Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Clinton, NC – Cooking fire at senior housing complex put out by sprinkler system

A cooking fire at a senior housing development in Clinton was able to be quickly extinguished thanks to a sprinkler system, but it did not come without significant water damage, evacuations and one woman transported for treatment.

At about 2:20 p.m. Tuesday, the Clinton Fire Department along with departments from Halls, Taylors Bridge, Herring and Salemburg, with ladder truck in tow, responded to a commercial structure fire alarm at Sampson Square Apartments on College Street.

Once on scene, Clinton Fire Chief Scott Phillips said he could not see anything. He made contact briefly with a woman who was the sole resident in the second-floor apartment at the time. She said she was cooking when the fire occurred.

“The sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire,” said Phillips. “There was not much in the way of fire damage, but there was water damage and it was leaking downstairs. Once we got there and figured out what was going on, we were able to turn some of the (fire units) around.”

However, Phillips and other fire officials ensured all residents were accounted for using a log provided by the apartment manager.

“We made sure everyone was safe and everyone was evacuated to a centralized location,” said Phillips, who noted the female resident of the apartment requested to be transported by EMS. “I’m not sure if she had smoke inhalation. She was talking and it appeared her injuries were non-life-threatening.”

A two-story, 40-unit senior housing development constructed and opened in 2010, Sampson Square is located at 804 College St. It is one of many developments managed by United Property Management (UPM) toward providing residents age 55 and older an affordable housing option. The company oversees 35 communities throughout the state of North Carolina, offering nearly 2,000 rental units across the state.

Phillips said there were about 20 people outside once the building was evacuated, but the fire chief noted that others could have also been “out” away from the Sampson Square campus as it was the middle of the afternoon.

A UPM employee at Sampson Square on Wednesday confirmed that there was no smoke or fire damage in the building, but that the water damage was extensive. He called the incident a “grease fire” and noted that Keshonda Ruffin, regional manager who oversees general management of UPM properties across the state, was expected to further assess the damage at the housing complex later in the day.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Enderby, BC, Canada – Arson fire in school bathroom extinguished by sprinkler system

RCMP are continuing their investigation of a fire at AL Fortune Secondary School in Enderby earlier this month. Cpl. Kevin Kwast said the fire has been determined as arson.  “It looks like it was set with toilet paper and Post-it notes,” said Kwast, adding police want to interview a student, but could provide no more details because the student is a minor.

Enderby Fire Chief Kevin Alstad said the fire started in the girl’s washroom and was put out by the sprinkler system. “There was smoke damage throughout the building,” said Alstad. “The washroom was pretty much a write off.”

While the fire was limited to the washroom, smoke forced the evacuation of students and staff. The school was closed for two days before students could return to class

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Houston, TX – Fire at assisted living center extinguished with help from sprinkler system; No injuries

Residents at an assisted-living facility were evacuated Tuesday night when fire damaged portions of the building in southeast Houston. The fire broke out about 9 p.m. at the Paul Chase Commons in the 16400 block of Moon Rock Drive, said District Chief Tim Lockwood of the Houston Fire Department.

Lockwood said the 26-room, two-story facility was evacuated after fire was sparked in one of the rooms. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, with the help of the facility’s sprinkler system. No injuries were reported.

 The fire, Lockwood said, appeared to begin in the unit’s air conditioner. Six to eight units were damaged, and smoke billowed throughout the building.  After the smoke was cleared and firefighters determined the facility was safe, residents were allowed back inside. Those living in the damaged units were relocated. The fire remained under investigation.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Franklin, OH – Fire at manufacturing facility knocked down by sprinklers

Arcs from a welder’s torch caused a small fire at a Franklin company Monday afternoon.

Franklin firefighters were called to Unifirst, 265 Industrial Drive, at 1:36 p.m. for a fire at the large manufacturing facility. The laundry and uniform company is in the midst of a building expansion according to city officials.

Fire Lt. Mike Perry said the a welder was in an area where the expansion and the current building met and dropped arcs between the roof of the two sections onto a maintenance/storage shed that caught fire. Perry said the building’s sprinkler system contained most of the fire, and firefighters put down a small additional amount of water and cleared the building of smoke.

He estimated damages of about $5,000 to the structure and about $10,000 to contents stored in the shed.

Apartment Building, Residential

Orono, ME – Sprinkler system knocks down grease fire at apartment building

Crews responded to a fire at an apartment complex in Orono Monday afternoon.

The call came in around 2:30 to the Reserve apartments, formerly known as the Grove.

Officials say a grease fire triggered the sprinkler system in one of the units. As a result the fire was out when crews arrived.

There was significant smoke and water damage, though, leaving the apartment unliveable for now.

“I believe the resident was attempting to deep fry something and it caught on fire, put it in the sink, put water on it, which expanded the grease, caused the sprinkler heads to go off,” said Capt. Joel Sides of the Orono Fire Department.

Fire officials remind you to always use baking soda–not water–to put out a grease fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Richmond, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system knocks down apartment fire possibly caused by Molotov cocktail

Richmond RCMP is investigating a suspicious fire late on Sunday evening in City Centre which is thought to have displaced up to eight families.

Shortly after 11 p.m. the Mounties were called to the 5800 block of No. 3 Road  to assist Richmond Fire-Rescue with a fire on the sixth floor of an apartment building.

Fire crews had arrived earlier to find heavy smoke coming from the sixth floor.

The Richmond News understands a Molotov device had been thrown on the floor and the fire was knocked down by the sprinkler system.

Residents of the apartment claim this is the second time in a week that the building has been targeted, adding that a smoke bomb was let off and offensive graffiti was found.

However, according to the RCMP, the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but is being treated as suspicious.

“We are greatly relieved no one was injured,” said Richmond RCMP’s Cpl. Dennis Hwang.

“We are currently reviewing surveillance footage and conducting interviews with witnesses.

“One of our specially trained fire investigators is working with our counterparts from Richmond Fire-Rescue.”

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact Cpl. Kevin Lin immediately at 604-278-1212. To leave a tip, email Richmond_Tips@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

No injuries were reported, but several families were unable to return to their homes due to water damage.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

West Palm Beach, FL – Fire at high school is kept from spreading by sprinkler system; Fire started in an appliance

A “small” fire at Forest Hill High School Sunday night triggered the sprinkler system and prompted West Palm Beach Fire Department to dispatch crews to the campus. In the end, some classrooms in one building suffered water damage, according to a call that went to parents this morning. Classes will be shuffled to other rooms on the West Palm Beach campus, but school will continue as scheduled.

According to the call, a water mitigation company began the clean up work at midnight and will be there for the coming days. Sounds like the school’s band, chorus and drama classes will be feeling the pinch. The call reports that band and chorus classes will meet instead in the school auditorium.

“Drama will be located in our lobby.” Imagining that’s a reference to the class.

Update: Principal Mary Stratos says that it appears an appliance was the source of the fire that happened Sunday night. That small fire triggered the school’s sprinkler system and also brought out the fire department – and this morning she is singing their praises.

“What an unbelievable group,” Stratos said. “They went far and beyond.” Authorities aren’t sure how or why the appliance caught fire (no detail yet on which appliance, but think coffee machine, microwave or such), but they are reviewing school video for clues, Stratos said.

Most of the damage is water damage that is in a couple of rooms including the band room, where a wall must be removed. Mitigation crews had removed the water by Monday morning, but the smell of smoke and burned plastic still hung in the air, prompted Stratos to close the building for now and relocate classes.

“We’ve put in new charcoal filters and air cleaners, so I just have to wait for those things to do what they’re supposed to do,” Stratos said.

Meanwhile, the school schedule is moving forward including students taking the computer-based Florida Standards Assessments for Engli

 

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Wayland, MA – Sprinkler system helps keep restaurant fire from spreading

A Boston Post Road restaurant established in 1930 will be closed for at least a week after a kitchen fire on Saturday, authorities said.   “Unfortunately, all of the food in the restaurant has to be destroyed,” said Houghton. “It’s safe to say the restaurant will have to be closed for at least a week.”

The fire department went to the Coach Grill around 1:30 p.m. for a report of fire showing from the building. Upon arrival, the department called for a second alarm, with Weston and Sudbury Fire departments assisting at the scene. The Natick and Lincoln Fire departments covered the stations, the chief said.

The fire was traced to a refrigeration unit in the kitchen, the chief said. The restaurant’s sprinkler system activated. The restaurant, which serves dinner and Sunday brunch, was closed at the time of the fire. No one was injured.

“With it being closed, there were no cars in the parking lot, so we were able to use the parking lot for all of the apparatus,” Houghton said.

 

The cause of the fire is not known and being investigated by the state fire marshal’s office.

 

“It’s not suspicious by any means, but because it is such a significant dollar loss, we want to make sure to get the exact cause pinpointed,” Houghton said..

Residential, Residential High Rise

Phoenix, AZ – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in controlling high rise fire

A trash compactor caught fire in a central Phoenix high rise on Saturday, Fire Capt. Red Bigler said. The Phoenix Fire Department was called to the high rise building on the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Lexington to investigate reports of a fire.

Crews encountered light smoke and an active sprinkler situation surrounding the fire, which was located in a trash compactor, Bigler said. Firefighters were able to control the fire and no evacuations of the building were ordered.  No one was injured in the incident

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Titusville, PA – Early morning fire at laundry business contained by sprinkler system

The Titusville Fire Department was busy on Friday putting out two fires — one occurred at a Titusville business — the other was on Park Avenue near the intersection of High Street. According to Assistant Chief Joe Lamey, the first fire happened at 5:30 a.m., Friday, at ITU [formerly Farley’s Industrial Laundry] on West Spring Street.

Lamey said an automatic fire alarm went off, and when firefighters arrived on the scene, the water flow alarm [sprinkler system] was on, but no smoke was showing. He said firefighters forced entry into the structure and the building’s interior was full of smoke.

Lamey said Hydetown and Pleasantville volunteers were called to assist. He said one of the overhead bags the laundry uses had a contaminant, possibly an oil substance, that spontaneously combusted.

“The sprinkler system did a great job, but there’s water damage,” Lamey said. “They will have a lot of clean up. There was little damage to the facility and it will probably be ruled accidental.” He said firefighters were on the scene until 8 a.m.

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