Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility Kenosha, WI – Cooking fire at care center put out with help from sprinkler system January 4, 2017 viking210 Residents of a care center displaced by water damage from a sprinkler system were able to move back into the facility Tuesday evening. According to a spokesman from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, residents of the Kenosha Care Center I, 6024 18th Ave., were housed at the Dayton Care Center, 521 59th St., during the day on Tuesday. They were allowed to move back into their residence after 7 p.m. on Tuesday.Operators of the Care Center could not be reached for comment. According to the Kenosha Fire Department, a kitchen stove was being used for heat in the facility, and that set off the sprinkler system at about 5 a.m. Tuesday. The fire department estimated that about 15 people were temporarily displaced. Some reportedly made temporary use of a bus provided while firefighters dealt with the initial fire call in order to stay out of the weather. According to state records, the facility, which appears from the street to be a typical two-story home. It is licensed to care for up to 21 residents, and to care for people who are developmentally or physically disabled, terminally ill, mentally ill, suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, or people in transition from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
Apartment Building, Residential Duluth, MN – Sprinkler system activates in response to apartment balcony fire January 3, 2017 viking210 A small balcony fire at a Duluth complex led to damage in three apartments on Friday. Gwinnett County firefighters were called to the Bridgewater Apartments complex, at 1500 Ridge Brook Trail, at 2:16 p.m. on a report of an apartment fire. When they got to the complex, smoke led to the balcony of a third-floor apartment where they found a smoldering fire in a charcoal meat smoker.“ The fire was contained to the outer-decking material of the balcony and sent heat and smoke inside the apartment unit,” Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said. “A sprinkler activated inside the apartment due to radiant heat.” No one was injured by the fire, but the balcony had minor damage and the sprinkler caused residual water damage in the apartment, as well as two other apartments directly beneath it, Rutledge said. He said the complex’s maintenance personnel tried to put out the fire with portable fire extinguishers before firefighters arrived. Firefighters found the fire and got it under control by 2:34 p.m., about 11 minutes after they arrived.
Residential, Single Family Home Wilmington, NC – Habitat for Humanity home protected from extensive fire damage by residential sprinkler system January 3, 2017 viking210 Wilmington Fire Department units responded to a house fire Saturday evening at 1406 Corbett Street. According to Wilmington Fire Department PIO David Hines, the call came in around 7 p.m. It was caused by a grease fire that had flared up out of control. The fire then activated the residential fire sprinkler system that extinguished the fire. Once units arrived on scene, the fire had already been put out by the sprinkler system. When the firefighters arrived on scene, they shut off the water to the house to stop the flow from the activated head and performed ventilation procedures to remove smoke from the resident. The home where this fire occurred was a home that was built by Habitat for Humanity in 2011. Due to the residential sprinkler system in the home, fire and smoke damage was minimal, estimated at $350.00. The damages were contained to the area immediately surrounding the flare-up. Hines said there were no injuries reported and the occupants of the home were not displaced. He said even with the occupants at home, these types of fires without sprinkler systems, normally result in much more damage and/or injuries.
Other - Retail, Retail Rockford, IL – Beauty supply store fire caused by unattended incense put out by sprinkler system January 3, 2017 viking210 No one was injured this morning when a fire broke out inside a Rockford beauty supply store, a fire investigator said. Rockford firefighters were called at 9:18 a.m. to the fire at State Beauty Supply, 4010 E. State St., according to the fire department. Arson investigator Mike Schnaper said the fire began in the back of the shop. It was accidental, he said. Fire Division Chief Matt Knott said the fire was caused by incense left burning. The fire was extinguished by the store’s sprinkler system and smoke and water damage is estimated at $10,000, according to the fire department.” The damage was very well controlled by the sprinklers,” Schnaper said, but the shop isn’t usable at this time.
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential Oconomowoc, WI – Sprinkler system contains cooking fire at senior apartment building January 3, 2017 viking210 Oconomowoc officials responded to a fire near 3rd and Main Street Thursday, December 29th. Authorities say this was a cooking fire and it was out before firefighters arrived at the scene. According to fire officials, 11 people have been displaced as a result of water damage from the sprinklers. Some will stay with family and others are being helped by the American Red Cross. Two people suffered smoke inhalation but were not taken to the hospital.
Residential, Townhouse / Condominium Richfield, MN – Fire on 6th floor of condominium building held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries January 2, 2017 viking210 Richfield firefighters responded to a kitchen fire on the 6th floor of the Gramercy Park Cooperative condominium complex around 2 p.m. December 18. A sprinkler system in the complex, located across from Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield, kept the fire in check until crews could arrive, according to Richfield Fire Chief Wayne Kewitsch, a staunch advocate of fire sprinkler systems in private residences. The fire resulted in no injuries. The cause was ruled to accidental, according to Kewitsch.
Office Building, Other Business Norfolk, VA – Fire at downtown high rise office building doused by sprinkler system January 2, 2017 viking210 A floor buffer caused a cleaning solvent to catch fire Wednesday in the Wells Fargo Center in downtown Norfolk. Crews were called to the building, located at E. Charlotte Street and Monticello Avenue, for a fire alarm at 7:14 p.m. The call was later upgraded to a fire. Fire officials say the fire was sparked as crews cleaned the building, when a buffer ignited a cleaning solvent. That activated the building’s sprinkler system. By the time firefighters got to the scene, there was no active fire. The sprinkler system caused some water to collect in the building’s basement and in the elevator shaft. Cleanup efforts are now underway. The operator of the floor buffer was taken to a local hospital with some burns to his hands. He’s expected to be OK.
Food Processing, Manufacturing Russell, KS – Grain dust fire at gluten plant extinguished with help from sprinkler system January 1, 2017 viking210 A minor explosion and small fire occurred early Wednesday afternoon at White Energy’s gluten plant in Russell. Russell City Firefighters responded to the fire at about 12:45 PM Wednesday. The Russell Police Department also responded for traffic control. According to Fire Chief Shane Preston, the blaze was mostly extinguished by the facility’s sprinkler system, but firefighters had to put out a few hot embers. Preston said the fire started when a piece of equipment in a grain bin overheated. It caught some grain on fire, the fire mixed with grain dust and caused a flash fire, which was the explosion. The blaze was contained to the grain bin. The incident is still under investigation. There were no injuries.
Apartment Building, Residential Lexington, KY – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in apartment blaze; No injuries reported January 1, 2017 viking210 The Lexington Fire Department was able to make quick work of a fire at an apartment complex on Larkin Road, that caused dozens of residents to evacuate. Firefighters say somewhere between 24 to 36 people were already coming out of the building by the time they arrived. Investigators credit fire alarms and the sprinkler system for getting people out quickly and helping to keep the fire from spreading. According to firefighters, the flames were contained in the originating apartment, with only about 4 units working with building management on finding alternative housing until they can get back into their apartments. Other occupants were able to return to their homes. No injuries were reported.
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential St. Charles, MD – Overnight fire at assisted living facility controlled with help from sprinkler system January 1, 2017 viking210 Deputy State fire Marshals investigated an accidental fire that occurred at the Morningside House of St. Charles four-story assisted living facility at 70 Village Street in Waldorf, Charles County. The property is owned and operated by the Senior Lifestyle Corporation. The 11:47 p.m. fire activated the smoke detection system and fire sprinkler system allowing occupants of forty apartments on the second and third floors to evacuate without injury. Occupants on the first and fourth floors were safely sheltered in place. Nearly 50 firefighters from Charles and Prince George’s Counties assisted the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department at the scene. The fire was contained to the malfunctioning wall mounted heating and air conditioning appliance inside apartment #214. The damage to the structure and contents was confined to fire and smoke damage to the apartment of origin and water throughout the second floor. Occupants of the second floor are being temporarily relocated elsewhere in the facility during clean-up. Damage estimates were limited to $40,000 to the structure and contents. Residential fire sprinklers are effectively proven to save lives and reduce the costs associated when an uncontrolled fire develops. Fires occurring in unprotected structures of this type often are the result of significant injuries or worse to occupants along with a high dollar value loss and extended lengths of time for restoration of the building.
