Other - Retail, Retail Atwater, CA – Sprinklers protect neighboring businesses, help limit damage in fire at candle store March 16, 2015 viking210 Flames were reported around 7:15 a.m. last Sunday at the business in the 1100 block of Bellevue Road, Battalion Chief Jeremy Rahn said. Rahn said the fire apparently ignited when at least one candle was left burning overnight at the store. Fire-suppression sprinklers managed to keep the fire at bay, Rahn said, allowing firefighters to prevent it from spreading to neighboring businesses in the strip mall. Rahn said the suppression system helped save about $750,000 in property threatened by the fire in the complex. “It’s a good example of how those sprinklers can help,” Rahn said. Fourteen firefighters responded to the scene and were at the store for several hours. No injuries were reported.
Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant Sunnyvale, CA – Early morning motel fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries February 26, 2015 viking210 Fire–Feb. 15, 5:22 a.m. Hamlin Court. DPS personnel responded on a report of a fire in a motel room. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire, and nobody was injured. The cause of the fire was a candle that was left burning.
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential San Diego, CA – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in controlling fire at senior living facility February 24, 2015 viking210 A two-alarm fire inside a four-story senior living facility in the East Village Friday left about 25 residents displaced. The fire at the 200-unit Potiker Family Senior Residence at 525 14th St. was reported shortly before 8:30 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find smoke pouring from the window of a fourth-floor unit, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Lee Swanson said. Its resident was rescued and taken to UC San Diego Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation. Swanson said the building’s fourth-floor sprinkler system was triggered. Firefighters helped around 20 people evacuate and rescued several others who were wheelchair-bound or otherwise unable to get out on their own, Swanson said. Up to 150 residents got out of the 12-year-old building safely on their own, and some were allowed to stay inside their homes, according to Paul Downey, CEO for building owner Serving Seniors, a nonprofit organization. Downey said that after the building is deemed safe and reopened, staffers would assess the damage and determine an exact number of residents who will need temporary housing. Swanson said the cause of the fire was accidental and that smoking materials ignited combustibles.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Eureka, CA – Sprinkler system extinguishes early morning arson fire at Wharfinger Building February 23, 2015 viking210 Humboldt Bay Fire responded to multiple arson fires in the early morning hours of today and Wednesday. There were a total of six fires reported to fire officials. The most significant fire was at the city of Eureka Wharfinger Building. The fire was large enough to activate the sprinkler system which extinguished the fire. Humboldt Bay Fire was notified via the activation of the sprinkler alarm system. Damage to the facility was minimal as the sprinkler system functioned properly and prevented the fire from spreading to the structure.
Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Irvine, CA – Sprinkler system prevents restaurant fire from spreading February 19, 2015 viking210 At 8:15 a.m. Monday, firefighters responded to a report of a grease fire at Taco’s and Company in the 18000 block of Culver Drive in Irvine, OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said. The fire started in a grease vat while a restaurant employee was making french fries, Concialdi said. Flames quickly spread to ducting and vents that also had grease buildup, he said. A sprinkler activated, however, stopping the fire from reaching adjoining restaurants. There were no injuries in the blaze
Apartment Building, Residential San Francisco, CA – Arson fire at multi-tenant residential building contained by sprinkler system February 3, 2015 viking210 An unidentified man set a fire at the Crown Hotel and SRO at 16th and Valencia late Monday morning. According to witnesses, the man broke the glass of a fire extinguisher case inside the building and used it to attempt to break into a resident’s room, and then reportedly spread gasoline on the hotel’s walls and floors. The man was taken into custody by police, witnesses said, and by noon a manager informed residents they would have to wait about another hour for water used to extinguish the fire to be cleaned up from the building. Samantha Helstrom, a resident of the Crown Hotel for about a year and a half, said she came out of her room after she heard glass breaking. She saw a man banging on a resident’s door, apparently trying to break in and possibly manipulating a gasoline can. Shortly after, she saw smoke coming from the resident’s room and the man running downstairs. Helstrom said she ran back inside to get water to put out the fire and managed to get a few buckets on the flames before the sprinkler system turned on and the building was evacuated. “The fire was pretty contained at that point between the sprinklers and me being a crazy fool,” Helstrom said, referring to her efforts to extinguish the flames. Benji Francois, who has been in the building less than a week, said he usually ignores yelling and commotion since they’re so common, but when water started coming into his room from the sprinkler system, he knew something serious had happened. He said he opened his door to see flames, and then ran out of the building. “Not a good way to wake up,” Francois said.
Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business Palm Desert, CA – Sprinkler system limits spread of laundry fire at country club January 27, 2015 viking210 An aggressive response by firefighters and an automatic sprinkler system helped minimize damage from a fire that broke out in the laundry area of a local country club, Riverside County fire officials said Monday. The blaze was limited to a dryer in the clubhouse laundry room, and no injuries were reported. Fire crews responded to a report of a commercial structure fire at 76300 block of Country Club Drive at 4:35 p.m. Sunday, according to firefighters. Damage was estimated at $5,000. Arriving units reported smoke coming from the attic area of the two- story, 18,000-square-foot building.
Other - Retail, Retail San Luis Obispo, CA – Fire at auto repair shop contained with help from sprinkler system January 19, 2015 viking210 At 3:15 on Sunday, San Luis Obispo Fire Department responded to a fire that broke out at Villa Automotive in San Luis Obispo. The automatic sprinkler system and firefighters confined the fire to the attic area before it could further damage the automotive repair shop, putting it out within 15 minutes of their arrival. Fire officials say the fire was caused by an employee sweating copper pipe, where slag fell into the wall area and pushed the fire into the attic. Structural damage is estimated to be around $2,000. There were no injuries.
Apartment Building, Residential Modesto, CA – Single sprinkler controls intentionally set fire by man under influence of methamphetamine January 14, 2015 viking210 A Modesto man who set a pair of socks on fire to ward off a perceived intruder was arrested Sunday. Police say the man had been smoking methamphetamine earlier in the day. “These apartments have sprinkler systems,” said Modesto Fire Department Battalion Chief Hugo Patino. “One sprinkler activated and held the fire in check.” The incident occurred in the 2800 block of West Rumble Road just after 7 p.m., said Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Heather Graves. Officers believe the man might have been hallucinating due to drug use when he set the socks on fire. Graves said the suspect believed someone was trying to break into his home and thought the fire would scare him off. The burning socks subsequently caught the bedroom on fire and the man had to evacuate with his wife and two children.
Other - Retail, Retail Sacramento, CA – Furniture store fire extinguished by sprinkler system January 2, 2015 viking210 Sacramento firefighters responded to a fire at a furniture store near Florin Road on Thursday. The fire was quickly extinguished by the store’s sprinkler system. Several couches at Beck’s Furniture on 55th Street were damaged by the fire, Sac Metro Fire said. Fire crews were at the scene cleaning up and assessing damage in the building.
