Tag Archives: Maryland

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Waldorf, MD – Single sprinkler head douses flames at senior apartment building

The Maryland State Fire Marshall determined that carelessly discarded smoking materials caused a fire at Astor Senior Apartments, 3605 Moses Way, Waldorf at around 12:31 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19.

According to Deputy Fire Marshal John Nelson, a sprinkler system in the apartment was activated and the fire was out by the time 40 volunteer firefighters from Waldorf, La Plata, Bryans Road, Hughesville, Accokeek, Baden and Bel Alton arrived on the scene.

Firefighters discovered smoke on the second floor of the apartment building with an activated fire alarm and sprinkler system. A single sprinkler head activated in Apartment 223, extinguishing the fire, which originated in the bedroom.

Apartment Building, Residential

Apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system (Charleston, MD)

A fire broke out at an apartment in the Alta Chesapeake Ridge community Saturday night.

The Maryland State Fire Marshal Office is investigating the blaze, which occurred in a ground floor unit in building 206 and was reported around 7:50 p.m. on Saturday. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing flames shooting from an exterior wall.

The residential sprinkler system extinguished the blaze by the time firefighters arrived, according to officials.

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Sprinkler system activates to help control fire at paper company (Williamsport, MD)

The Maryland Paper Company in Williamsport is recoveringThursday after machinery caught fire late Wednesday night.  According to Deputy Chief State Fire MarshalJason Mowbray, the fire originated in a 2011 JCB Front End Loader, which isused to manipulate and handle paper for the products the company creates. Thefire then spread to the flammable products nearby. There were no injuriesreported, and the only damage the company sustained was the loss of the FrontEnd Loader and the replacement of the sprinkler head system.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kitchen apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system (Elkton, MD)

A stove-top fire caused about $7,500 damage to an apartment building in Elkton, Maryland, fire officials said Wednesday. The fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in an apartment under renovation in a three-story building formerly known as The Ritz, said Oliver J. Alkire, senior deputy state fire marshal. A sprinkler system put out the first-floor fire before firefighters arrived.  No injuries were reported.

Hospital/Care Facility

Senior living facility fire contained by sprinklers (Towson, MD)

Shortly before 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 4, a fire began in the kitchen of one of the unit’s of a high rise senior living facility. When fire crews arrived, they found heavy smoke on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floor, but the fire itself had been controlled by the room’s fire sprinkler. Firefighters were able to put out the fire within 20 minutes. There were no injuries reported.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Fire at high school eliminated by sprinkler system (Snow Hill, MD)

This morning at about 1 a.m., a fire at a high school brought fire crews as well as teachers and maintenance teams to its location. The sprinkler system at the school put out the fire where it began – in a closet in the science wing of the building. No one reported injured, and the cause of the fire is related to a computer cart that was charging. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinklers keep fire from spreading in apartment fire (Crofton, MD)

On the afternoon of January 9, a fire was called into the Anne Arundel County Firefighters at a three story apartment building. The fire, which started on the balcony of a second floor unit, had quickly spread into the living room, where a fire sprinkler activated and contained the fire until fire crews arrived. A 20-year old male was in the apartment at the time of the fire, and he remained uninjured from the incident. The fire department was able to extinguish the remaining flames within 20 minutes of arrival, and investigators report that the fire was caused by improperly disposed smoking materials.

Other - Storage / Warehouse, Storage / Warehouse

Sprinklers keep fire from spreading in UPS facility (Landover, MD)

A UPS truck caught fire inside a shipping plant on Saturday, December 7, and fire crews quickly responded to the fire call. According to the Prince George County Fire Department, the fire sprinkler system in the shipping plant, which had activated in response to the heat of the fire, helped the firefighters to get the fire extinguished quickly. There were no injuries reported.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Sprinkler contains arson fire at high school (Havre de Grace, MD)

About 25 firefighters responded to a fire that was intentionally started in the boys’ bathroom of Aberdeen High School on December 3. The afternoon blaze was set by a 16-year old male who ignited the paper towel dispenser; the fire resulted in 1,400 students to be activated. The school’s fire sprinkler activated and kept the fire from spreading beyond the bathroom. Firefighters were able to put out the remaining fire within five minutes. There were no injuries reported.

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by The Baltimore Sun, which focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system**

Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinkler holds fire at bay at apartment complex (Annapolis, MD)

A sprinkler contained a fire inside an apartment complex laundry room preventing anyone from being injured or displaced Monday night, a city fire department spokeswoman said. Firefighters responded to the Admiral Oaks apartment complex shortly after 9 p.m. for reports of smoke coming from a laundry room, fire department spokeswoman Capt. Janet Kiefler said. The sprinkler contained the fire until firefighters could arrive and quickly extinguish it, Kiefler said. The fire was determined to be caused by a malfunctioning dryer.