Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Apartment Building, Residential

Appleton, WI – Sprinkler system puts out apartment fire; Adult and child escape unharmed

An automated sprinkler system is being credited with containing a fire at a 25-unit apartment complex in Appleton.  Firefighters say they were called to Wire Works Apartments, 601 E. Hancock St., just after 9:30 a.m. Thursday. When they arrived, firefighters saw light smoke in the courtyard outside one of the units. When they went in, crews saw that the apartment’s living room was filled with smoke, and a sprinkler was running. Investigation showed that the water from the sprinkler had put the fire out. Firefighters shut down the sprinkler system and helped remove smoke and water from the apartment.  When the fire started, one adult and one child were in the apartment. They got out safely and called 911.  Firefighters determined the fire began when a heat lamp tipped over onto some boxes.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Philadelphia, PA – Bathroom fire at charter high school contained with help from sprinkler system

 A staff member was taken to the hospital after a fire broke out in Olney Charter High School in Philadelphia on Monday morning.  Officials say the fire occurred at 10:10 a.m. in a bathroom, and the sprinkler system helped douse the flames.  The building was evacuated, and students were dismissed for the day at 11 a.m.

Fire officials say the staffer who was taken to the hospital had to be checked out for smoke inhalation. That person, a Safety Team member, was one of the first people on the scene of the fire, officials said.  That person has since been released from the hospital.

Apartment Building, Residential

Council Bluffs, IA – Apartment fire put out by sprinkler system

One person was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries suffered in a Friday morning fire at a Council Bluffs apartment complex. Crews were called to the Deerfield Apartments in the 900 block of Franklin Avenue shortly after 7 a.m.  Investigators say the fire started inside an apartment and was put out by the sprinkler system before they arrived on scene.  There were four people inside the unit at the time. One of them was taken for treatment.  Authorities say there is water damage to the apartment in which the fire originated and additional water damage to the unit below.  There was no immediate word on the cause.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Chilliwack, BC, Canada – Industrial machinery fire contained with help from sprinkler system

A two-alarm structure fire broke out in a Chilliwack industrial park last Friday morning. Chilliwack Fire Department crews from several fire halls were called out to Frontline Machinery Ltd at 43779 Progress Way.  Fire crews were on-scene at about 10:40 a.m. and heavy smoke could be seen venting from a window of the large industrial building.  Once firefighters gained access to the building, they were able to confirm that the sprinkler system had doused the fire.

Welding sparks that ignitied some diesel were believed to be the cause of the fire, according to a worker at the scene, and this was later confirmed by fire department officials.  “The fire is accidental and was started from repair work being done on a piece of heavy machinery,” said Assistant Chief Mike Bourdon.

A welding spark ignited some diesel fuel that had been in a storage container in the warehouse area. “Fire damage was sustained to the piece of machinery with minor smoke and water damage thorough out the unit,” Bourdon added.  They’re taking the opportunity to urge caution with this type of work.

“Chilliwack Fire Department recommends any operations involving open flames or producing heat and or sparks including cutting; welding, brazing, grinding, soldering, etc. should take proper precautions and controls prior to, during, and subsequent to all hot-work operations.”  There were no firefighter injuries.

Other - Residential, Residential

Longview, WA – Laundry fire at homeless shelter contained by sprinkler system

All 80 residents of the Community House on Broadway emergency homeless shelter were evacuated Wednesday morning as a result of a dryer fire in the second-floor laundry room. One person went to St. John Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation, but otherwise no one was injured, said Longview Fire Chief Phil Jurmu.  The incident sparked an outpouring of assistance from the community. The Salvation Army, for example, provided blankets, 150 sandwiches, 130 bottles of water, fruit, snacks, diapers and baby bottles. It also was coordinating with the Commerce Avenue UBET Casino to serve a pizza dinner at the shelter Wednesday night, said Salvation Army Capt. Darryck Dwelle.

“The community came together so greatly in response to this. I’m amazed at everything. I figured we were going to be sitting out across the street by the chiropractor’s place all day,” shelter resident Crystal Moldenhauer said late in the morning. “It was amazing to see compassion and love and just care from the people that don’t even know us.”  Residents were expected to return to the shelter, located at 1107 Broadway, on Wednesday night.  A sprinkler system contained the fire to the second-floor laundry room, and firefighters finished dousing the fire within minutes of arriving shortly after 8 a.m., Jurmu said.

Water from the sprinklers and firefighting effort leaked down to the first floor into God’s Closet, a Community House ministry that gives clothing to low-income people. From there it poured into the basement and into a floor drain, Jurmu said. Firefighters and staff were working to limit water damage. Late in the morning, there was still a strong smell of smoke and burnt materials throughout the second floor and hallway leading to the laundry room. The smoke alarm, which was charred on the sides and damp from water, was still beeping faintly.

Jurmu termed the damage “minor to moderate.” Almost 80 people were staying at the shelter when the fire broke out, shelter staff reported. Shelter residents, which include dozens of children, were housed in the nearby Evangel Christian Fellowship Church in a large common area and were assisted by the Red Cross, Emergency Support Shelter, Salvation Army and other community members. The residents were brought food, blankets and other supplies.

Many of the residents were still in pajamas and had little of their belongings or knowledge of whether they would be salvageable Wednesday morning. Moldenhauer said the events of the morning were emotional for some people, and for her it caused a flashback to a fire that destroyed her father’s home when she was just 11.  “It put me back into a very sad place, like all I could do was get my family out of the (shelter),” she said. “My worry was getting my husband, getting my kids and getting out.”

Frank Morrison, director of Community House, said he was grateful for the help from the community. He said they had mental health staff available in the Evangel common area to help residents struggling with emotional or mental health responses to the fire. He said both staff and the residents were a big help in the morning and said several people stayed behind to help clean up some of the water in the shelter. “It was really cool. They just saw a need and jumped on it,” Morrison said. “We just deal with a large volume of people. We do the best we can with what we’ve got.”

Another shelter resident, James Jenne, is a former paramedic of 10 years. When he heard about the fire, he said he rushed inside and began helping evacuate the second floor. Jenne said he began making sure rooms were empty and doors were closed. “You get into that mindset and instinct just takes over,” he said. “Just making sure everybody was safe was my main concern. That’s all it ever is.”

Jenne said he hopes the community helps CHOB residents recover from the fire. He said many people were affected emotionally. He said he planned to continue walking around the common area soothing peoples’ worries and making sure they had the support and comfort they need. “I hope the community sees how much their help is needed now … to put things back to normal,” Jenne said. “Don’t look so down on these people because there’s some good people in there and we’re going to need some help redoing this.”

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Nashua, NH – Sprinkler system helps contain hotel fire to one room; No injuries reported

A fire at a hotel Sunday morning caused damage to three rooms and left three occupants displaced.

Nashua Fire and Rescue said they responded to the Temple Street Hotel at 23 Temple St. at about 9:30 a.m. after an alarm was activated.

Upon arrival, they discovered there was a fire in one of the rooms within the rooming house and smoke showing from a third-floor window in the rear of the building.

Officials said a fire sprinkler was activated that helped keep the fire contained to the room of origin until they could completely extinguish it.

The room of origin and two rooms below suffered significant water damage, and three occupants were displaced. Officials said no injuries were sustained during the blaze.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Spokane, WA – Sprinkler system helps firefighters contain fire at boat trailer builder

Spokane Fire crews responded to a report of a fire at EZ Loader Boat Trailers Friday morning.  The call came in at 8:24 a.m. Crews said initial reports stated somebody was using a cutting torch to cut something metallic. A spark caught a portion of an 8 foot by 10 foot wall on fire.  Fire crews had to pull the wall apart to get to the fire behind. Crews had to do this to keep the fire from extending to the roof.  Crews used hose lines and a pump can to extinguish the fire. Officials said the sprinkler system inside the building went off properly and contributed to keeping the fire contained to one part of the building.   No one was injured in the fire and EZ Loader Boat Trailers will continue business as normal Friday. 

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

Glassboro, NJ – Fire in university residence hall put out by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Residents of Mimosa Hall were forced to evacuate their dorms shortly before noon on Friday, after a fire started in a dorm on the first floor of the residential hall, according to a Rowan Alert sent to students across campus. Firemen from Washington, Harrison and Glassboro townships and other first responders quickly arrived at the scene to contain the fire while residents waited outside.

Students were notified at the time by a mass text sent out by the university. No one was harmed during the initial fire.  Rowan spokesman Joe Cardona said that when he left the scene, firefighters still hadn’t determined the cause of the blaze.

“When you look at the room, it’s like whatever the fire was down on the ground in the corner,” Cardona said. Cardona also said the sprinkler system activated and put out the fire, which caused water damage to the first floor of Mimosa hall and the six students in the dorm where the fire started will be temporarily relocated until rooms are cleaned.

Freshman history major and resident of Mimosa, Julianne Tarrant, said while she was not in the building at the time of the fire, she had heard that the fire may have been caused by a box fan in the window of the dorm. Madison Klunk, an undeclared freshman living in the building, said the evacuation order was a major hassle for her.

“My aunt’s here to pick me up, and I can’t get in the building to get any of my clothes,” Klunk said. “So I’m going to have to leave and come back later and get it, and that’s an issue.”

Other Business

Mesa, AZ – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in commercial building fire

Fire damaged a portion of a commercial complex in Mesa on Wednesday morning, Mesa fire officials said. The fire occurred in the 1700 block of West Baseline Road, just east of Dobson Road, said Deputy Chief Forrest Smith of the Mesa Fire and Medical Department.  Two suites in the complex were damaged in the fire, which forced the evacuation of several other businesses, Smith said.  Firefighters had the blaze under control in 22 minutes, Smith said, adding that a sprinkler system helped stop the fire from spreading to other suites.  “These are important and why fire departments advocate for buildings to be sprinklered,” he said. “They certainly can save lives and property.”  Crews from the Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe fire departments also responded.

Other Business

Houston, TX – Sprinkler system suppresses high-rise fire on 25th floor; No injuries

An electrical short in a water cooler sparked a one-alarm fire Sunday morning in a Houston high-rise. Responding fire crews swarmed a tower in the 2000 block of West Loop South just after 9 a.m., according to Houston Fire Department spokesman Ruy Lozano.  But by the time firefighters got up to the 25th floor, the sprinklers had mostly extinguished the blaze and created “cold smoke” clinging to the floor.

“Smoke typically has a high temperature and rises, but because it was cooled by the sprinkler head it hugs the floor,” Lozano explained.  “It is a typical phenomenon to see in high-rise firefighting when sprinklers extinguish fires.”

Firefighters would typically clear out smoke through roof hatches. But given the stormy weather and low smoke, that approach didn’t work Sunday morning so crews were still on scene by noon, trying to find other ways to evacuate the smoke. The building was mostly empty at the time of the fire, although custodial staff and security were evacuated. No one was injured.   Arson investigators are still making an official determination on the cause of the fire, but Lozano said there is no reason to believe it was set intentionally.