Tag Archives: arson

Baton Rouge, LA – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Walmart; No injuries reported

The Walmart on Burbank Drive will be closed “indefinitely” after someone intentionally set a fire inside, the St. George Fire Department said Monday.

Just before 8 p.m. Sunday, the department was called to the store and found it had been evacuated. They were told the fire broke out in the middle of the building and “many sprinkler heads had been activated.”

Crews were able to find the fire and put it out within minutes, the department said. No one was injured.

The fire, smoke and sprinklers caused enough damage to close the store indefinitely, the department said.

Fairfield, CT – Sprinkler system activated for fire at abandoned building

Patrol officers noticed plywood missing from the doors Tuesday night.
Police say they heard a fire alarm coming from the building. Upon entering, they say the interior of the building had been badly vandalized.
They say a fire was put out on the second floor by the building’s sprinkler system.
Authorities say the vandalism is under investigation.

Ottawa, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at hospital; No injuries reported

Police charged an Ottawa man with arson Friday after an early-morning fire inside the Civic Hospital emergency department.

The department remained open and operational throughout the day.

Jean-François Lalonde, 43, was to appear in court Friday to face charges of arson endangering life, arson to property, possessing incendiary materials and breach of probation, the Ottawa Police Service said in a news release.

Police said hospital security had already taken a suspect into custody by the time emergency services responded to the fire at 6:34 a.m. The fire was extinguished by the hospital’s sprinkler system.

The Ottawa Hospital declared a “Code Red” at 6:30 a.m. because of the fire. About 30 patients had to be moved to other areas of the facility, hospital spokesperson Rebecca Abelson said.

A spokesperson for Ottawa Fire Services said a sprinkler head was activated when they arrived and firefighters helped clean up the water.

No staff or patient injuries were reported, Abelson said.

Westboro, MA – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at police station; No injuries reported

A person was taken into custody after a fire was set in the lobby of the Westboro Police Station on Sunday night, officials said.

Crews responding to a report of a fire at the police station on Main Street around 8:20 p.m. found a smoldering fire being held in check by the building’s sprinkler systems and heavy smoke in the building, according to Westboro Fire Chief Patrick Purcell.

The police station was evacuated.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and ventilated the building.

No one was injured. Policing operations, including patrol, remain operational.

After a search, which included police K-9 units and police drones, a person of interest was located and taken into custody. That person’s name is not being released.

There was minimal fire damage to the building, but the sprinkler system caused significant water damage. Purcell estimated the damage at $250,000.

Burlington, VT – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at police department

A fire at the Burlington Police Department was intentionally set, authorities say.

The Burlington Fire Department was dispatched Monday morning around 2 a.m. to the headquarters of the Burlington Police Department at 1 North Ave.

A fire had been set in the lobby, according to the police department, by Stephen A. Romprey, 62, who said later when he was questioned that he was making a point. He set fire to paper in the vestibule which is the only part of the police station that remains open at night. He was taken into custody and charged with second degree arson and reckless endangerment.

By the time fire crews arrived on scene the fire had been put out by the building’s automatic sprinkler system. Due to the amount of smoke the fire had produced, crews evacuated workers from the Emergency Communications Center, which was in a different part of the building. An emergency plan was activated to relocate the dispatch services so that 911 calls were not disrupted.

The fire and sprinkler system caused thousands of dollars in fire and water damage to part of the building, according to Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad. The water from the sprinkler flooded floors in multiple areas. About three hours after the evacuation, the Emergency Communications Center was able to operate out of the BPD building once again.

The police department is considering locking the doors to the vestibule as a result even though it includes a phone the public can use to alert authorities and a warm space that some unhoused use at night. Murad said the department is considering putting a phone on the exterior of the building.

This was the second in about a week’s time that Burlington emergency responders were targeted. On Nov. 5, an ambulance was stolen while on a call, driven about half a mile and crashed into a parked car.

Dayton, OH – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Walmart; No injuries reported

The Beavercreek Walmart will reopen Wednesday following a Monday evening fire set inside the store.

The Beavercreek Twp. Fire Department responded around 5:45 p.m. to the store at 3360 Pentagon Blvd. after staff and customers reported flames in the craft section and smoke throughout the store.

The store was immediately evacuated and there were no reports of injuries. Although the store remained closed Tuesday, Walmart said it was serving pharmacy customers Tuesday through curbside pickup.

The fire was contained by the automatic sprinkler system and extinguished quickly by firefighters.

Beavercreek police on Tuesday identified two juveniles as suspects, but no further information is available, police said.

“We are thankful for the swift action of first responders Monday night and for our associate’s work to get the store ready to reopen for the community Wednesday morning,”

South Ogden, UT – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at high school

A student has been identified as starting a fire inside a South Ogden Junior High School bathroom early Monday, forcing an early dismissal from the school.

The incident was reported at approximately 11 a.m., with video showing a small fire in a bathroom as students looked on and filmed it with their phones.

Officials with the South Ogden City Fire Department reported the fire alarm and sprinkler system were triggered by a hand towel dispenser on fire in the North part of the building.

The fire was kept under control by the sprinklers but firefighters had to use a water extinguisher to completely put out the blaze.

Weber School District officials said Tuesday they have identified the student who started the fire and that they may now face criminal charges and disciplinary actions from the school.

Damage to the school was contained to the bathroom, mostly from the sprinkler system being active, officials explained.

School officials informed parents that their students were being dismissed early due to the fire.

Atlanta, GA – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire in senior living high-rise; No injuries reported

Seniors living in an Atlanta high-rise building got a scare after a fire broke out overnight.

The fire happened at the Friendship Towers on Northside Drive around midnight.

Firefighters tell FOX 5 that senior residents had to be evacuated after someone set fire to trash on the 13th floor of the building.

Thankfully, the building’s sprinkler system was able to keep the flames under control and no one was injured.

Arson investigators are now working to find out who started the blaze.

If you have any information about the fire, call the Atlanta Police Department.

Buena Park, CA – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Target; No injuries reported

Buena Park police have arrested a woman for allegedly setting a fire at a Target store as cover for her attempt to steal baby formula.

The fire on Sept. 5 led to the evacuation of the Orange County store as flames quickly reached to the ceiling and spread through the children’s clothing section.

A store employee with a fire extinguisher and the building’s sprinkler system were able to put out the blaze.

No injuries were reported but merchandise and the store itself were damaged by flames, smoke and water.

The damage is estimated at $1 million in retail goods and $500,000 to the interior of the building itself.

Buena Park police say they “determined the fire was intentionally set during an attempt to steal baby formula.”

They identified and arrested a suspect, Cynthia Torres, 40. Her city of residence was not disclosed in the police statement.

Chattanooga, TN – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at Chattanooga Masonic Center

The Chattanooga Fire and Chattanooga Police are investigating an incident at the Chattanooga Masonic Center involving arson and vandalism early Monday morning.

Firefighters responded to the Masonic Lodge at 551 W. 21st Street on a fire alarm activation at 2:11 a.m.

When CFD personnel arrived on scene, they found a fire on the left front exterior of the building which was quickly extinguished. The front doors were also open and as crews made entry, they found another small fire inside the structure which had activated the sprinkler system. The sprinklers effectively extinguished the interior fire.

Along with fire and water damage, there was also damage to the building from vandalism.

There is an active and ongoing investigation into what happened at this location.