Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Edmonton, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system helps keep fire from spreading when stored cooking oil ignites

More than forty firefighters battled a fire that broke out late Sunday morning at a storage warehouse in northwest Edmonton.

Fire crews were called to the commercial warehouse in an industrial area near 148 Street and 128 Avenue just before noon.

“When they arrived, there was black smoke coming out of the building,” Edmonton Fire Rescue spokeswoman Holly Budd said. “They forced entry and the sprinkler system had been activated in the building.” 

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services district chief Marc Zubick said the portion of the building that was engulfed stored edible oils. 

“It’s cooking oil that was the cause of the smoke but the cause of the heat that created the smoke on that oil has not been determined yet,” said Zubick. 

Zubick said the fire suppression system in the warehouse did a good job keeping the fire from spreading. As a precaution, firefighters called for more fire trucks at around 12:10 p.m., and a second alarm was called around 10 minutes later. 

Forty five firefighters fought the remainder of the blaze for two hours. The cause is still unknown.  

Retail, Shopping Mall

Las Vegas, NV – Fire at strip mall contained to bathroom with help from sprinkler

A business in the southwest part of the valley was damaged Saturday night in a fire.

Around 8:30 p.m., the Clark County Fire Department responded to a report of a fire at 8090 S. Durango Drive, near Windmill Lane. Upon arrival,  personnel reported a single-story strip mall with a small volume of smoke coming from the structure.

Crews forced entry and made an offensive fire attack. The fire was found in Suite 111, the location of Prime Social Marketing, in a bathroom. Crews knocked down the fire with the aid of sprinkler activation.

Firefighters were able to prevent extension to other suites of the building. The fire is under investigation. Damages have not been estimated.

There were no injuries reported.

Residential, Single Family Home

Napa, CA – Residential sprinkler system suppresses garage fire; No injuries reported

A smoke alarm and sprinkler system helped to snuff out a fire that broke out in a north Napa home Saturday night, according to firefighters.

Napa Fire was sent to the 2000 block of Trower Avenue at 11:15 p.m. after reports that a garage was on fire, Capt. Ty Becerra reported. The first of three fire units to arrive at the home saw light smoke coming from the garage, and firefighters found an ashtray inside the garage that had ignited combustible chemicals, according to Becerra. 

The homeowner, who had been in the garage that evening before going to bed, was awakened by a smoke alarm, took his wife and an infant outside and called 911. As firefighters were arriving, a sprinkler head activated in the garage and suppressed the flames, Becerra said. 

Fire crews stayed for about 45 minutes to help the homeowner clear out the remaining combustibles and control the sprinkler flow, according to Becerra. No injuries to the family or firefighters were reported.

A damage estimate was not immediately available, but Becerra said damage appeared to be limited to items inside the garage.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Saginaw, MI – Sprinkler system helps contain fire at auto repair shop

Saginaw firefighters were dispatched to a fire at the corner of Holland and East Genesee about 5:50 p.m. on Friday, March 18.

The fire occurred at Rick’s Automotive, 1935 E. Genesee, where black smoke could be seen coming from inside of the building when firefighters arrived at the scene.

A sprinkler system that was activated helped contain the fire, according to a firefighter at the scene.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Kelowna, BC, Canada – Sprinklers help knock down flames in early morning townhouse fire

An early morning structure fire in Kelowna has caused damage to at least one suite in a three storey townhouse.

The Kelowna Fire Department received a call about the fire around 6:28 a.m. on Friday. When crews arrived on scene they spotted a fire on the roof of a townhouse on Ambrosi Road. Firefighters managed to knock the fire down quickly and the building sprinkler system helped to extinguish the flames.

There were no reported injuries as a result of the fire but one suite was affected and an adjoining suite suffered water damage as well. Emergency Support Services is now assisting the residents with any support services they may require. The cause of the fire has not been released.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Middletown, NJ – Sprinkler system contains residential fire to single room; No injuries

At 3:05 PM on Wednesday March 16, 2016, the Middletown Township Fire Department was dispatched to a “fire alarm” at Building 2, Unit 210 Wedgewood Circle in the Belford section of the Township.  Approximately 25 firefighters from 3 companies of the Middletown Township Fire Department (Belford Engine, Belford Independent and Community Fire Companies), under the command of Department Deputy Chief Anthony Citaralla, responded to the scene. 

The first arriving units on the scene encountered a smoke condition in the 2 story multiple unit residential structure. The firefighters quickly located a fire in a first floor bedroom. The unit was unoccupied at the time of the incident. The residents in the adjacent units were alerted by the fire alarm system and evacuated the structure. The building’s fire sprinkler system automatically activated and contained the blaze to the single room.

Fire crews ensured that the fire was fully extinguished and used thermal imaging cameras to confirm that the fire had not extended beyond the bedrooms.

The bedroom sustained fire damage and there was smoke and water damage throughout the unit.

The Fire was declared under control by 3:30 PM. The last units cleared the scene by 5:50 PM.

There were no reported injuries during the incident. 

The fire is being investigated by the Middletown Township Fire Prevention office.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Campbell River, BC, Canada – Firefighters connect to sprinkler system to help control fire at recycling center

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Wednesday’s fire in a Maple Street building containing cardboard recycling appears to have been deliberately set.

“When crews arrived on the scene, they found a pile of cardboard and paper that measured approximately eight metres wide by three metres tall fully engulfed in flames. The fire was contained inside the metal clad building, and crews decided the most effective method to douse the fire was to use the waterway at the tip of the ladder fire truck,” said deputy fire chief Vrabel says.

Firefighters were called out about 6:25 p.m. After a few mintures, they changed from dousing the fire with handheld hoses to a nozzle attached to the hose at the end of the ladder on the aerial ladder truck. The nozzle was then directed into the interior of the building and brought the fire under control.

“We initiated a defensive attack. We were concerned about the structural stability of the metal beams that were supporting the roof so we weren’t committing any members inside,” Vrabel said. “Police did have some persons of interest in their custody while we were carrying out our fire operations.”

Vrabel said that three youth “of interest” had been located by the RCMP.

“It definitely appears to be intentionally set by one or more persons,” Vrabel said.

The building is privately owned and is leased out to Sun Coast Waste Management.

On scene were 21 firefighters with four pieces of apparatus committed to the incident. The fire department left the scene after 9:30 p.m.

The fire was still smouldering as of this afternoon but firefighters managed to connect to a sprinkler system in the building and that was directed onto the pile to control it.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Desert Hot Springs, CA – Sprinkler system holds back attic fire at Castañeda’s restaurant

Riverside County firefighters responded to a fire at Castañeda’s restaurant in Desert Hot Springs Thursday.

At around 2:29 p.m., CalFire received a report of an active fire alarm and a smell of smoke at the restaurant, which is in the 13-900 block of Palm Drive.

First responders to the fire reported nothing showing from the exterior, but upon further inspection found a fire in the attic of the building, according to CalFire. The fire was being held back by a sprinkler system.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire by around 3 p.m., according to CalFire.

No one was hurt in the fire.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Rice Lake, WI – Fire at assisted living facility kept from spreading by sprinkler system; No injuries

A fire Tuesday evening, March 15, in a Rice Lake assisted living building at 415 E. South St. caused damage to part of the building. A press release from the Rice Lake Fire Department stated the fire was reported at 6:30 p.m. and 16 firefighters responded and suppressed the interior fire. The sprinkler system helped the fire from spreading. The fire was under control by 7 p.m. Sixteen residents were evacuated during the fire with help from care workers and Rice Lake Police officers. No one was injured.

The RLFD said the fire started on the outside of the building, possibly by accident from discarded smoking materials. The fire remains under investigation. A Lakeview Medical Center paramedic unit, two fire engines, one ladder truck and one fire command vehicle were called to the scene

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Columbia, MD – Dryer fire in high school locker room contained by sprinkler system

Emergency crews responded to a Howard County school Tuesday morning after a fire broke out in a dryer in the locker room.

According to Howard County Fire and EMS, they were told there was fire in the locker room at Oakland Mills High School around 7:30 a.m.

The fire originated in the dryer and stayed confined to it after the sprinkler system was activated.

Crews put out the fire by 8 a.m.

Unites are currently ventilating the structure, restoring systems and making sure the school is safe for students to return.

No injuries were reported and the fire is under investigation.

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