Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential Fire at senior apartment building contained by sprinkler system (Portsmouth, VA) November 27, 2013 viking210 The sprinkler system kept a blaze in check inside a residential building for senior citizens until firefighters could arrive on Tuesday night. No injuries were reported in the fire, said Deputy Fire Chief Jim Hoffler. Over the years, though, the facility has had at least two fatal fires that have caused major damage, Hoffler said. The sprinkler system may have saved lives, he added. The blaze was reported shortly after 10 p.m. on the top floor of the four-story building. The fire was contained by the sprinklers in one room of the apartment where it began. Hoffler said he did not yet know the cause.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Sprinkler system saves auto body shop; Possibly neighboring businesses as well (Charlottesville, VA) November 9, 2013 viking210 A Charlottesville auto body shop’s sprinkler system contained a paint booth fire Friday afternoon, fire officials said. Robert Pleasants, an employee of Premo Auto Body, said he was working in the booth about 1:30 p.m. were the blaze began. Pleasants said he was about to begin the process of drying paint on a car, when he “turned around and saw flames,” Pleasants said. “It was crazy.” Employees were able to evacuate the building without injury said Fire Chief Richard Jones. Due to the sprinkler system, only heavy smoke remained by the time firefighters arrived, he said. The incident could have been worse, Pleasants said. A section of the paint booth contained flammable chemicals and paints. “If it would’ve hit that, that would’ve took the whole block out,” he said.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Sprinkler system aids firefighters at furniture manufacturer (Roanoke, VA) November 6, 2013 viking210 Firefighters report that fire sprinkler helped extinguish most of the flames that began at a furniture manufacturing plant on Tuesday, November 5. The fire began when a vacuum pump in the plant overheated. No employees at the plant were injured, and production resumed for the following shift.
College/University (on campus), School / University Sprinkler system suppresses late night fire at University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA) October 10, 2013 viking210 A fire erupted in the third floor of the University of Virginia’s Wilsdorf Hall on Tuesday, October 8. The late night fire was contained by the building’s fire sprinklers until fire crews arrived to eliminate it completely. Occupants of the science building were able to evacuate safely, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Restaurant fire controlled thanks to fire sprinklers (Lynchburg, VA) July 30, 2013 viking210 A passerby noticed smoke coming from a restaurant late July 28 and called fire crews. When officials arrived, they found the fire had been completely put out by the building’s fire sprinklers. The cause of the fire was a cooking fryer, which had not been turned off.
Apartment Building, Residential Fire sprinklers limit damage in apartment fire (Wichita, VA) July 25, 2013 viking210 Fire crews arrived to a reported apartment fire to find a contained fire in the bedroom of an unoccupied unit. The fire sprinkler had activated to keep the fire confined to the bedroom area, and firefighters put out the remaining flames. No one was injured in the incident.
Apartment Building, Residential Sprinkler system extinguishes stovetop fire in apartment (South Boston, VA) June 20, 2013 viking210 Phillips said the fire started from the kitchen stove in apartment 116 and caused the sprinkler system to go off in the apartment extinguishing the fire. No one was injured. The fire occurred in the evening.
Apartment Building, Residential Fire sprinklers save apartment and surrounding businesses (Harrisonburg, VA) May 11, 2013 viking210 A kitchen fire that began in an apartment Wednesday evening was eliminated by the unit’s fire sprinkler system. According to Harrisonburg Deputy Fire Marshall Arthur Miller, “If the sprinkler system wouldn’t have been there, the consequences today would have been much more extreme. Not only in the loss of property and the interruption of business, but you’ve got fire fighters who are put in more of an extreme risk, fighting a more serious fire.” No injuries were reported from this incident.
Other - Retail, Retail Fire at thrift store was contained thanks to sprinkler system (Portsmouth, VA) February 22, 2013 viking210 The owner said he stayed at his store because he closed late. At around 5:00 a.m. he heard a loud pop at the front of the store and then saw the cash register and front counter area in flames. Battalion Chief Danny Miller said the store’s sprinklers activated, which kept the fire from spreading. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential Sprinkler system controls university dorm fire (Fredericksburg, VA) November 12, 2012 viking210 The University of Mary Washington dorm fire, which was confined to room 506, was caused when a coffee maker there malfunctioned, according to Deputy Chief Mike Jones of the Fredericksburg Fire Department. The fire was quickly controlled due to the activation of the fire sprinkler system. Officials safely evacuated students from Mason and Randolph halls.
