Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Apartment Building, Residential

Leesburg, VA – Sprinkler system controls apartment fire caused by unattended candles

Two adults and two dogs were displaced from a fire in a Leesburg apartment building that started by unattended candles and spread to window treatments, according a Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company (LVFD) Facebook post.

On Wednesday evening, August 3, at approximately 11:50 p.m., Leesburg and surrounding fire companies were alerted for a structure fire at 654 Fort Evans Rd. NE.

Leesburg responded with two engine companies, one truck company, and the rescue company.

Units arrived to find a three-story garden apartment building with a small fire inside a ground floor apartment. The fire started by unattended candles and spread to some window treatments.

The majority of the fire was controlled by the sprinkler system prior to the LVFD’s arrival.

Crews ensured the fire was out and checked for extension while ventilating the smoke.

Two adults and two dogs were displaced and assisted by the American Red Cross.

One firefighter sustained an injury to the hand and was treated on scene, according to LVFD.

“The LVFC asks you to please remember – do not leave lit candles unattended!” LVFD posted on Facebook.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Scottsbluff, NE – Overnight fire in attic of senior care home extinguished by sprinkler system

Scottsbluff Fire Capt. Dan Hubbs said firefighters responded to an alarm the Golden Living Center at about 1:30 a.m. Occupants reported smelling smoke and staff evacuated the wing. A fire was found in the attic space above the chapel area at the fire. The sprinkler system had activated and the fire was extinguished quickly. The cause of the fire has been determined to be electrical in nature.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Graves County, KY – Sprinklers help put out fire at middle school caused by malfunctioning soda machine

The need for caffeine at Graves County Middle School caused quite a commotion overnight.

According to the school district, a soda machine the food lab malfunctioned and created a small fire.

That fire set off sprinklers and alarms in the school.

Superintendent Kim Dublin said, “Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. Quite a bit of water went into a couple of classrooms; but the damage was mostly contained to the food lab.”

Crews spent Tuesday morning cleaning up the mess left behind.

According to Dublin, seventh grade orientation will still take place at the school tonight.

Opening day activities for faculty and staff will still go on as planned on Wednesday.

Classes begin on Thursday.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Lakeville, MN – Overnight fire at middle school contained by sprinkler system

Firefighters are trying to figure out exactly where and how an early morning fire started at a Lakeville school.

A captain with the Lakeville Fire Department says the alarms at Kenwood Trail Middle School went off about 2 a.m. Wednesday.

Fire officials say it appears the fire started on the roof.

The sprinkler system put most of the fire out by the time firefighters arrived.

The sprinklers caused water damage on the first and second floors of the school.

In a letter to parents, the school district says the school custodial crew is working to repair the water damage in a couple of classrooms, the media center, AV room and a stairwell.

School officials say it won’t affect the start of classes for the upcoming school year.

Apartment Building, Residential

Reno, NV – Apartment fire caused by careless smoking contained by sprinkler system

The Reno Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 895 Kuenzil Street at 3:43 a.m.  The fire started in a third floor apartment from a carelessly discarded cigarette.  The fire caused moderate fire damage but was contained to the living area by an activated fire system.

The two sleeping occupants who were home at the time of the fire escaped without injury. 14 tenants of the apartment complex were temporarily relocated by the American Red Cross.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, if you have a fire in your home, the risk of dying decreases by 82 percent when fire sprinklers are present. Statistics show fire sprinklers can stop a fire in less than 90 seconds.

Although there were no injuries reported on this incident, The Reno Fire Department would like to remind everyone smoking materials (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.) are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States, and to take necessary safety precautions.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Boca Raton, FL – Overnight laundry fire at veterinary office contained by sprinkler system

At 12:37AM Thursday, Boca Raton Firefighters responded to a fire located at the Calusa Veterinary office, 6900 Congress Ave, Boca Raton. Firefighters arrived and found heavy smoke inside the building and the fire being kept confined to a clothes dryer by the activation of a single head from the buildings fire sprinkler system. Firefighters quickly extinguished the limited remaining fire which was located inside the drum of the clothes dryer with a pressurized water extinguisher. Several staff members were on scene at the time of the fire and were moving animals to a safe location as the fire department arrived. There were no firefighter or civilian injuries. All animals were rescued, one dog suffered smoke inhalation and was treated by paramedics and then turned over to the veterinary staff for follow-up treatment and is doing better.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Salisbury, MD – Sprinklers contain overnight fire at LaQuinta Inn & Suites; No injuries reported

An early Thursday morning fire at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites in Salisbury forced the evacuation of hundreds of people, authorities said.  According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the fire broke out at around 1 a.m. in the kitchen storage area of the hotel, located at 300 S. Salisbury Blvd.

An automatic fire alarm went off and a fire sprinkler activated, according to investigators. It took 20 firefighters from the Salisbury Fire Department approximately half an hour to get the blaze under control. However, authorities said the sprinkler activation contained the fire to the area of origin.

There were no reported injuries. The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage to the structure and another $500 in damage to its contents.  Authorities ruled the fire accidental and said it was caused by the spontaneous combustion of dish towels. 

The hotel was at full capacity at the time of the fire with several hundred occupants, according to Salisbury Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Records. Records also mentioned that many of the people at the hotel were there because of the USSSA softball tournament happening in Salisbury this week. Just about everyone evacuated the hotel on their own without any incidents, but Records said firefighters doing a sweep from room to room had to escort a handful of people, and a few dogs, out of the hotel.

Everyone was let back inside the hotel by around 2:30 a.m. Records added that the hotel would not be serving its usual continental breakfast Thursday morning as the kitchen would remain closed until the Health Department could come to expect it.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Kansas City, KS – Sprinklers activate in blaze at Kellogg plant after oven malfunction

Three firefighters were treated for heat-related illness after fighting a fire July 6 at the Kellogg plant at 801 Sunshine Road in the Fairfax area of Kansas City, Kan.

Damage to the plant and its product were estimated at $1.5 million, the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department spokesman said. The building was valued at $60 million before the fire.

There were no injuries to the plant workers when the fire broke out, according to the Fire Department spokesman. The plant, which makes Cheez-Its, was in production at the time of the fire.

The plant is currently closed while it is being cleaned up, according to the Fire Department, and it is estimated to be closed for several days to a week. Health officials will need to inspect it before it reopens.

The plant’s workers were in the process of being evacuated when firefighters arrived, the spokesman said.

The call came in around 9:01 p.m. Wednesday, with the first firefighters arriving about 3 minutes later.

The Fire Department spokesman said the fire started in one of the ovens at the plant that malfunctioned. The plant has four ovens, around 400 feet long, with a conveyor belt through them. The sprinkler system activated during the fire. The fire was near the end of one of the ovens, and the product was burning there, the spokesman said.

The Fire Department spokesman estimated that the firefighters faced temperatures of 120 to 130 degrees inside the building during the fire. It was also hot outdoors.

Other - Retail, Retail

Gaylord, MI – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in containing fire at fireworks store

Fire crews in Otsego County had to rush to save a fireworks store after a fire ignited overnight. The Otsego County Fire Department says the fire started just before midnight in Gaylord. The Otsego County fire chief says if they didn’t have a sprinkler system, the result could have been much different. Crews were able to contain the fire in about a half an hour Tuesday night.

Apartment Building, Residential

Sioux City, IA – Apartment bedroom fire extinguished by single sprinkler

An apartment sprinkler was able to extinguish a small fire in a Sioux City apartment complex Friday night prior to the arrival of firefighters, officials say. According to a Sioux City Fire Rescue news release, firefighters responded to an alarm at Prestwick Apartments, 4230 Hickory Lane, shortly before 10 p.m. Friday.

After investigating, firefighters located a single sprinkler head spraying water in a bedroom in one of the apartments.  Firefighters stopped the water and found remains of a small fire that had occurred on the dresser, the release said.  The occupant of the apartment was not home.

Upon investigation, the firefighters traced the source of the fire to an unattended candle. Damage was limited to the top of the dresser and a television near the candle, the release said.  Officials say sprinklers in buildings significantly reduce fire loss and deaths.