Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Philadelphia, PA – Fire in downtown high-rise controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries

A sprinkler system prevented a Center City Philadelphia high-rise fire from spreading early Tuesday morning. The blaze, believed to be electrical in nature, broke out shortly before 2 a.m. on the 18th floor of 2000 Market Street, said the Philadelphia Fire Department.

Luckily no one was hurt as the sprinklers kicked in and doused the fire, said firefighters. Crews declared the blaze under control around 2:25 a.m. but hazmat crews remained at the 29-story building.  The building, which opened in 1973, houses a slew of businesses including law firms, a restaurant and a Santander Bank branch.

Des Moines, IA – Sprinklers help knock down flames when fire breaks out in apartments above pizza parlor

No injuries were reported after a fire forced the evacuation Wednesday night of the Elliott Apartments above Fong’s Pizza on Fourth Street downtown.

Captain Mark Dooley of the Des Moines Fire Department said crews arrived around 10:30 p.m. to smoke and flames on the second floor of the six-story building and launched an “aggressive interior attack.”

“The flames were knocked down some with the activated sprinkler system,” Dooley said, adding that it made the firefighters’ job a lot easier.

Almost all of the residents were home at the time fire crews responded and all were evacuated by 11 p.m.

At 12:15 a.m. Thursday, Dooley said crews were no longer actively working to put the fire out but were instead checking the building to make sure the fire didn’t spread.

The heat was what was causing the most concern, Dooley said. When the fire started around 10:30 p.m., it was approximately 84 degrees in downtown Des Moines, according to the National Weather Service.

“There are medic units here just for the care of the firefighters,” Dooley said. They brought in extra medical crews and supplies solely to assist the roughly 100 firefighters working inside the complex, making sure to check their temperatures and heart rates.

No cause for the fire has been identified and the investigation continues.

Dooley said Polk County’s emergency response teams helped residents find a place to stay for the night.

Fourth Street, Walnut Street and parts of Court Avenue were reopened in time for Thursday morning traffic.

Joe Swift, a resident on the fourth floor, said he was out of the building minutes after the fire alarm went off. He said the smoke got very thick in the stairwell when he reached the second floor, making it difficult to see. He commended the men and women of the Des Moines Fire Department, who were knocking on doors and assisting residents out of the building.

“These guys do a great job, and the ladies too,” Swift said. “In old buildings like this, underneath all that carpeting is all wood. There’s lots to catch on to.”

On Twitter, Fong’s promised to repay swift work by the fire department with free pizza.

Phoenix, AZ – Sprinklers extinguish blaze after fireworks set on fire at Walmart; No injuries

The Phoenix Fire Department is asking for the public’s help identifying three people — two males and a female — who are seen on surveillance video leaving the scene of a fireworks display that was set on fire inside a Walmart store Wednesday night.

Firefighters responded to the Walmart store at 5250 W. Indian School Road on Wednesday night after the fire started. The fire department received numerous 911 calls and when they arrived at the store, there was a lot of smoke.  

The fireworks can be seen on video burning in a large flame as the trio walk away.

According to Phoenix Fire, the sprinkler system helped to quickly extinguish the blaze.

Firefighters said several people suffered from smoke-related complaints but no one was taken to a hospital or injured in the incident.

Authorities are looking for the three people believed responsible for the incident. Anyone with information about them is asked to call the Phoenix Police Department at 480-WIT-NESS.

Chicago, IL – Sprinklers contain fire at pharmaceutical company for second time this year

For the second time in three months a fire started at the AbbVie pharmaceutical research and development facility in North Chicago.

Firefighters responded about 9:40 p.m. Tuesday to a reported fire at the AbbVie Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing facility at 1401 Sheridan Road, North Chicago Fire Chief Dell Urban said.

The fire started in a laboratory and electronics storage room, she said. The blaze was contained to the room, which sustained water damage.

“The fire was held in check by the sprinkler system,” Urban said. “Everyone had been evacuated and there were no injuries.”

The chief described the fire as electrical, but said the company and the department are still investigating the cause.

Urban said there was a fire laboratory at the complex about three months ago. That blaze was also controlled by the sprinkler system.

The AbbVie Fire Department did not return a call for comment Wednesday.

Fresno, CA – Elevator machine room fire at J.C. Penney store held in check by sprinkler system

The J.C. Penney store at Fashion Fair Mall closed for business Sunday after an electrical fire prompted its evacuation.  Firefighters got to the store at 11:15 a.m. after smoke started flooding the area inside, Fresno Fire Capt. Brian Price said.

The damage was contained to the elevator equipment room where there was wire damage, Price said, and the sprinkler system already had the fire “in check.”

The fire was put out, and fire personnel worked on getting the system back in working order. The store is still closed, but Price said store staff said they hoped to reopen Monday morning.  “They’ve got some significant cleanup to do,” Price said.

 

St. George, UT – Sprinkler system keep fire from spreading at Olive Garden restaurant

Dinner was interrupted late Friday evening when a fire broke out at Olive Garden Restaurant, triggering a heavy response from the St. George Fire Department and a quick evacuation by restaurant staff. No injuries were reported.

Just after 10 p.m. firefighters and emergency personnel were dispatched to a fire reported at Olive Garden Restaurant, located at 1340 E. 170 South St. George. Upon arrival firefighters observed heavy smoke coming from the rear of the building, St. George Fire Department Battalion Chief Darren Imlay said.

The heavy smoke activated the fire alarm initially, Imlay said, which also activated the emergency sprinkler system within a few minutes. The sprinkler system partially extinguished the fire.

“That system did what it was designed to do,” Imlay said.

Firefighters then entered and fully extinguished the area that was still actively burning, he said, and began ventilating the building to remove the smoke.

Meanwhile, the alarm sounded throughout the restaurant which initiated an evacuation, Imlay said.

“The restaurant staff did a great job of evacuating the customers safely, which resulted in no reported injuries during the incident,” Imlay said.

Many customers remained in the parking lot while firefighters extinguished the fire and some folks simply finished their meal or dessert outside as they watched the activity, Bryce Berry said. Berry was dining with friends when the alarm sounded. After being evacuated, the group gathered outside to watch the activity.

“Everybody was calm and just eating in the parking lot,” Berry said, “I’ve never been in a restaurant that caught fire before.”

Rhode Island resident Patrick Flanigan was dining with family and had just started ordering when the alarm sounded. At first they thought it was a false alarm, he said, but quickly realized it wasn’t a drill once they observed the staff going from table to table advising customers of the fire and the need to evacuate.

“It didn’t seem urgent at the time,” Flanigan said, “because they got us out so quickly.” 

It wasn’t until Flanigan and his family were out in the parking lot and saw all the smoke that they realized it was an actual fire, he said.

Flanigan and his family stopped at Olive Garden during a road trip to help his sister move, he said, adding they were on their way to Fort Collins, Colorado.

“Yes, we just pulled off the freeway to eat dinner here, before continuing on with the road trip,” Luva Flanigan, Patrick’s mother, said.

The fire damage was contained to a small service area, but there was also damage to the building from smoke and water, Imlay said.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. A full investigation will begin after the building has been completely cleared of smoke, Imlay added.

The Olive Garden management staff were unable to comment.

St. George Fire Department sent six fire engines and one ladder truck to the scene. Gold Cross Ambulance responded and remained at the restaurant in the event there were any injuries.

 

Naches, WA – Machinery fire at wood products manufacturer contained by sprinkler system

A smoking piece of machinery at Spinner Wood Products triggered an early morning response from the Naches and Gleed fire departments today. At about 4:11 a.m., firefighters responded to a fire alarm activated from the business, located at 10533 Old Naches Highway. Naches fire chief Alan Baird said the alarm was for a trip to the sprinkler system.

Baird said he originally upgraded the incident to a second-alarm fire as they didn’t know the size of the fire. It was determined that the fire originated in a piece of machinery used for printing names on pallets and bins. The combination of heat from the machine’s electrical motor and sawdust smoldered for hours, Baird said.

The fire was contained to the machine thanks to the sprinkler system, which activated over the machine in question. Baird said they wrapped up shortly after 6 a.m.; the fire chief added 10 firefighters were on scene.

Cheltenham, PA – Arson fire at apartment building suppressed by sprinkler system

Residents of one of the rebuilt buildings at the apartments at 1600 Church Road were evacuated May 31 after a fire alarm went off at 2:46 a.m., Cheltenham police reported. The fire was believed to be arson, police said.

Several people reported smelling an odor of gasoline and there was an odor of gasoline in a stairwell in the first floor of the B building, where the fire was located, said Cheltenham Fire Marshal Joe O’Neill, who confirmed “the fire was set” and is under investigation. “The sprinkler system put out the fire almost immediately,” he said.

There was fire damage to the stairwell and smoke, soot and water damage to carpet in that area, O’Neill said. The building had previously been destroyed in a fire in October 2012.

Glenside Fire Company assisted by Edge Hill and LaMott fire companies responded to the scene to “make sure the hazard was addressed” and clear the smoke and odor of gasoline from the building, O’Neill said.

Cheltenham, PA – Arson fire at apartment building suppressed by sprinkler system

Residents of one of the rebuilt buildings at the apartments at 1600 Church Road were evacuated May 31 after a fire alarm went off at 2:46 a.m., Cheltenham police reported. The fire was believed to be arson, police said.

Several people reported smelling an odor of gasoline and there was an odor of gasoline in a stairwell in the first floor of the B building, where the fire was located, said Cheltenham Fire Marshal Joe O’Neill, who confirmed “the fire was set” and is under investigation. “The sprinkler system put out the fire almost immediately,” he said.

There was fire damage to the stairwell and smoke, soot and water damage to carpet in that area, O’Neill said. The building had previously been destroyed in a fire in October 2012.

Glenside Fire Company assisted by Edge Hill and LaMott fire companies responded to the scene to “make sure the hazard was addressed” and clear the smoke and odor of gasoline from the building, O’Neill said.

Honolulu, HI – High rise apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Honolulu firefighters rushed to a Kinau Street apartment early Thursday following reports of an odor of smoke. According to the Honolulu Fire Department, more than 10 firefighters were dispatched around 1:30 a.m. to Kinau Vista located at 1150 Kinau Street. Upon arrival at 1:35 a.m., they discovered that an activated sprinkler head extinguished a fire that broke out earlier. HFD did not have further details regarding the fire, but there were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire and damage estimates are under investigation.