Tag Archives: South Carolina

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

North Charleston, SC – Sprinkler system extinguishes electrical fire at gym; No injuries reported

A sprinkler system inside the Planet Fitness at the Northwoods Mall stopped a small fire on Tuesday morning from potentially getting much worse.

Firefighters said they were dispatched to the gym around 7:20 a.m. for a fire alarm.

A caller said there was a fire in the electrical room, and the call was upgraded to a commercial structure fire.

First arriving units found light smoke and an activated sprinkler head in the electrical room.

Crews said the sprinkler extinguished the fire.

According to the department, the fire was likely caused by an electrical appliance failing, overheating and igniting.

There were no injuries reported.

The gym will be closed while the electrical equipment is replaced.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Easley, SC – Sprinkler system activated for fire at market; No injuries reported

A fire at the Ingles on Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley is under investigation.

It happened around 11:06 p.m. Friday. The Easley Fire Department said crews located a fire in the storage area near the bakery. The sprinkler system was actively working and no one was injured.

According to the fire department, this is the second incident at this store this week and the fire has been ruled suspicious.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Berkeley County, SC – Fire at chophouse extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire investigators are working to determine what sparked a fire Thursday morning at a restaurant in the Nexton Community.

The C&B Fire Department responded to the Halls Chophouse at Nexton after a call came in to Berkeley County Dispatch at approximately 4:40 a.m.

The C&B Fire Department said its first officers on the scene spotted smoke showing from the fire.

C&B Fire Chief Josh Woodall said the restaurant’s sprinkler system put out the small fire. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Owner Tommy Hall released a statement Thursday morning about the fire:

Early this morning while Halls Nexton was closed, fire crews responded to a small fire contained to the lounge on the first floor of our restaurant. Authorities will be looking into the cause over the next few days. We are thankful that no one was hurt and that there was minimal damage.

The Pine Ridge, Summerville and Dorchester County Fire Departments also responded.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Charleston, SC – Vehicle fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

The Charleston Fire Department (CFD) on Thursday responded to a fire at Ranger West One LLC on Technology Drive.

According to CFD an automatic alarm alerted units to waterflow at the building. Units arrived shortly after 9:15 p.m. and found “water near the rear of the structure.”

Crews went inside and “discovered a vehicle that had caught fire that was extinguished by the building’s automatic sprinkler system.”

Fire Marshals are investigating the cause. No injures were reported.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Greenville, SC – Fire sprinklers help extinguish fire at lumber warehouse

Firefighting crews responded to a scene at a Greenville lumber warehouse Friday evening, where crews say the building’s sprinkler system helped them extinguish the fire.

FOX Carolina was tipped off to the scene just before 9 p.m. along White Horse Court, at the Builders FirstSource warehouse there. Our crews confirmed fire engines and personnel were handling the scene, noting it appeared that Gantt District Fire Department was the lead agency.

The department said crews found a fire inside the warehouse, but the sprinkler system inside kept it small. Crews were clearing out by 10 p.m. after tackling the blaze.

Gantt District FD said crews from Belmont, Parker, and South Greenville also responded.

Department Store, Retail

Kingstree, SC – Department store sprinkler system kept fire in check; No injuries reported

A department store just north of Kingstree was damaged by fire Wednesday night but saved from destruction by its sprinkler system.

Williamsburg County firefighters were dispatched to the Roses Express at 7:55 p.m. and arrived to find heavy smoke and visible flames inside the retail area of the store, according to a release from the fire department.

The fire activated the store’s sprinkler system, which kept the fire in check until firefighters were able to extinguish it.

Firefighters needed approximately 15 minutes to control the blaze.

“There was no extension to the roof or to adjoining stores in the complex, but the store has extensive smoke and water damage to the contents,” according to the agency’s release.

Kingstree firefighters responded with mutual aid.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation by the fire department, Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office and SLED.

Apartment Building, Residential

James Island, SC – Kitchen apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A fire that started in the kitchen of an apartment could’ve turned into something much worse without the help of a fire sprinkler.

The Charleston Fire Department said on Friday they received an automatic fire alarm activation from The Standard Apartments on James Island.

Firefighters saw an apartment with light smoke and a fire sprinkler spraying water. They entered the apartment and found an already extinguished fire near the stove.

“Multiple life safety strategies worked together to protect our residents and our first responders,” said Chief Fire Marshal Mike Julazadeh. “The fire sprinkler system activated to confine the fire, the fire alarm system provided automatic notification to the tenants and alerted 911, and the fire department arrived to contain and control the incident. There were no injuries and the building returned to use almost immediately.”

Investigators determined the stove was left on and the combustible material on the stove started the fire.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Hodges, SC – Fire sprinkler system puts out fire at pet food plant; No injuries reported

No one was injured Wednesday morning after a fire sparked in one of the storage silos at the Diana Pet Food plant in Hodges, according to Greenwood County Fire Chief Steve Holmes.

Holmes said the fire sparked inside the silo, with the damage contained mostly to the product stored there. The plant’s fire suppression systems worked as intended, putting the fire out without anyone being injured.

Firefighters arrived on scene and verified the fire was out and the sprinkler system was reset properly, Holmes said.

A representative from Diana Pet Food could not immediately be reached for comment.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Kiawah Island, SC – Hotel kitchen fire contained by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

Firefighters are crediting a fire sprinkler for containing a fire in a hotel room that could’ve turned out much worse.

According to the St. Johns Fire District, they responded to a possible structure fire at 300 Farm Lake View, at the Andell Inn Hotel.

The fire alarm came from a third-floor hotel room, officials said.

Upon arriving, the fire sprinkler was going off and containing the fire to the kitchen area. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames.

According to the St. Johns Fire District, they responded to a possible structure fire at 300 Farm Lake View, at the Andell Inn Hotel.

The fire alarm came from a third-floor hotel room, officials said.

Upon arriving, the fire sprinkler was going off and containing the fire to the kitchen area. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames.

“Without the fire sprinkler system, we would have had a substantial fire event and possible injuries to hotel occupants,” said Fire Chief Colleen Walz. “The fire sprinkler system was part of the critical life safety components of this building. In this case, a single fire sprinkler head operated and controlled the fire event until the fire department could arrive and mitigate any remaining hazards. Management is working to repair water damage and restore minimal smoke and fire damage.”

After reviewing the scene, fire investigators said the fire started near a microwave. The cause is still under investigation

Two firefighters were transported to a local hospital for possible dehydration and heat exhaustion. No other injuries were reported.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

North Charleston, SC – Hotel fire sprinkler extinguished cooking fire; No injuries reported

The North Charleston Fire Department (NCFD), St. Andrews Fire Department, and Charleston County EMS on Wednesday responded to a hotel on the 4800 block of Rivers Avenue for an active fire alarm.

Crews arrived shortly after 2:21 p.m. and were advised that the fire was on the second floor.

Upon locating the room, firefighters discovered that a fire sprinkler “had activated and extinguished a cooking fire.”

After ensuring that the fire was extinguished, crews “controlled the sprinkler system and started salvage operations on the first floor to reduce damage.” They also used ventilation fans to remove smoke.

No injuries were reported, and the occupants of the room were relocated.

Following the incident, NCFD is reminding the public of these facts:

  • Ninety percent of fires are contained by the operation of just one sprinkler.
  • A home with smoke alarms and fire sprinklers reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82%, relative to having neither, according to Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition.
  • Home fire sprinklers can contain and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive on the scene.
  • Modern residential sprinklers are inconspicuous and can be mounted flush with walls or ceilings.
  • Fire sprinklers save lives, reduce property loss and can even help cut homeowner insurance premiums.
  • Nationally, on average, home fire sprinklers cost $1.35 per square foot of sprinklered space in new construction.