Tag Archives: Afternoon (12pm-6pm)

Sioux City, IA – No injuries at McDonald’s restaurant after fire is extinguished by sprinkler system

Crews were called just before 5 p.m. to a grease fire in the McDonald’s store on Sunnybrook Drive in Morningside. When they arrived the fire was mostly already out thanks to automatic sprinkler systems in the restaurant, but the store was still filled with smoke.

Firefighters say the cause of that fire is unknown at this time. “We had a fire in the kitchen, unknown origin at this time, fire has been extinguished,” said Capt. Richard Andersen, Sioux City fire department. “We are waiting for the fire prevention bureau to show up, to do an investigation. At that time they will determine what the cause is. And we will turn the building back to the owners and they can start cleanup process to reopen the building.”

Everyone in the store evacuated safely before firefighters arrived. At this time damage appears to be confined to the store’s fryers.

Reno, NV – No injuries in apartment fire after sprinkler system activates to assist firefighters

American Red Cross volunteers are assisting 14 people who were displaced after an apartment fire near 4th Street and Morrill Avenue on Friday, Jan. 5, 2016. A Reno Fire Department spokesman says firefighters responded to a report of a kitchen fire at the apartment complex about 2:30PM. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire within minutes of arriving on the scene. However, 14 units, including the one with the kitchen fire, were damaged when the automatic sprinkler system was activated.

No one was injured and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers are meeting with the residents and will ensure everyone has a safe place to sleep, has food, clothing, medication and other essentials.

Fayetteville, AR – Fire at University of Arkansas basketball arena contained with help from sprinkler system

The Fayetteville Fire Department was called to put out a small fire in a suite at Bud Walton Arena prior to Saturday’s game between Arkansas and Tennessee. The fire caused the sprinkler system to douse seats in the northeast corner, in sections 122-126. Sources said the suite was one used by the family of Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson.

Eyewitnesses said they saw smoke and smelled burning in one of the suites. A spokesman from Landmark, the company which the UA employs for security, said the situation is under control, but they are cleaning the areas affected by the water from the sprinklers.

Fans in the affected sections were not allowed in their seats until just minutes before tip-off and the lights were left on during the pregame so the clean-up could continue. No comment was immediately available from the fire department or UA.

Charlotte, NC – Warehouse fire “mostly extinguished” by sprinkler system, according to fire officials

Charlotte fire crews responded to a two-alarm warehouse fire Saturday in north Charlotte. It happened around 1 p.m. on Century Place. The fire was caused by an electrical issue with a light fixture, fire officials said.

The battalion chief said crews initially responded to a water overflow call but saw the smoke when they got on scene. No one was inside the building at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.  According to the battalion chief, the fire was mostly extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.

Shelby Township, MI – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in containing storage closet fire at Kohl’s store; No injuries

A fire inside a Kohl’s storage room early Wednesday afternoon prompted an evacuation and caused extensive smoke damage to the store and merchandise, according to the fire department. The fire ignited just before 1 p.m. inside a supply room at the back of Kohl’s at 25 Mile and Van Dyke, Fire Chief Jim Swinkowski said. There were no injuries reported.  “When our crews got there, they did encounter some heavy fire,” Swinkowski said.

The store was evacuated as soon as employees and customers saw smoke and the fire alarm sounded, Swinkowski said. The sprinkler system activated and fire personnel were able to extinguish the inferno before it spread beyond the storage room, which contained store supplies like signage and batteries.

“It did not spread to the rest of the store or the adjacent stores,” Swinkowski said of the fire. “But there was extensive smoke damage throughout Kohl’s.” Other stores at the shopping center include Target and Home Depot.

Kohl’s will remain closed Wednesday, Swinkowski said. The level of smoke damage to merchandise may make it difficult to reopen soon. “Anytime you’ve got smoke and you’re dealing with linens and clothing, they’re out there (in the store),” he said. “That is up to the Kohl’s loss prevention division to deal with that. It would be tough to be open (Thursday) but that’s not my area of expertise.”

Kohl’s representatives who answered the phone at the store Wednesday refused to comment.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is not considered suspicious, he said.

“We’re just beginning our investigation now so we will not know for some time,” Swinkowski said.

Henrico, VA – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No other apartments affected

Crews responded to a kitchen fire at an apartment complex in Henrico’s Northside. It happened around 4 p.m. in the 5500 block of Cliffbrook Circle, near Brook Road and I-95.  Officials say someone in the apartment was cooking at the time and left the stove briefly unattended. When she came back, the pan caught on fire and the sprinkler immediately went off, extinguishing the fire.

The fire was marked under control and was determined as “accidental in nature and caused by cooking in the kitchen.” The woman who was cooking was evaluated on scene but not taken to the hospital. Everyone who was in the apartment made it out ok and will be displaced for a short period of time. Two women are being assisted by the American Red Cross, according to fire officials.

No other apartments were affected in the fire.

Porterville, CA – Patio fire at senior apartment complex held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire sprinklers on the patio of an apartment at Santa Fe Plaza, a housing complex on North Third Street in Porterville, prevented a fire from spreading Friday afternoon. “This is one of the places we’re always concerned about because of the number of residents,” said City Fire Battalion Chief Glen Hall.

The fire began on the patio of a first-floor apartment, but was contained by the overhead sprinklers. “The fire was held in check by the sprinkler system,” said Hall, adding that it appeared to be contained to a box on the patio and the structure was not burned at all.  Also, the sprinkler only activated on the patio, so there was no water damage to the apartment or any other part of the complex.

However, smoke filled the first floor of the north wing of the complex and the alarm sent more than a dozen residents outside. “I saw smoke billowing … and I grabbed my cat and split,” said resident Sharon Ritchie, who stood outside with several other residents as firefighters inspected the building and worked to clear the smoke.

“I heard the alarm go off and the hallway was full of smoke,” added Norma Fox who lives jus a few doors down from where the fire stated. The fire was reported at about 1:50 p.m. and the city had a full response with five engines, including a ladder truck, and one engine from the county. More than a dozen firefighters were joined by two Porterville police officers who assisted residents out of the smoke-filled complex. One lady in a motorized chair waited outside until a firefighter brought her dog to her. Seeing her dog brought a big smile to her face.

Medical personnel were called to the scene to check out the residents, but no one was injured or sickened by the smoke. One lady said she was winded after walking down three flights of stairs. Hall said the fire was still smoldering when firefighters arrived and they extinguished it at that time. He said there are 105 apartments in the complex, but only the north wing was affected by the fire.

The residents, including the one who lived in the apartment where the fire occurred, were allowed to return to their apartments after about 45 minutes outside. The cause of the fire is under investigation

Centennial, CO – Fire caused by faulty heater at Towne Place Suites hotel contained with help from sprinkler system

A faulty heater has been blamed for igniting a fire inside an unoccupied room at a hotel that sent three deputies to the hospital. The fire started at the Towne Place Suites located at 7877 S. Chester St. about 4:30 p.m. Saturday.  South Metro Fire Rescue confirmed three deputies with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office suffered smoke inhalation after helping people evacuate the hotel.

A malfunctioning heater in an unoccupied room started the fire. “The building has smoke alarms and a sprinkler system which is helpful but smoke is really very dangerous so getting people out quickly was the number one priority for everyone on scene,” said South Metro Fire Rescue spokeswoman Becky O’Guin.  The fire was contained to one room.  No one else was hurt.

Loudon, TN – Fire at ceramics plant controlled with help from sprinkler system

A fire Monday afternoon at a ceramic tile plant in Loudon started when a motor began burning and then ignited hydraulic fluid, fire officials said. The Loudon Fire Department was alerted about 1:15 p.m. Monday to the blaze at the Del Conca USA Plant.

According to Mike Brubaker, chief of the Loudon Fire Department, the fire started in a machine that presses and forms the ceramic tiles. The fire grew in intensity and seriousness once the hydraulic fluid caught fire, according to Brubaker. No injuries were reported.

The plant’s sprinkler system activated, which helped to suppress the fire. It took crews about 30 minutes to bring the fire under control, according to Brubaker.  The Lenoir City Fire Department worked with the Loudon Fire Department to fight the fire.

Naperville, IL – Sprinklers assist firefighters in containing fire in storage room at business

The contents of a Naperville business in the 2000 block of Aurora Avenue suffered more damage than the structure following a Saturday afternoon fire, according to a release from the Naperville Fire Department. Firefighters received a call from an employee at 1:05 p.m. stating the fire alarm was sounding and there was smoke coming from a rear storage room, but no flames seen, the release said.

The first arriving fire unit reported nothing showing from three sides of the business, the release said. Upon entry, they found heavy smoke, at which time the alarm was upgraded by the shift commander, bringing more equipment and firefighters.

Extinguishing the fire was difficult due to the size of the structure, however after the deployment of several hose lines and coordinated operations, including the building’s sprinkler system, the fire was extinguished 46 minutes after the initial dispatch, according to the release.

Damage to the structure was moderate, however damage to contents within the structure was extensive due to smoke, fire, and water, the release said. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and there were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.

The Naperville Fire Department was assisted on the scene by departments from Aurora and Plainfield. Units from Downers Grove and Bolingbrook as well as the Warrenville and Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection Districts provided station coverage for the city during the incident.