Other - Retail, Retail Portsmouth, NH – Sprinkler system limits damage in overnight fire at auto body shop July 9, 2015 viking210 A radio likely sparked an early morning fire at an auto body shop that would have caused about $100,000 in damage, if not for a working sprinkler system, said Fire Chief Steve Achilles. Firefighters responded to the Portsmouth Autobody Center at 4:36 a.m. Wednesday when an alarm sounded from the 700 Peverly Hill Road business, said the fire chief. When they arrived, it took firefighters about 15 minutes to locate the fire because it was in back of the main building, inside a separate 200-foot by 120-foot metal building, Achilles said. Firefighters had to force their way into the locked and smoke-filled building and one firefighter injured his hand while making entry, according to Achilles. He was treated at Portsmouth Regional Hospital and released, the chief said. Once inside, firefighters “used a line to knock down the remaining fire,” said Achilles. An investigation concluded with a theory that a radio, or a wire to a radio, started the fire inside a storage cabinet, Achilles said. No vehicles or people were in the building at the time, he said.
Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse Charlottetown, PE, Canada – Sprinkler system contains storage fire at building supplies business July 6, 2015 viking210 A fire at the Kent Buildings Supplies in Charlottetown last night was the result of halogen bulbs overheating from the emergency lighting, said Charlottetown fire inspector Winston Bryan after the investigation was concluded this morning. The Charlottetown Fire Department responded to the call at 10:50 p.m. yesterday to the building on 65 Marsh Rd. Pallets of inventory and cardboard were ignited from the emergency lighting, which was powered by halogen bulbs. The halogen bulbs produced enough heat to cause ignition of a box, which then spread to other boxes on the shelving unit. The fire was contained in the warehouse area and shelving units, said Bryan. What contained the fire was the sprinkler system, said Bryan. All clear was given at around 2 a.m. today with no injuries sustained Though this doesn’t happen often, it tends to happen more so in warehouses with the stacking of goods up against lights. “Over time they will ignite,” said Bryan. It boils down to training within the businesses to install lighting at proper heights. “Take it into consideration what you are actually storing in your warehouse… should be designed around that.” “The sprinkler system basically contained the fire to one particular area of the building,” he said. “So having your sprinkler system maintained and inspected on a year to year base, as per code, assisted in the suppression of the fire.”
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Huntington, WV – Sprinkler extinguishes overnight fire at Aldi grocery store July 6, 2015 viking210 A sprinkler system likely saved a Huntington grocery store from sustaining more serious damage early morning Monday. Cabell County 911 received word of the fire at 4:39 a.m. at Aldi, a discount grocery store in the 400 block of Adams of Huntington. No injuries were reported. Huntington Deputy Fire Chief Brian Grieco said crews believe boxes stacked against a light might have contributed to the small fire. A sprinkler activated and quickly extinguished the flames in a rear storage area. Firefighters worked to clear smoke before leaving the store. Grieco said store officials were working with its alarm provider and another company to recharge the system and clean the store.
Residential, Sorority / Fraternity Salt Lake City, UT – Suspected arson fire at University of Utah fraternity is contained by sprinkler system July 3, 2015 viking210 Fires at two fraternity houses at University of Utah are being investigated as arson, Salt Lake City Fire officials said Friday morning. At about 4:13 a.m., fire crews arrived on scene at the Pi Kappa Alpha house, 1431 E. 100 South, to find a fire on the third floor. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and kept it contained to one area of the house, which caused damage in the game room, according to a press release from SLC Fire. Just 18 minutes later, SLC Fire crews responded to the Beta Theta Pi house, 70 S. Wolcott St., on a report of a fire in the basement laundry room. When firefighters arrived, they found the sprinkler system had kept the small fire under control, the release indicated. Crews then quickly extinguished the remaining flames. Officials say the fires are likely connected. Both fires are currently under investigation. No injuries were reported at either incident.
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential High Rise Pikeville, KY – Fire at residential high-rise for elderly and disabled extinguished by sprinkler system July 3, 2015 viking210 A sprinkler system quickly extinguished a fire at the Myers Towers apartments on the 700 block of Hambley Boulevard. The fire started sometime around 1:30 a.m. Friday on the 9th floor of the apartment building. When the Pikeville Fire Department arrived, they found a small fire in one of the apartments but the sprinkler system had knocked it down. PFD and Pikeville Police evacuated the apartment building, which houses the elderly and disabled in 200 units, while crews searched for the fire. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Goodyear, AZ – Fire at Walgreens store put out by single sprinkler July 2, 2015 viking210 Officials believe a photocopier is to blame for the fire that started at a Walgreens in Goodyear Wednesday morning, according to the Goodyear Fire Department. Crews were dispatched to a fire at a Walgreens on Indian School and Litchfield roads at about 3:55 a.m. Wednesday, officials say. Firefighters originally reported smoke coming from an office in the back of the store, but a single sprinkler head from the automatic fire sprinkler system managed to put the fire out. The fire did not extend to any part of the store and was under control by 4:09 a.m., according to officials. Three employees and three customers were in the store when the fire broke out, but self evacuated after the building’s fire alarm warned them, according to Goodyear firefighters. No one was hurt. Firefighters believe the fire originated from a photocopier in the office, but investigators are continuing the investigation at this time. Twenty-eight fire personnel responded to the incident, and crews remained on scene for about an hour to help with water and smoke removal, according to officials. It was not immediately clear when the store would reopen.
College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential, Residential High Rise Champaign, IL – Sprinklers control fire in campus high-rise apartment building June 29, 2015 viking210 Nobody was hurt in an apartment fire Sunday night at a campus high-rise. Champaign Fire Marshal John Koller said firefighters were called to a blaze at the Tower at Third, 302 E. John St. at 9:22 p.m. By the time firefighters arrived, the sprinkler system was already controlling the fire, which was limited to a single apartment on the third floor. However, smoke had spread throughout the floor. There was moderate smoke in the apartment and light smoke on the rest of the floor. The residents were evacuated to the lobby on the first floor while firefighters tackled the blaze. A resident of the apartment told firefighters he had had some problems with a refrigerator in the apartment, but it was too soon to determine a cause on Sunday night. Koller said investigators would be looking into the cause late Sunday night and early Monday morning. Koller said the fire was under control by 9:40 p.m.
Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant Chesterfield, VA – Sprinkler limit fire spread after suspicious explosion at hotel June 26, 2015 viking210 Investigators are trying to figure out what caused an explosion at a Chesterfield hotel early Tuesday morning. The call came in around 4:30 a.m. for a fire alarm at the InTown Suites in the 11500-block of Green Spring Road, between Koger Center Blvd and Robious Road. Chesterfield County Fire and EMS tell us they found signs of an explosion, and some residents report the building shook. Most people were asleep when it happened, but not Brendon Chandler. “Just a big explosion and then the window just ended up in the parking lot,” remembers Chandler. He was smoking a cigarette when all of a sudden in the room above his, “The window just shot right out!” And, that’s when guests say chaos erupted. “I just heard the fire alarm go off and I heard a whole bunch of people running outside. The next thing you know, I’m waking up and just everybody’s going outside,” says resident David Rivenbark. Chesterfield Fire says the explosion happened in a room on the third floor. The blown-out window and melted plastic from the fire was evident from the outside. That fire activated the room’s sprinkler system. Some second floor rooms sustained water damage from those sprinklers. A Hazmat team was brought in and tests found no hazardous materials in the room, but investigators are calling the situation “suspicious” and say the room’s occupant was no where to be found. One guest told NBC12, she heard footsteps before the fire alarm went off. “[Someone was] hightailing it down the hall. We’re right in front of the elevator near the stairwell, and I heard the stairwell door fly open and hit the wall,” she says. Now police want to talk to that person. No one was injured by the explosion, but two hotel guests were later taken to the hospital for unrelated injuries. Police and the Fire Marshal’s Office continue to investigate.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Scranton, PA – Supermarket fire contained to storage area by sprinkler system June 26, 2015 viking210 Fire in the Gerrity’s Supermarket on Meadow Avenue in Scranton Monday night has the store closed today. A quick response from the Scranton Fire Department, and the automated sprinkler system are credited with keeping the fire contained to a small storage area. The damage to the building is minor, but the store is shut down as health inspectors look at food stored in the building. The store had from $500 thousand to a million dollars worth of merchandise inside when it broke out. Store officials expect they will have to throw out a lot of fruit, vegetables, baked goods and food from the deli. They are looking to reopen as soon as possible. Scranton Fire officials will search for the cause, but the owners tell Eyewitness News cleaning equipment may have sparked this fire.
Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Falls Church, VA – Fire at bakery contained with help from sprinkler system June 20, 2015 viking210 The fire happened at Jenin Pastry at 5820 Seminary Road in Falls Church around 9:20 p.m., according to officials. When crews got to the scene fire was coming from the back of the two-story building. Firefighters conducted an aggressive fire attack and were able to put out the fire quickly. The sprinkler system went off, which helped the fire to stay in the kitchen area, Fairfax County officials said. The smoke alarm was also activated. Nobody was injured in the fire. The fire is still under investigation, however has been deemed as accidental. Officials say the hot stove cook top was too close to the shelf and caught on fire.
