All posts by viking210

Apartment Building, Residential

Sequim, WA – Fire sprinkler system keeps apartment fire contained

 Fire burned at an apartment complex in Sequim last night.

About 7 PM, Fire District Three was called to reports of a fire in a unit at the Elk Creek Apartments. A tenant said flames were spreading in one unit.

Most of the complex’s tenants had evacuated by the time fire crews arrived. Officials say everyone had been alerted to a fire by audible fire alarms. A sprinkler system activated and kept the fire isolated.

Two units were damaged by fire, smoke, and water. No one was injured.

The Red Cross was also notified and responded to assist the displaced tenants.

School / University

Oxnard, CA – Fire sprinklers keep fire from spreading in school district storage building

Early Saturday morning, Oxnard City Fire extinguished a fire that flared up inside a storage building belonging to the Oxnard School District.

Firefighters responded to a two-story building on the 1000 block of South A Street around 4:25 a.m. The building was found to be used for storage and the archiving of school property.

Upon arriving, firefighters forced the first-floor door open and found the area to be filled with smoke. They used heat imaging cameras to locate the sources of the fire and extinguish them. Fortunately, City Fire reported, the building’s sprinkler system had activated which helped keep the fire from spreading through the rest of the building.

Once the fire was out around 4:51 a.m., crews determined that only supplies had burned rather than the building itself.

Investigators discovered that a window had been broken out on the first floor and one person was seen leaving the area around the time of the fire.

While it is unclear if this is an arsonist situation, police are looking for the subject for questioning on how the fire may have started.

Crews will continue working on water and smoke damage inside the building until it is fully functional.Ventura County

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.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Sault Ste Marie, ON, Canada – Hotel sprinkler system helps control fire

Shortly after 1 a.m., Sault Fire Services responded to a small fire at the Days Inn Hotel on Bay Street in the city’s downtown.

The fire was contained to an area with the assistance of the fire department and the building’s sprinkler system.

Damage is unknown at this time, there were several individuals outside the building after evacuation.

Sault Online/ONNtv will update the story if more information becomes available. Stay with ONNtv for all your breaking news updates.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Glassboro, NJ – Fire sprinklers contain dorm fire after hoverboard catches fire

Rowan’s Emergency Medical Services and the Glassboro Fire Department responded to a reported fire at Holly Pointe Commons on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and transported one person for injuries due to the incident, according to Vernon Howery, the chief of Rowan University EMS.

According to Michael Kantner, the assistant vice president of public safety and office of emergency management, the fire occurred early in the morning around 1-2 a.m.

Vice President for University Relations Joe Cardona said the fire source was a hoverboard (self-balancing scooter). The Glassboro Fire Marshal’s Office is currently investigating the situation, as they do for every alarm; however, they wouldn’t comment on the definitive reason for the hoverboard’s fire. 

“[The hoverboard] is the crux of their investigation. They are looking at all avenues, and there haven’t been any determinations yet,” Kantner said.

Hoverboards are no stranger to fire departments around the United States. Since 2015, there have been many incidents involving their combustion. They are prohibited on school property by Rowan’s Housing Policy regarding engines. The United States International Trade Commission also prohibits them.

According to the Federal Register, in 2016 the International Trade Commission issued a ban on various hoverboard manufacturers due to patent claims made by Segway Inc. Many of the manufacturers listed are internationally based in countries that lack strict regulations on their products’ safety.

Purdue University’s school newspaper, The Exponent, documented a similar hoverboard fire on Sept. 14, 2020 inside one of their dorms Shreve Hall. Both Rowan and Purdue’s incidents occurred early in the morning. 

The sprinkler system in Holly Pointe caused water damage to the surrounding areas in the first floor B-pod. 

“Thank goodness for the sprinkler system, that fire was basically knocked down by the time the fire department showed up,” Kantner said. “They did sustain some water damage in the hallway of B-pod and in rooms adjacent to the incident location.” 

Currently there are no reports on the number of students and dorms affected by water damage. Rowan EMS reported only one individual requiring medical attention due to the fire, and their condition is unknown.

An update will be available at thewhitonline.com when and if appropriate.

Apartment Building, Residential

Auburn, WA – Fire sprinklers control apartment fire and limit damage

The streak began on Friday, Sept. 4, at 12:48 p.m., with a fire at the Gentry Walk Apartments, 12700 block of SE 312th St. in Auburn. Three adults, including one disabled female were displaced after a fire began in their apartment. The disabled female was not able to evacuate on her own and was carried out by firefighters. Fortunately, the building sprinkler system controlled this fire, limiting damage to approximately $5,000 in the affected unit.  An adjacent unit suffered a small amount of water damage. The cause is undetermined at this time.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Wake Forest, NC – Sprinkler system contains fire at retirement community; No injuries reported

Multiple people were forced to evacuate after a fire at a Wake Forest retirement community.

Town of Wake Forest officials say the fire broke out at The Lodge at Wake Forest located on 1151 S. Main St. Firefighters say it started in a unit on the ground floor just after 8 p.m. Thursday night.

Officials say the sprinkler system in the facility contained most of the fire before firefighters extinguished the rest.

Between six and nine units suffered smoke damage, officials say.

A resident who evacuated told CBS 17 that she heard the fire alarms go off, but didn’t think anything of it because of recent false alarms. She says when she went to check on her neighbor, she saw smoke and flames.

“She tried to push her button, we all wear buttons around here. She could raise anybody so I called 911…. the smoke had got down to maybe about hip level, the smoke was that far down and thick I couldn’t breathe, I was coughing. So I just came back in and shut the door and went outside,” said Sheila Brantley.

Officials say there were no serious injuries and nobody had to be taken to the hospital.

Apartment Building, Residential

Boise, ID – Sprinkler system puts out apartment fire after firework is lit inside apartment

One person was injured and a Boise apartment was damaged by people playing with fireworks early Friday morning, according to investigators.

Just after 1:30 a.m., officers responded to an apartment fire on the 1000 block to West Royal Boulevard to assist the Boise Fire Department with their investigation.  

When they arrived, a fire in a second floor apartment had already filled the building with smoke and forced residents to evacuate for about an hour.

According to a preliminary investigation, three men were playing a game when they lit a firework inside the apartment. That activated the sprinkler system which put out the fire before it could spread. However, the apartment did sustain fire and water damage.

Police say the men could face first-degree arson charges. The case has been forwarded to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

Boise Police and Boise Fire would like to remind the public of the dangers and criminal charges that can result from playing with or misusing fireworks.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Mt. Juliet, TN – Classroom fire at elementary school put out by fire sprinklers;no injuries reported

Emergency crews are on scene of a fire that broke out at Mt. Juliet Elementary school Monday.

Police said the fire is isolated to one classroom. It’s since been extinguished by the sprinkler system and firefighters.

There have been no reported injuries and Monday is a remote day for students.

Crews remain on the scene investigating.

Apartment Building, Residential

Grapevine, TX – (no media coverage) Fire sprinkler system extinguishes apartment fire after air fryer catches fire

An Air Fryer caught fire in the kitchen, 2nd floor apartment (3 stories).  Sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire.  Water/smoke/fire damage to the kitchen and living room area.  Also water damage to the 1st floor apartment.  There are 18 apartments in the building.  So 16 apartments saved.  The tenant was home at the time of the alarm.