Apartment Building, Residential Abilene, TX – Overnight apartment fire put out by sprinkler system; No injuries June 1, 2016 viking210 Abilene firefighters responded to an apartment fire in the 1200 block of Yeoman Road just after midnight early Sunday morning. When firefighters got to the scene the fire had already been put out by the apartment’s sprinkler system, but they did see some light smoke in the apartment next door. Firefighters were able to clear out that smoke. Investigators said food cooking on the stove started the fire. Damage is estimated at about $3,000. No one was hurt.
Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic Modesto, CA – Sprinkler system extinguishes suspicious overnight fire at Planned Parenthood May 27, 2016 viking210 The Modesto fire and police departments are investigating a suspicious, but apparently small, fire at the Planned Parenthood Modesto Health Center on McHenry Avenue early Wednesday. Signs on the doors of the center said it would be closed Wednesday, and a spokeswoman said staff members are assessing fire damage and working to reopen as soon as possible. At about 3:25 a.m., one fire engine was dispatched to a water-flow alarm sounding at the 1431 McHenry Ave. center, said Battalion Chief Jesse Nicasio of Modesto Fire. When additional reports came in from passers-by of flames and smoke coming from the building, the call was upgraded to a commercial working structure fire and additional resources were sent, Nicasio said. “Engine 5 found a broken glass door, the fire alarm sounding and fire sprinkler activation,” he said. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire, but crews ensured it was out, Nicasio said. Information was not immediately available as to where in the two-story building the fire started or what damage was done.
Apartment Building, Residential Maitland, FL – Sprinkler system helps put out apartment fire caused by charging drone battery May 26, 2016 viking210 A drone battery charging inside a Maitland apartment caused a fire to erupt early Sunday morning, according to Maitland Fire Rescue. The fire happened around 1 a.m. inside one of the units at the Arbors at Maitland Summit apartments. Fire officials say the woman inside the apartment tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, but the fire grew, causing the sprinkler system to go off. According to fire officials, the drone battery was left unattended while it was charging. “They put it on the charger, they went to sleep,” said Assistant Fire Chief Van Camp. “Someone woke up from the smell of smoke, went out, saw the batter was on fire, tried to put it out and it kept growing on them.” Only one building at the apartment complex was evacuated. Those residents have since been allowed back into their apartments. No injuries were reported. The unit where the fire started sustained water damage, according to fire officials.
Apartment Building, Residential San Rafael, CA – Sprinkler system limits spread of apartment fire May 17, 2016 viking210 Three apartments sustained water damage in a one-alarm fire Sunday in San Rafael, a San Rafael battalion chief said. The fire was first reported at 9:24 p.m. at 960 Lincoln Ave. When firefighters arrived, they found a sprinkler had extinguished the fire in one apartment and firefighters went to work to limit water damage, Battalion Chief Kyle Hamilton said. The apartment where the fire started is probably uninhabitable, which would displace one person, Hamilton said. The other two units are probably habitable, he said.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Forks Township, PA – Polystyrene fire at plastics manufacturer controlled by sprinkler system May 17, 2016 viking210 A Sunday morning fire at a Forks Township manufacturer could have been much worse if not for the building’s sprinkler system, a township fire official said. Crews were called for the fire at about 12:15 a.m. at the Ecopax building, 3600 Glover Road, said Matt Mowrey, deputy chief for the Forks Township Fire Department. Ecopax manufactures foam and plastic food containers. A commercial roll of polystyrene caught fire, leading to a working blaze, but the flames were kept from spreading by the building’s sprinklers, Mowrey said. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and the blaze is under investigation, Mowrey said.
Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant St. Augustine, FL – Fire in ballroom at resort hotel quickly put out by sprinkler system May 15, 2016 viking210 Multiple fire crews were called to the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort and Convention Center during an active evacuation Thursday night, fire officials said. Firefighters confirmed that there was a fire in one of the convention ballrooms and found smoke, according to a post on the St. Johns County Fire Rescue Facebook page. Alarms went off inside the hotel at 8:15 p.m. and the sprinkler system promptly put out the fire, officials said. Crews said they had to perform smoke removal, salvage and overhaul. The ballroom did suffer damage, according to officials. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse Brampton, ON, Canada – Fire in 800,000 ft² Unilever warehouse extinguished by sprinkler system May 14, 2016 viking210 Sprinklers are being credited with averting a potentially major fire at a massive warehouse in Brampton Wednesday night. Flames broke out under some racking in the 800,000-square-foot Unilever building on Airport Road south of Steeles Avenue East around 10:30 p.m. Firefighters were called to the warehouse, where they had to force open a rear door closest to the fire. But the building’s sprinkler system had been trigged, and extinguished the blaze. Damage was limited to 40 skids out of potentially millions of dollars worth of product, which includes soap and mayonnaise, according to Platoon Chief Gord Fowler. “That type of fire is very difficult to fight,” Fowler noted, saying getting hose lines into a large, enclosed area like that is one of the many issues firefighters face in such a situation. Employees inside the building were evacuated and no injuries were reported. It’s a good news stories that highlights the effectiveness of sprinklers, Fowler said.
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential Alhambra, IL – Arson fire at nursing home extinguished by sprinkler system May 13, 2016 viking210 An Alhambra, Illinois woman was arrested for arson in connection to a fire at the Hitz Memorial Home, 201 Belle Street, that occurred Wednesday evening. Firefighters responded to a call for a fire at the location at 9 p.m. The fire was contained to two inner rooms within the nursing home and extinguished by the facility’s fire sprinkler system. The damage to the two rooms was extensive. Other rooms suffered serious smoke and water damage. One employee suffered minor smoke inhalation while clearing out patients. She was treated at the scene. Ten nursing home patients were displaced from their rooms due to the fire. The home has made accommodations for them. Around 10 p.m., the Illinois State Police received a phone call from a resident at the independent living portion of the Hitz Memorial Home, who reported she started the fire. Police say Linda J. Braun, 67, admitted that she deliberately started the fire. She told police that she was angry over staff members trying to boss her around. Braun told the investigating deputy that she started the fire in an empty room and didn’t intend to hurt anyone. The fire was started in the nursing home, separate from the independent living facility Braun lived in. Braun is currently held at the Madison County Jail. She is being held on a $250,000 bond.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Metropolis, IL – Overnight fire at uniform business controlled with help from sprinkler system May 12, 2016 viking210 The Illinois State Fire Marshal is looking for the cause of an overnight fire at a Metropolis business. The fire alarm system at Aramark Uniform Services alerted firefighters around 2:00 a.m. to a fire at the business located at 5317 Industrial Park Drive in Metropolis. Firefighters say there was heavy smoke when they arrived on the scene, but no flames were showing. The business’ sprinkler did go off before firefighters arrived. The Metropolis Fire Department called for manpower help from Massac County and a mobile ventilation air unit to help fight the fire. Crews were able to knock down the flames quickly, and contain the fire to one area of the building. Firefighters say they don’t believe anyone was in the building when the fire broke out, and no one was hurt.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Apple Valley, CA – Fire at cement plant held in check by sprinkler system May 11, 2016 viking210 A blaze that erupted at a local cement plant injured two firefighters before it was extinguished early Tuesday morning. Apple Valley Fire Protection District Fire Marshal Jason Nailon told the Daily Press the flames took about an hour to extinguish. The fire was believed to have been caused by possible static or dust explosions at the plant, but remains under investigation. Reports of a blaze at a building in the Cemex plant in the 25200 block of Black Mountain Quarry Road were received around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said. Nailon said the blaze involved the plant’s alternate fuels that power their kilns, which are made up of wood chips, pistachio shells and tire chippings. It is believed a minor explosion started the blaze, but the building’s sprinkler system kept the fire in check until firefighters arrived. “When we got there, the fire was almost out because of the sprinklers,” Nailon said, “but the rafters appeared to be burning. It turned out to be an accumulation of dust up on the rafters that was still burning.” About 17 to 20 firefighters responded, including four engines from AVFPD and two from the San Bernardino County Fire Department. It took about an hour to bring the fire under control, Nailon said. One firefighter reported an ankle injury while another suffered from heat exhaustion while combating the blaze. Nailon said some Cemex employees were at the site as well, but they reported no injuries. Estimated damages to the building are not yet known, but Nailon said the concrete construction and sprinkler system protected the building from further damage.
