Tag Archives: West Virginia

Apartment Building, Residential

Morgantown, WV – Sprinkler system extinguished apartment fire caused by battery rechargeable devices

A fire at Mountaineer Court Apartments caused about $30,000 in damage to two apartments, but no one was injured Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators concluded that a fire in apartment 202 began due to several battery rechargeable devices. The fire then spread to an inflatable mattress.

A maintenance worker called 911 at 12:05 p.m.

Nobody was home at the time of the fire. The sprinkler system activated shortly after and extinguished it, but also caused water damage to apartment 101, which is directly below 202.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Logan, WV – Evening fire at Walmart contained to stock room by sprinkler system; Store reopens next morning

The city of Logan Fire Department responded to a structural fire at the Walmart in Logan around 9 p.m. Saturday. Fire Chief Scott Beckett said the fire was contained to a stock room in the back of the store.  “This is a real testament to working sprinkler systems and quick reaction times,” Beckett said. “As soon as employees realized there was a fire, they activated the fire alarms and got everyone to safety.”

Firefighters were originally told the fire was located in the shop area where tires are purchased and installed, but determined it was actually located in the rear of the building in a stock room. Beckett said the flames did not reach the main area of the store because the stock room sprinkler system had been activated. Chris Hatfield, fire marshal for the city, conducted the investigation into the cause of the fire. Beckett said Hatfield’s report deemed the cause to be accidental. The fire reportedly began when a returned item with batteries inside short circuited and began to burn. Other items close by also ignited.

No injuries were reported, and all employees on duty Saturday night were accounted for. Beckett said he commends the quick reaction from Walmart employees and his crew for their work in keeping the fire contained. “This was really a textbook situation,” Beckett said. “Minimal damage, no injuries, the store is already back open. Everyone did what they needed to do to keep this situation from being worse than it could’ve been.”

Other areas inside the store were affected by smoke, but it was also quickly ventilated to minimize the damage. Any open food items such as fruits and vegetables will be destroyed, along with any others that would be a hazard to the public. Walmart reopened to the public at 10 a.m. Sunday. The store thanked the community for their patience in a Facebook post that morning.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Hinton, WV – No injuries in senior apartment fire controlled with help from sprinkler system

Fire departments in Summers County responded to a fire Monday afternoon at Hinton House Apartments on Stokes Drive.  Steve Pack, Assistant Fire Chief of Hinton Fire Department, said the fire erupted in a kitchen on the fifth floor of the building, and is believed to have started because of an issue with an electric stove. The state Fire Marshal’s Office is still investigating. 

When the sprinkler system kicked on and put out the fire, it caused flooding to the lower floors along with residents’ carpet, ceilings and several other areas throughout the building.  Many residents were able to be housed with friends and family, but the local senior citizen center has been housing residents as well.

Red Cross has been providing those affected by the fire with blankets, food and cots.  Stephanie Elkins, property manager for the Hinton House, said they are hoping to open up the half of the building that was not damaged, but inspections are still being completed.   “I wish I could bring all of these people home tomorrow, but sadly I am still unsure of when I will be able to do that,” said Elkins.   Officials are working on reopening Hinton House, but it may be a substantial amount of time before the whole residence opens up its doors again.  A time frame is still unknown. 

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Huntington, WV – Arena fire controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries and no events canceled

Firefighters responded to a fire Friday morning at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington. Crews were able to quickly put out the fire, which started in an administrative office. The sprinkler system helped in the fire.  About 15 to 20 employees were in the building at the time.  No one was reported hurt in the incident.  Events at the arena will continue as normal.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Gallipolis Ferry, WV – Sprinkler System helps put out fire at chemical plant; No injuries

Officials at the ICL-IP America plant in Mason County say a leak occurred in the phosphorous unloading station at around noon Wednesday sparking a fire.

The blaze at the Gallipolis Ferry facility was put out by a sprinkler system plant personnel. There were no injuries, officials said.

A shelter-in-place covering a two-mile radius was was issued for about 45 minutes before being lifted at just after 1 p.m.

A statement from the company it would “investigate the cause and develop preventative actions.” ICL-IP added phosphorous fires create a great deal of smoke.

The company reported additional information to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Air Quality Wednesday afternoon. It said the leak occurred from a trailer-mounted iso-tank. The material was white phosphorous. The company suspects a failed gasket. The DEP has submitted additional questions about the size of the tank and the amount of phosphorous released.

Two DEP inspectors, one from the Division of Air Quality and one from the Division of Water and Waste Management’s Environmental Enforcement group, are scheduled to be at the plant site Thursday.

The ICL-IP America website produces drilling fluids and flame retardants that are bromine-based.

Other - Retail, Retail

Elkins, WV – Sprinkler system keeps fire in retail building from spreading

A fire in Elkins Thursday morning damaged the Dollar Store and a dance studio, two separate floors of a three story building. Several agencies responded to the fire at the old G.C. Murphy building. An official from the Elkins Fire Department tells 5 News that a refrigerator on the third floor short-circuited, sparking the fire. The sprinkler system had responded effectively, but left considerable water damage. No one was injured. The Elkins Fire Department estimates that the damages could reach up to $25,000.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Williamson, WV – No injuries in overnight nursing home fire controlled with help from sprinkler system

The Williamson Fire Department (WPD) responded to an emergency call at Trinity Health Care in East Williamson after a faulty wire in a heating unit triggered an alarm.  The cause of the problem was revealed to be in one of the heating units.  A wire had melted and caused the unit to over-heat, according to the WFD report.

The call came in around 2:00 a.m. Lt. Stephen Casey of the Williamson Fire Department was assisted by the Williamson Police Department (WPD), the Chattaroy Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) and Elite Ambulance service.  Williamson Fire Chief Joey Carey said, “The staff worked along with us to make ensure the residents safety. They had an emergency plan in place and they did a good job following procedure.”

Upon arrival, firefighters noticed minor smoke. A quick investigation revealed no fire but the smell of heated electrical equipment indicated the source of the problem, according to WFD Chief Joey Carey.  Firefighters ventilated the area. The WPD, CVFD firefighters, and Trinity Health Care staff worked together to evacuate residence to a safe area.

No medical incidents were reported and residents were moved back to their rooms within 45 minutes, according to Carey. “It could have been a lot worse,” Carey said. He credited the fire walls and sprinkler system in the attic of the facility with keeping the structure and residents within safe. The firewalls separate sections in the building and isolate any potential problems, according to Carey.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Bridgeport, WV – Fire at TownePlace Suites hotel contained to 3-by-3 foot area by sprinkler system

The TownePlace Suites on Platinum Drive in Bridgeport caught fire Monday morning. Crews were dispatched to the hotel at approximately 9:20 a.m. after receiving a fire alarm activation notification and a call from the front desk advising there was something on fire on the fourth floor.

The Bridgeport Fire Department Chief said a candle left unattended in one of the rooms caught fire. The fire was contained in a 3-by-3 foot area on the fourth floor.  The third and fourth floor rooms are uninhabitable due to water damage. The fire chief said the sprinkler system kicked on as it should have, and the hotel is trying to get a water restoration company to come in and get the water cleaned up.

The Bridgeport Fire Department responded. The Anmoore, Nutter Fort, Clarksburg and Mount Clare Fire Departments, Harrison County EMS and Bridgeport Police assisted on scene.

Other - Retail, Retail

Teays Valley, WV – Overnight fire at Home Depot controlled by sprinkler system

A sprinkler system is being credited for controlling a fire inside a business in Putnam County. Firefighters said they got the call about a fire a Home Depot about 12:30 a.m. Monday.

Luckily, several fire departments arrived to find the flames under control. Teays Valley Fire Chief John Smoot credits the sprinkler system for controlling the fire. A manager at the store said there was minimal smoke damage, but a lot of water damage.

Smoot said it started in the paint sections, but right now firefighters don’t know what caused the fire. Home Depot is open Monday, although they will not be mixing paint.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Huntington, WV – Sprinkler extinguishes overnight fire at Aldi grocery store

A sprinkler system likely saved a Huntington grocery store from sustaining more serious damage early morning Monday. Cabell County 911 received word of the fire at 4:39 a.m. at Aldi, a discount grocery store in the 400 block of Adams of Huntington. No injuries were reported.

Huntington Deputy Fire Chief Brian Grieco said crews believe boxes stacked against a light might have contributed to the small fire. A sprinkler activated and quickly extinguished the flames in a rear storage area.

Firefighters worked to clear smoke before leaving the store. Grieco said store officials were working with its alarm provider and another company to recharge the system and clean the store.