage to the store is estimated to be about $10,000; the merchandise, about $5,000, although that number could be significantly higher.

Fire eliminated by sprinklers at retail plaza (Airdrie, AB)

Sprinkler system aids firefighters in furniture store fire (Fresno, CA)

A late night fire at a furniture store was extinguished by the store’s sprinkler system and local firefighters on Sunday. The store, which is located in a strip mall, neighbors a Petco pet store, but the fire was contained to the furniture store. No one was injured in the fire.

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by reporter Amanda Venegas and ABC30, who focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system**

Sprinkler system aids firefighters at fire in Toys R Us (Paramus, NJ)

A fire occurred overnight at a Toys R Us retail location on November 12. The cause of the fire, which began in a second-floor stockroom, was confined to that area by the store’s fire sprinkler system.

“The store’s automatic fire sprinkler system kept the fire contained,” Paramus Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire within a half hour, and all of the store’s employees were able to evacuate the premises safely. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Sprinklers control fire at retail store (Prescott, AZ)

A fire began in a retail store at about 9 a.m. on Sunday, November 10 when the glass spheres that were in the window display acted as a magnifying glass when the sun shone through them. The heat that ensued caused the fire, and the fire sprinkler system helped to contain the flames until fire crews arrived.

Fire officials from the Prescott Fire Department stated, “The activated sprinkler kept the extension of the fire to a minimum, saving several adjacent businesses.”

No one was injured in the incident

Sprinkler system aids firefighters in suspicious fire at grocery store (Phoenix, AZ)

Three separate fire appear to have been intentionally in a grocery store at about 8 p.m. on Monday, October 28. The sprinklers in the building were activated by the heat from the fire and kept the fire from spreading. Investigators are calling the fire suspicious, and the investigation remains ongoing. No injuries were reported.

Macy’s flagship Manhattan store saved with help from sprinkler system (New York City, NY)

The fire broke out at the iconic Macy’s store a little after eight and the store was filled with shoppers. Everyone got out without injury and folks were let back in to collect their personal belongings once the fire was extinguished. The blaze was in the basement and the store’s sprinkler system kept the blaze from spreading onto the upper floors of the store. It was the store’s sprinklers that actually saved the store because it stopped the fire from spreading.

Tanning salon fire doused by sprinkler system (Amherst, MA)

An early Saturday morning fire in a University Drive tanning salon was put out by an automatic sprinkler system before firefighters arrived on scene. Assistant Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren said no one was in the business when the fire started. An automatic alarm sounded at 1:37 a.m. Saturday alerting the Fire Dept. But, by the time fire apparatus arrived at the salon, the automatic sprinkler system put out the flames in a small utility room.