Category Archives: School / University

NOTE – Residence Hall, Dormitory, and Fraternity-Sorority is included under Residential Category

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Sparks, NV – Sprinkler system puts out fire at high school during school hours; No injuries

Students at Spanish Springs High School held their first fire drill of the year at around 9:45 a.m. Shortly after noon, they were rehashing what they’d learned for real. A small fire broke out in the 100 wing of the school just a few hours after the fire drill. The alarms rang immediately throughout the school while the sprinkler system activated in the area of the fire and put it out.

Washoe County School District spokeswoman Victoria Campbell said the students left the building without incident. Campbell said the Sparks Fire Department showed up and mopped some of the school since it was a little damp. Students were back in class around an hour after it happened, save for the classroom where the fire originated.

“There were no injuries, no problems,” she said. “The school was completely empty and everyone got outside.” A call went out to parents around 3 p.m. informing them of the incident. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Dallas, GA – Sprinklers help douse fire in high school chemistry lab

A small fire occurred in a chemistry lab at Paulding County High School Thursday, the school district said on Facebook.

The Paulding County School District said in a post to parents that students were evacuated into gymnasium areas. No injuries were reported. No fire damage was reported, but water from the sprinkler system did cause some damage.

Here’s the school district’s Facebook post:

Parents of PCHS students: There was a small fire in one of PCHS’s chem labs today. Students were evacuated and moved into the gyms due to a severe weather alerts. The fire did not cause any damage, but there is some water damage from the overhead sprinkler system. We are working quickly to make the necessary repairs.

Thanks to Paulding County Fire & EMA and our district maintenance department who responded quickly to the incident.

Our safety procedures were followed and there were no injuries from the fire. Thanks to all involved for their cooperation and quick thinking during this situation.

Primary / Secondary School

Antioch, CA – Sprinkler system helps to limit damage in arson fire at elementary school

Fire inspectors suspect an arsonist set two dumpsters ablaze at an elementary school in Antioch on Saturday, a fire official with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said Monday.

Firefighters responded just before 7 p.m. to a report from a person walking by the Mno Grant Elementary School, located at 4325 Spaulding St., of a fire at the school, fire Capt. George Laing said.

Laing said fire crews arrived to find two dumpsters engulfed in flames that were adjacent to a masonry wall and overhang.

The fire burned through some of the overhang and caused minor damage to the roof but Laing said for the most part, the fire was contained to the overhang and dumpsters.

One sprinkler activated and protected the main electrical service, Laing said. Firefighters were able to douse the flames quickly and Laing said there were no injuries reported.

Fire inspectors determined someone set the dumpster on fire intentionally, but Laing said he couldn’t release more details because the fire is under investigation. 

A call to Antioch police was not immediately returned.Laing said it’s helpful for neighbors to pay attention to their surroundings and immediately report any suspicious activity or smoke to 911.

 

College/University (on campus), School / University

Iowa City, IA – Lab fire at University of Iowa contained with help from sprinkler system

The Iowa City Fire Department responded to a fire on the University of Iowa campus Friday afternoon. According to a news release, crews were called to the Chemistry Building, 251 N. Capitol St., at 3:47 p.m. Friday for a report of an active fire in one of the labs.

Responding crews located a fire in one of the labs, which was partially suppressed by the sprinkler system. The fire was extinguished within eight minutes and crews remained on scene to assist with cleanup and ventilating the building. They were assisted by UI and Iowa City police, the Johnson County Ambulance Service and MidAmerican Energy. While employees were in the lab when the fire began, no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the fire department and UI public safety.

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Pittsburgh, PA – Residence hall fire at Duquesne University extinguished by sprinkler system

A small kitchen fire at a dormitory at Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University was quickly extinguished and hurt no one. City firefighters were called to Brottier Hall just before 10 p.m. Wednesday, but the fire was put out by the sprinkler system before they arrived. 

University spokeswoman Bridget Fare says 500 students live in the building, but most are on vacation or not living there during the summer. Still, 30 apartments were affected by water damage from the building’s sprinkler system. Fare says 15 students who live in those units were temporarily staying elsewhere. The university found alternate housing for 11 students, while four opted to stay with friends. 

Some apartments were expected to be repaired by Thursday, while others might take a week to fix.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Nashville, TN – Sprinklers activate to help control arson fire at high school

Stratford High School suffered damage after a propane torch was used to set fire to an administrative office.  Officials with Metro Police said the incident happened Sunday at the school located on Stratford Avenue in Nashville.

Investigators said Trevarious Carney used a portable fire extinguisher and broke into the school during the evening hours.   The 20-year-old was allegedly seen on security video inside the building.

According to police, he first set a fire to the carpet inside an administrative office.  He fled the scene after the fire alarm began sounding.  The building’s sprinkler system went off, keeping the fire contained to the office area. 

Carney was identified as a suspect and charged with attempted arson.  No additional details were known. 

College/University (on campus), School / University

Los Angeles, CA – Fire at UCLA engineering building contained by single sprinkler

A small electrical fire broke out at the Henry Samueli School of Engineering on the UCLA campus in Westwood on Saturday, but it was held in check by a sprinkler and was out when firefighters arrived, authorities said.  No injuries were reported and no one was evacuated as a result of the fire, which was reported just after 4 p.m.

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential, Residential High Rise

Champaign, IL – Sprinklers control fire in campus high-rise apartment building

Nobody was hurt in an apartment fire Sunday night at a campus high-rise.  Champaign Fire Marshal John Koller said firefighters were called to a blaze at the Tower at Third, 302 E. John St. at 9:22 p.m.

By the time firefighters arrived, the sprinkler system was already controlling the fire, which was limited to a single apartment on the third floor. However, smoke had spread throughout the floor. There was moderate smoke in the apartment and light smoke on the rest of the floor.

The residents were evacuated to the lobby on the first floor while firefighters tackled the blaze.  A resident of the apartment told firefighters he had had some problems with a refrigerator in the apartment, but it was too soon to determine a cause on Sunday night. 

Koller said investigators would be looking into the cause late Sunday night and early Monday morning.  Koller said the fire was under control by 9:40 p.m.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Tewksbury, MA – Sprinklers control overnight fire at pre-school building

A two-alarm fire broke out at a local pre-school late Friday night, leaving the building closed Monday. The fire happened at Knowledge Beginnings at 200 Old Main St., according to Fire Chief Michael Hazel. The building was not occupied at the time.

The blaze, which started in a second floor bathroom, was likely caused by an electrical problem, Hazel said. The fire then spread into the attic above that bathroom, and was contained by the activated sprinkler system. Fire crews then arrived on scene and extinguished the blaze.

The Billerica Fire Department assisted at the scene, and the Wilmington and Andover departments helped to provide station coverage. Power was shut down to the whole building over the weekend as a precaution and the school was closed Monday.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Tempe, AZ – Sprinklers extinguish arson fire in high school bathroom

A juvenile was arrested after an arson investigation at Marcos de Niza High School revealed that he started a fire in the men’s restroom of the 400 building, police reported. The building houses the school’s driver education department and residence of an on-site officer, police reported.

Tempe Police and the fire department responded to the fire alarm that went off at the school and when they arrived the saw that the fire sprinklers and suppression system in the bathroom extinguished the fire, police reported.

The video surveillance of that area was reviewed and a camera outside the bathroom recorded the boy walking out of the restroom prior to smoke being seen, police reported. When he was read his Miranda rights and question he admitted to starting the fire with a lighter he found, saying he didn’t believe it would cause much damage and it would burn itself out, police reported.

Because of the fire classrooms were evacuated and the school was reportedly disrupted, according to the report. Additionally, the security officer was in his residence when the fire started, causing him to be endangered as well, police reported. He was transported to Tempe City Jail, where he was booked and held to see a judge, according to the report.