Tag Archives: Kansas

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Manhattan, KS – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at retirement home; No injuries reported

Fire sprinklers extinguished a fire at a Manhattan retirement home Saturday afternoon.

The Manhattan Fire Department says crews were dispatched at 1:03 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 26, to Meadowlark Retirement Community at 2221 Meadowlark Road for a report of a fire alarm with a smell of smoke.

Upon arrival, crews found a two-story residential building that had a dryer fire in the basement.

Manhattan Fire says the fire was controlled by the fire sprinkler system and crews finished the blaze off.

The fire cause has been noted as accidental due to overheating of material in the dryer.

No injuries were reported and all residents are able to remain in the building.

MFD says a total of 16 firefighters responded on 4 fire apparatuses with the last units clearing at around 3:00 p.m.

The loss is estimated at $8,000 to contents and $4,000 to the structure.

Manhattan Fire says the owner is listed as Manhattan Retirement Foundation Inc. of the same address.

Please contact Deputy Chief Ryan Almes, Manhattan Fire Department, at 785-587-4508 with any questions.

Apartment Building, Residential

Overland Park, KS – Sprinkler system contains apartment fire; No injuries reported

Eleven apartment buildings were damaged Saturday after a fire broke out.

Firefighters were called about 3:15 p.m. Saturday to Promontory Apartments at 8905 Metcalf Ave. When crews arrived on scene smoke and fire could be seen in a fourth-floor apartment. 

Firefighters from Overland Park, Consolidated Fire District No.2, Leawood, and Lenexa responded to extinguish the fire, search for trapped occupants and evacuate the remainder of the building.

A second alarm was requested to provide relief to fire crews and also assist salvage efforts of the adjoining apartment units.

Fire damage was contained to the apartment of origin by the building’s fire sprinkler system and was fully extinguished by fire crews. An additional 10 apartments were damaged by water or smoke as a result of the fire.

No injuries were reported.

The Red Cross was on scene to provide temporary lodging for residents affected. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Manhattan, KS – Sprinkler system extinguishes blaze at apartment complex; No injuries reported

The Manhattan Fire Department said a sprinkler system put out a blaze inside an apartment early Wednesday morning.

Fire crews were called to The Links of Manhattan apartment complex at 517 Gatlinburg Way around 3:45 a.m. on a report of a structure fire.

When they arrived, they said they could not see any flames or smoke coming from the three-story apartment building outside.

Crews investigated and found a sprinkler system in the kitchen of a first-floor apartment had put out the fire.

Firefighters then searched the apartment and rescued a dog and cat. No one was home at the time of the fire.

The apartment building has 24 units. Investigators estimate a total loss of $20,000 to the building, but only the unit that caught fire was affected.

Manhattan Fire said the cause remains under investigation.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Manhattan, KS – Fire sprinklers extinguish unattended kitchen fire

The Manhattan Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at the Flint Hills Job Corps Center, located 4620 Eureka Drive, on Saturday evening around 7:30 p.m. Upon arrival, crews found that thankfully the building was equipped with a fire sprinkler system that had extinguished the fire leaving $2500 in damage. Without the fire sprinkler system, the damage could have been much worse. The cause was found to be an unattended pan of grease catching fire on the stove, a fire cause that firefighters in Manhattan know all too well.

“The leading of cause of residential fires in Manhattan and across the nation continues to be from unattended cooking,” said Manhattan Fire Chief Scott French. “It only takes a second to leave the kitchen to check on something in another room, and when you come back your stove and kitchen cabinets are on fire.”

Thanksgiving is the day that has the highest number of home cooking fires nationally, followed by Christmas Day, with unattended cooking being the leading factor according to the National Fire Protection Agency.

Apartment Building, Residential

Hutchinson, KS – Third floor apartment fire contained to kitchen thanks to fire sprinklers

Fire officials say a sprinkler system prevented a kitchen fire from spreading in the Plaza Towers apartments in downtown Hutchinson early Saturday.

Firefighters responded to the five-story apartment complex at 17 E. Second Ave. just before 1:30 a.m. after fire alarms in the building were triggered by smoke.

An undetermined number of people evacuated the building while firefighters searched for the cause.

On the scene, crews traced the fire to the third floor from smoke in the hallway.

When they entered the apartment where the fire had occurred, they found an overhead sprinkler system in the kitchen had already doused the fire and damages were minimal.

Fire Chief Steve Beer could not say explicitly that food left on the stove caused the fire, but he said the occupant of the apartment had left the building, and the fire was limited to the kitchen.

“Sprinklers do save lives and property,” Beer said in a news release.

“The fuel loads in today’s structure plays a critical role in our fire operations,” he stated. “Petroleum-based plastics in furniture and accessories allow the fire of today to burn quicker and hotter than ever before. Remember, you only have three minutes to exit your structure when your fire alarm sounds. The Hutchinson Fire Department will be canvassing the immediate area to remind citizens and businesses of these safety facts.”

Office Building, Other Business

Overland Park, KS – Fire in loading dock area of office building held in check by sprinkler system

No injuries were reported after an electrical fire Monday morning at the Black and Veatch building. Crews from Overland Park and Leawood fire departments were called just after 8 a.m. Monday to the 114th block of Lamar Avenue. First units on the scene reported light smoke in the loading dock area. Building maintenance reported a fire in one of the building’s electrical control panels located on the first floor. The building was later evacuated. It took crews about 90 minutes to bring the fire under control.

Because the fire sprinkler system was keeping the fire in check, crews were able to isolate power to the effected panel. Black and Veatch sent their employees home for the day while they work to access damage to the electrical systems. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Wichita, KS – Sprinkler system holds apartment fire in check until crews arrive

A fire damaged some apartments in downtown Wichita Tuesday. It happened around 8:30 a.m. near 3rd and St. Francis.  Authorities said the fire was contained to one apartment. Fire caused damage to the kitchen area. “We had on sprinkler head go off, and it kept the fire in check. We had the smoke alarm going off notifying the people that could hear it as well,” said Fire Marshal Stuart Bevis, Wichita Fire Department.  The cause of the fire is under investigation. It is believed to be accidental.  Water and smoke caused some damage to nearby apartments.

Hotel / Motel

Manhattan, KS – Laundry fire at Hilton Garden Inn held in check by automatic sprinkler system; No injuries

Manhattan fire crews responded to a fire at Hilton Garden Inn early Saturday morning at 410 S. Third St., at about 6:40 a.m. and found a fire in the laundry room. The blaze started accidentally in a commercial dryer unit, according to a report from the fire department. The building’s sprinkler system had activated and kept it contained.  General manager Brad Everett said the guests were evacuated safely, and no one was injured. Sixteen firefighters responded on six fire vehicles, with the last units clearing at around 8:00 am.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Salina, KS – Fire in mixing room at food supply company suppressed with help from sprinkler system; No injuries

A fire inside a mixing room at a Salina food supply company leads to over $200,000 in loss and damages.  Fire Marshal Troy Long with SFD tells KSAL News that the fire sprinkler system at McShares Food Supply & Equipment saved the company from further losses after a fire ignited just before 10:30pm Tuesday evening.

Long says smoke began pouring out of a mixing machine and auger. A handful of employees cleared the room before a small explosion and fireball triggered the sprinkler heads inside the facility at 1835 E. North Street. Fire crews used fans to clear the smoke out of the building. No one was injuredhttps://www.ksal.com/fireball-triggers-sprinklers-at-salina-plant/.

McShares supplies flour mixes for the food and baking industries.

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory

Manhattan, KS – Dormitory fire at Kansas State University extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A fire at a Kansas State dormitory displaced about two dozen students. University officials say the fire early Friday started on the fourth floor of Wefald Hall. All students were evacuated for about three hours. No injuries were reported. Sprinklers extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived.

Manhattan officials say the fire apparently was caused by a faulty fan. University officials say the fire caused $5,000 of damage to the building and $3,500 of damage to contents. The coeducational dorm houses 540 students. It was built in 2016 on the west side of the Manhattan campus.

UPDATE: Students were allowed to return to their rooms after an early morning fire at Wefald Hall on the K-State Manhattan campus. The fire was first reported at 6:26 a.m. on the fourth floor of the Wefald residence hall, according to K-State Police.

MANHATTAN — No injuries were reported in a Friday morning fire at Wefald Hall on Kansas State University’s Manhattan campus. The fire was extinguished by the hall’s suppression system, according to the K-State Police Department. Students were evacuated from the hall and relocated to Kramer Dining Center. Denison Avenue between Claflin Avenue and Platt Street is closed for emergency vehicles.