Middleborough, MA – Sprinkler system controls fire caused by unattended cooking

Just after 7:00am Tuesday morning, the Middleborough Fire Department received an automatic alarm at the Central Fire Station indicating a heat detector activation, immediately followed by another alarm indicating a sprinkler activation at the Shoe Shop Place, 151 Peirce Street.

Car 91 (Shift Commander), Car 93 (Code Enforcement) and Engine 1 were dispatched from Central Fire Station and Engine 6 from South Station. Upon arrival firefighters encountered a kitchen fire in a first floor apartment that was mostly extinguished by the sprinkler system.

Firefighters extinguished the remaining fire, made sure it did not extend beyond the apartment of origin, and secured the sprinkler system keeping the damage to a minimum.

The five occupants were alerted of the fire from the alarm system and quickly evacuated.

β€œIt appears the fire was due to unattended cooking,” said Middleborough Fire Chief Lance Benjamino. The alarm system and the sprinkler system did their job and the firefighters did a tremendous job at controlling this fire and the damag.”

Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, the chief added, and offered a few cooking safety tips.