Tag Archives: Washington

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Richland, WA – Sprinkler system activated for possible arson fire at senior citizen apartment complex

Richland Fire and Police were dispatched to the Tri-Cities Terrace Apartments around 2:30 a.m. on January 24 for a fire alarm.

Residents of the apartment complex for senior citizens reported seeing smoke and flames.

According to an RPD press release the sprinkler system in the building did its job and prevented the fire from spreading. Most of the damage from the incident was from the sprinklers rather than fire.

67 residents were either evacuated or sheltered-in-place. One resident was transported to the hospital for a medical evaluation according to today’s press release.

The Richland Fire Marshal Investigator and the RPD Arson Investigator are working to determine the cause of the fire. Multiple suspicious fires were reportedly lit in the building. There are currently no suspects.

Office Building, Other Business

Yakima, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at office building; No injuries reported

Yakima fire officials say a fire at a North Sixth Street building caused $100,000 damage New Years’ Day.

Crews were called to the Costco Member Services Center in the 1700 block of North Sixth Street at 4:30 a.m. A fire started in a cubicle in the building and spread to a 900-square-foot area, according to a fire department post on social media. The fire also activated multiple sprinkler heads in the building, firefighters said.

Investigators traced the cause of the fire to a malfunctioning power strip.

Nobody was injured in the fire, officials said.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Kingston, WA – Sprinkler system activated outside restaurant for fire caused by oily rags

Damage was limited to the building’s exterior after an automatic sprinkler system knocked down a fire that appears to have started with in a bucket of oily rags outside the Puerto Vallarta restaurant in Kingston early Sept. 12.

A fire alarm and a call from a Kitsap County sheriff’s deputy initiated a large commercial structure fire response to the Highway 104 business.

Crews arrived less than four minutes after the 3:40 a.m. dispatch, and firefighters found a small blaze on the building’s loading dock that had been mostly snuffed by the sprinkler system. Crews finished extinguishing the fire.

An investigator from the Kitsap County Fire Marshal’s Office responded and determined that the fire likely originated in a bucket of oil-soaked rags.

According to research by the National Fire Protection Association, fire sprinklers can lower the risk of property loss by as much as 70%. NFPA recommends that oily rags be placed in a metal container filled with water and detergent, and capped with a tight-fitting lid.

Units responded from North Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Poulsbo Fire Department and Puget Sound Federal Fire Department at Subase Bangor.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Vancouver, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at former restaurant

The Vancouver Fire Department battled a fire at the former Joe’s Crab Shack along the waterfront early Monday morning.

At about 5:41 a.m., crews were called out to a fire at the former seafood restaurant, located at 101 East Columbia Way. The restaurant closed for good in May 2020.

Crews arrived to the scene and found fire outside of the building, spreading to the inside. Vancouver Fire said the flames were initially knocked down in about 10 minutes, but the fire wasn’t fully under control until 50 minutes into the operation.

The building’s sprinkler system was activated which helped firefighters control the fire, according to Vancouver Fire.

In total, 20 firefighters were on scene, along with the Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Columbia Way was shut down due to the response. People were asked to avoid the area while fire crews were on scene.

Apartment Building, Residential, Uncategorized

Renton, WA – Sprinkler system contains fire to one room

An apartment fire was taken down early this morning and the sprinkler system helped allow residents to evacuate before it was too late.

The Renton Fire Department (RFD) said the fire started in the 300 block of S. 2nd around 3:30 a.m.

Crews had to immediately call for a full alarm when they arrived with smoke and fire bursting out of the home.

Skyway Fire, King County medics and the Tukwila Fire Department all ended up coming to help.

RFD officials have not yet determined how the fire started, the person who went to the hospital suffered smoke inhalation.

Firefighters say the building sprinkler system actually helped contain the fire itself to one room.

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Chehalis, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire in sawdust bin; No injuries reported

While there was a large volume of fire in a sawdust bin at Hardel Mutual Plywood on Thursday evening, no one was injured and the fire did not spread to the company’s main structure. 

The fire most likely started in a sawdust vacuum system on site, said Lewis County Fire District 6 Chief Ken Cardinale. 

“Sometimes they get a spark either from a rock or a nail or something that gets into that sawdust material and then causes the fire,” said Cardinale. “I wouldn’t say they’re common, but they do occur at these facilities. We probably have two or three of these that occur every year around the county.” 

The fire was inside the sawdust bins outside the building, which had sprinkler systems installed and “held it in check” until fire personnel were able to arrive. 

District 6 responded and called neighboring Lewis County Fire District 5 to assist, said Cardinale. 

Crews attacked the fire from above for about an hour and a half before it was extinguished, he said. 

“We put it out to keep it from spreading to the inside and cleaned up and went home,” he said. 

Government/Military, Public Library

Kent, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at library book drop

The downtown Kent Library closed on Thursday, Dec. 2 after the sprinkler system activated early in the morning when something in the book drop caught fire.

“The incident is currently under investigation,” said Sarah Thomas, King County Library System public relations specialist, in a Thursday afternoon email. “It will remain closed today (Thursday). We are unable to give a reopening date at this time.”

The Kent Library is at 212 Second Ave. N.

Puget Sound Fire responded to a sprinkler water flow alarm just before 6 a.m. Thursday, said Pat Pawlak, Puget Sound Fire spokesman.

“Firefighters arrived and found that that had been a fire in the book drop,” Pawlak said. “A single sprinkler head activated and extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”

People looking to use a local library can visit the Kent Panther Lake Library, 20500 108th Ave. SE, which also is part of the King County Library System.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Kennwick, WA – Sprinkler system activated for attic fire at nursing center

Kennewick fire officials are praising a sprinkler system for preventing a possible tragedy at a rehabilitation and nursing center early Tuesday. About 30 residents were at the facility at 2 a.m. Tuesday when a fire ignited in the attic of the Regency Canyon Lakes Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Ely Street. Fire Chief Chad Michael said the fire sent a light amount of smoke through the building. Firefighters arrived within four minutes of being called and discovered where the fire started.

A heating and ventilation system is suspected of causing the fire. “Fortunately, the attic space is fully sprinklered and a single sprinkler head contained the fire until fire crews arrived on the scene,” said the release.

All the physical, occupational and speech therapy patients living at the center and staff members were able to remain sheltered in the building, though firefighters helped move 12 patients to different rooms. Michael pointed out that sprinklers reduce fire-related deaths by 87% and injuries by 27%, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Apartment Building, Residential

East Wenatchee, WA – Sprinkler system extinguishes cooking fire caused by oil

A Tuesday night structure fire in East Wenatchee left occupants displaced and was a result of oil left cooking on the stove.

According to public information officer, Kay McKellar, Douglas County Fire District 2 responded to the structure fire around 9 p.m. in the 500 block of 11th street. A man in the home was cooking oil on the stove and left to head to the grocery store. When he returned home, the oil had started a small fire.

The overhead sprinkler did put out the fire, however there was water damage from the sprinkler to both the unit and the one below. The Red Cross was called to assist with the displaced occupants.

Apartment Building, Residential

Spokane, WA – Sprinkler system controls apartment fire; No injuries reported

An early-morning apartment fire was largely controlled by the building’s sprinklers before the Spokane Fire Department arrived and finished extinguishing the flames.

A fire broke out at the Wolfe Apartments, 240 W. Sprague Ave., at about 1:30 a.m. Monday morning, according to Julie O’Berg, deputy chief at the Spokane Fire Department.

The fire was small and primarily controlled by a sprinkler system in the building, she said. Residents were able to exit the building safely, and no injuries have been reported, O’Berg said.

“Our crews helped with smoke removal and just making sure there’s no extension (of the fire),” O’Berg said.

The number of apartments damaged was not available Monday morning, but O’Berg said most of the damage was caused by the water from the sprinklers. The cause of the fire is under investigation.