Memphis, TN – Sprinkler system contains arson fire at Walmart

An intentional fire set inside a Memphis Walmart caused nearly $2 million in content loss, the Memphis Fire Department said.

On Sunday, the MFD responded to a fire at the Walmart on Austin Peay Highway at 3:11 p.m.

Qwanesha Ward of the MFD said that the fire was intentionally set on Aisle 18 near the electronics department and was contained by the store’s sprinkler system.

However, the fire still led to $1.8 million in content loss and $10,000 in building loss. The store has smoke and water damage.

MFD said that the store will likely be closed until the end of the week.

Glen Allen, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at hotel; No injuries reported

Staff at the Candlewood Suites hotel in the Short Pump area of Henrico County are working to relocate guests following an accidental fire in a second-floor suite.

According to a spokesperson for Henrico Fire & EMS, crews responded to the Candlewood Suites at 4120 Tom Leonard Drive just before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, for report of a fire.

The spokesperson said the occupants of a hotel room had noticed smoke coming out of the air conditioning and heating unit and reported it to the front desk.

When the smoke worsened, they left the room — which caught fire shortly after. The flames soon spread to the curtains above the unit.

The sprinkler system was triggered by the smoke, which automatically notified first responders. Additionally, these sprinklers kept the fire from spreading beyond the window area, which is “exactly what you want [the sprinklers] to do,” according to the spokesperson.

Fire crews reportedly arrived within three minutes of receiving the call. There was still some visible fire on the outside of the building, so firefighters worked to put that out before entering the building.

No injuries were reported, according to the spokesperson.

The hotel was damaged by the flames themselves, as well as the smoke, heat and soot that came along with it. Fire crews deactivated the sprinkler system when possible, but there was still some water damage, according to the spokesperson.

Due to this damage, occupants are being relocated by hotel staff. According to the spokesperson, they are being moved to either other available rooms or to another hotel.

The spokesperson said this fire is considered accidental. No other information is available at tis time.

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire in 6-story building

Crews were called to a fire at a Madison complex on Monday evening around 9:30pm.

Firefighters on Engine 3 responded to The Standard Madison apartment complex (1868 E. Washington Ave.), a mixed-use building. 911 was simultaneously alerted when the alarm monitoring company called in a water flow alarm and a resident said a fire alarm was sounding throughout the complex. It was upgraded to a full fire response after noticing heavy smoke coming from a bar that was under construction. They made entry and found a sprinkler was activated. Firefighters used a water can to complete extinguishment of the fire.

The building has businesses on the first level with apartments above.

It shows the importance of a working sprinkler system, even when a business is under construction.

“The sprinkler system did its job. The sprinkler head closest to the fire activated, contained the fire to the area of origin, notified the occupants of the building through the fire alarm system and notified Dane County 911 whom dispatched Madison Fire to the scene for final extinguishment and clean up.” said Fire Marshal Bill Sullivan.

The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion by improperly disposing of oil and stain-soaked clothing. No residents were displaced, and the other businesses were able to open as scheduled.

Almont, MI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at metal casting facility

A two-alarm fire in the Almont Industrial Park brought firefighters from two Lapeer County fire departments to Aristo-Cast Metal Investment Casting, Inc. Monday. The Almont Fire Department responded to the initial call at 7400 Research Drive in Almont and promptly requested mutual aid from the Imlay City Fire Department. Almont Fire Chief Don Smith said his department was called at 4 a.m. Monday morning. According to Chief Smith, one of the ovens used to melt wax pellets malfunctioned and caught fire. He said the company’s sprinkler system activated and likely saved the building from being destroyed. Chief Smith said around 3,000 gallons of water was used by the two departments, in addition to the sprinkler system. One employee was treated for minor smoke inhalation. Almont First Responders and Lapeer County EMS also responded to the fire. Chief Smith said units cleared the scene by 6 a.m. 

Oak Creek, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at power plant; No injuries reported

A fire broke out at the We Energies Power Plant in Oak Creek on Monday night, April 8. The call came at 8:40 p.m.  

When crews arrived at the scene, they found smoke visible from the exterior of the dust collector. Fire companies entered the facility and confirmed that a fire had been extinguished by the sprinkler system.

There was no extension of the fire to any other part of the structure.

There were no reported injuries to We Energies employees or fire personnel. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at hotel; No injuries reported

Some residents were displaced and several units had water damage after a fire broke out in another Vancouver single-room occupancy hotel on Monday morning.

The fire was reported just after 7 a.m. Monday at the Walton Hotel, at 261 East Hastings St. in the Downtown Eastside.

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services crews had the fire mopped up after about 90 minutes and left a notice for building managers to reactivate the sprinkler system right away.

“Firefighters isolate and turn off the sprinkler as close to the affected area as possible to limit water damage to the building as well as trying to keep as much of the system operational,” said Vancouver Fire spokesperson Capt. Matthew Trudeau.

“A service technician is required to put the system back in working order as soon as possible.”

Trudeau said no injuries were reported but “water damage has affected multiple units” leaving an unknown number of Walton hotel residents displaced.

He said searching rooms was difficult due to “extensive hoarding throughout many units.”

Battle Creek, MI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

A fire ravaged three apartments in Battle Creek Saturday night, though the Battle Creek Fire Department confirmed there were no injuries.

According to reports by WZZM 13, the fire broke out at around 10:20 p.m. at an apartment building located at 111 West Street.

Upon arrival, smoke was observed in the hallway of the building.

The department’s investigation led to the discovery of a blaze that originated from a vent fan in a first-floor apartment, firefighters had to remove drywall from the ceiling to tackle the inferno.

“Crews pulled drywall from the ceiling to access the fire and put it out,” detailed the report by WZZM 13. The fire managed to extend its reach to the second floor, prompting the activation of a sprinkler system.

All residents were reported safe and, while the fire itself was contained, the aftermath saw disruption for the residents.

As noted by FOX 17, the American Red Cross stepped in to assist those who were unable to return to their apartments following the incident.

The repercussions of controlling the blaze included collateral damage; the apartments sustained fire-related harm and the water supply had to be cut to facilitate repairs of a damaged sprinkler reported MLive. Although the intrepid response from fire personnel contained the situation, residents faced the inconvenience of water outage.

The cause behind the harrowing event was identified as an “electrical shortage,” yet investigations continue, the Battle Creek Fire Department told reporters. The exact number of individuals displaced by the catastrophe has not been provided, but the quick response of emergency services prevented any physical injuries from being sustained.

Fresno, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Chipotle restaurant

Firefighters were on the scene of a fire at the Chipotle restaurant on Blackstone and Nees avenues Monday morning.

The Fresno Fire Department says it started just before 6 a.m. Firefighters say a manager started a deep fryer in the morning. About 30 minutes later it caught fire.

All employees were outside of the building when firefighters arrived.

The sprinkler system was activated and kept the fire from spreading, but there was lot of water in the building, according to officials.

The Department of Public Health will assess the damage and determine when the Chipotle can reopen.

Lansing, MI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at senior community center

Twin Oaks Senior Community residents have been displaced after damage from a fire and a sprinkler system affected multiple units.

The Lansing Fire Department reports that 13 apartment units were impacted, leaving 26-30 displaced people.

Local authorities collaborated with the Red Cross to provide safe shelter for those in need.

According to the crew, the fire started in the hallway but was contained by the building’s sprinkler system.

As of Monday morning, the Lansing Fire Department said they are investigating the fire as suspicious.

Burlington, VT – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire outside Senator’s office; No injuries reported

A man was arrested Sunday for allegedly lighting a fire outside the Burlington, Vt., office of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), authorities said.

Shant Soghomonian, also known as Michael Soghomonian, is charged with using fire to damage the building, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for Vermont. No injuries were reported, the office said, and a motive remained unclear as of Sunday afternoon.

Soghomonian entered the Church Street building Friday morning and headed directly to the third floor, where Sanders’s Vermont office is located, the U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement. Security video footage showed the 35-year-old man spraying a liquid near the door of the office, then lighting the area with a handheld lighter, the statement added.

A “significant” blaze began, engulfing the door and hindering multiple staffers from fleeing, according to a statement from the Burlington Police Department. Soghomonian then fled the building.

The fire damaged the door’s exterior, and the hallway, and set off the building’s sprinklers. The sprinkler system “largely extinguished the fire,” the police department said. Authorities responded at 10:45 a.m.

Sanders was not present when the incident occurred, according to the police department. The agency did not disclose how many staffers were in the office at the time.

In a statement, the senator said he was “deeply grateful” to local, state and federal law enforcement for responding to the fire.

“I am also thankful that none of the many people who were in the office building at the time of the fire were injured,” he added. “I appreciate the outpouring of support and well-wishes for me and my staff. We are proud to be able to continue to serve Vermonters during these challenging times.”

Soghomonian, previously of the Northridge area of Los Angeles, could face a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted. A lawyer “has not yet been identified” for him, the U.S. attorney’s office said in its statement.

Multiple agencies investigated Friday’s incident, including the Burlington Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Vermont State Police and U.S. Capitol Police.

Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said in a statement on Sunday that she was grateful for the collaboration, and added that her office “will continue to be in close communication as their office navigates the impacts of this incident.”

Simple Share Buttons