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Pleasant Prairie, WI – Sprinkler system keeps second-floor senior living apartment fire in check

Firefighters helped to rescue a resident of a Pleasant Prairie senior living facility Saturday, after a fire broke out at the apartment complex.

At 7:40 a.m. Saturday, Pleasant Prairie police and fire departments responded to the Prairie Villa Senior Apartments, 9500 81st St., for a report of a fire alarm that had gone off, according to a Pleasant Prairie Fire and Rescue Department news release.

Initial responding units reported smoke on the north side from a second-story apartment room and in the second floor hallway. Calls were received from both the fire alarm central station and neighbors of the building to the north.

The building’s sprinkler system activated inside the second-floor apartment room and kept the fire from spreading. Pleasant Prairie firefighters entered the room by way of the balcony using a ground ladder. The occupant had made their way to the balcony, where firefighters used an aerial platform ladder to rescue them from the apartment’s balcony.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where they were later released and reunited with family.

The remaining fire was extinguished shortly after that, at about 8:11 a.m. Crews remained on scene until 12:02 p.m., removing smoke, ventilating rooms and ensuring that the sprinkler system was restored. The village building inspection superintendent was also on scene to review building conditions.

Portions of the floor were the fire occurred and below were not habitable due to water damage. Residents that occupied other areas were allowed to re-occupy the building.

Building management personnel were working with residents that had no local lodging alternatives, while restoration efforts ramped up.

Pleasant Prairie Police and Fire Department members are also members of the Kenosha County Fire Investigation Task Force investigated the scene, and said the fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature.

Departments from Winthrop Harbor, Zion, Newport and Beach Park, Illinois, assisted Pleasant Prairie Fire Department at the scene. Additional departments from Bristol, Salem Lakes and Somers also provided additional resources.

Kenosha Transit system provided two buses to aid in immediate shelter needs for evacuated residents. The Racine Fire Bells also responded to provide emergency service support.

Apartment Building, Residential

Oklahoma City, OK – Apartment sprinkler system puts out fire suspected to be started by a Molotov cocktail

An investigation is underway after an apartment fire officials believe was started by a Molotov cocktail.

Fire crews were called to the West Chase apartments on NW 23rd street near Ann Arbor around 12:30 AM Friday.

A witness on scene said they saw one person running, after placing a Molotov cocktail outside of a building at the complex.

The fire was small and was put out by the apartment’s sprinkler system.

No one was inside the unit at the time.

Office Building, Other Business

Montgomery County, TX – Single fire sprinkler controls fire and limits damage after neon wall sign caught fire at commercial building

Early this morning, Montgomery County Firefighters responded to a fire alarm in a multi-tenant commercial building.

A neon wall sign caught fire and started to spread slowly via a plastic plant used for wall decoration. The plastic material had previously been tested by an MCFMO Fire Inspector during an occupancy inspection and met safety codes for its ability to limit fire spread.

The fire eventually emitted enough heat to activate a single fire sprinkler, controlling the fire and preventing any business disruption for the building tenants.

Other Business, Place of Worship

Ocean City, NJ – Fire sprinklers keep fire in check at Ocean City Tabernacle overnight

Social distancing played a role in the fast response and prevention of a potentially serious fire at the Ocean City Tabernacle early Thursday morning.

In the pre-dawn hours, the ballast of a fluorescent lamp apparently overheated and ignited a small fire, according to Tabernacle Pastor Jay Reimer.

The incident occurred in a storage area near the gymnasium at approximately 4:40 a.m., Ocean City Fire Department Chief Jim Smith said.

The mechanism of the light fell to the ground, causing a nearby box of basketballs and other sports equipment to begin smoldering and ignite a small fire.

This in turn set off the smoke detector, as well as the fire alarm at the Tabernacle, located at 550 Wesley Avenue.

“We were very fortunate,” Reimer said. “As you may know, we had some firefighters staying with us, and they took care of it before (the situation escalated).”

In the “old normal” pre-coronavirus pandemic days, a crew of eight firefighters would have been living in close quarters at the Fire Department Headquarters building across Asbury Avenue from the Tabernacle grounds.

Because of social distancing concerns during the pandemic, however, the bunk room beds have been spread out, and three members of the eight-man crew were staying overnight at the Tabernacle, as they have since March 27.

“We’re very thankful to the Tabernacle to open its doors to us,” said Smith. “It’s probably a blessing in disguise they were there. As usual, our guys did a great job.”

Smith said the OCFD members “found smoke and fire” when they arrived at the storage area and that the Tabernacle’s sprinkler system had “held the fire in check” up to that point. The firefighters connected a hose and quickly extinguished the small fire, Smith said.

“They had to stretch the hose out and put the fire out,” he said. “There was minimum damage from the water.”

Had the firefighters not been on site, the outcome could have been entirely different, he added.

“It was fortunate our guys were there to address the fire before (they left for the night) and came back from across the street,” Smith said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Amesbury, MA – Fire inside “explosion room” at industrial building put out by fire sprinklers

A regional hazardous materials team responded to an industrial building at 144 Elm St. late Tuesday morning after a flash fire in a room threatened to spread chemicals to the surrounding area.

But, according to Amesbury Fire Chief Ken Berkenbush, sprinkler heads in what he called an “explosion room” at Arc Technologies put out the fire before firefighters arrived about 1:50 a.m.

As a precaution, firefighters from several area communities responded and a stretch of Elm Street near Oakland Street was closed to traffic. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Berkenbush said it broke out while workers were moving the contents of one container to another.

Once the hazardous materials team arrived, members inspected the building, conducted air quality readings and performed other tasks to make sure the building was safe.

“Everything came out OK,” Berkenbush said, adding that a worker at the defense industry company sustained minor injuries.

Among those helping local firefighters were units from Newburyport, Newbury, Salisbury, West Newbury and several southern New Hampshire communities. Some of the same departments covered the Amesbury station during the roughly three-hour call and responded to five medical calls, Berkenbush added.

No firefighters were injured.

Apartment Building, Residential

Bristol, VA – Apartment kitchen fire controlled by sprinkler system

Five people were rescued Monday night when firefighters responded to a blaze in one unit at Douglass School Apartments in Bristol, Virginia.

Multiple crews arrived at the scene after the fire was reported at 9:17 p.m. at the apartment complex off Oakview Avenue, according to Mike Armstrong, the city’s fire chief.

Firefighters located the fire in the kitchen area of an apartment, where it appeared to have started on a stovetop with some type of combustible material, Armstrong said.

A sprinkler system contained the fire in the apartment where it started, but surrounding apartments still suffered water damage, he said.

A total of five occupants were evacuated from various apartments, and one person was treated for smoke inhalation but was not transported to a hospital, Armstrong said. No other injuries were reported.

Although the fire damage was contained, water damage in other apartments displaced at least two occupants, and the Red Cross is assisting them, he said.

The fire was determined to be accidental, the fire chief said.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Easthampton, MA – Fire caused by careless disposal of rags put out by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

The Easthampton Fire Department was called to a fire at the American Legion Post Monday night.

According to the Easthampton Fire Department, when firefighters arrived they found heavy smoke in the bar area and a sprinkler system on farther into the building at 7:42 p.m.

Firefighters determined the source of the smoke was remnants of a plastic trash can and the cause of the fire was careless disposal of rags used for staining wood. The sprinkler system put out the fire.

There were no injuries reported and Northampton Fire Rescue was called in to assist.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

North Okanagan, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system douses fire at pellet plant; No injuries reported

Firefighters in Lavington were called out to an early morning fire at the Pinnacle Pellet plant.

Lavington fire chief Marty Wright told iNFOnews.ca crews got the call 2:45 a.m. today, May 11, and were on site before 3 a.m.

Wright said the fire started in a fan chamber and was quickly doused by the automatic sprinkling system at the pellet plant.

“Pinnacle Pellet’s automated suppression system took care of most the fire for us,” Wright said. “We just got there and took care of the big fire that was in the chamber and then just dealt with hotspots throughout.”

Wright said there were no injuries and everybody is accounted for.

The fire chief said the main fan chamber was completely lost in the fire and the damage is now being accessed by the company.

In a post to Facebook, one eyewitness reported hearing a loud explosion.

Wright said 13 Lavington firefighters and nine from Coldstream responded to the fire. Crews left the scene at around 7 a.m..

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Iowa City, IA – Sprinkler system contains fire at assisted living facility

Officials said that one person was taken to the hospital after a fire in a unit at a west side assisted living facility on Saturday morning.

At around 12:42 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, the Iowa City Fire Department was sent to a report of a structure fire at Melrose Meadows Retirement Community, located at 350 Dublin Drive. The staff reported a fire in one of the assisted living units.

Firefighters arrived and located the fire, which was being kept under control by a sprinkler system. They were able to extinguish the flames within five minutes.

The person living in the unit was able to be evacuated safely by the staff, and nearby units were also evacuated.

Fire department officials said that one person at the facility was taken to the hospital via ambulance. There was no information given about their condition.

Officials estimate the damage to the building at around $20,000.

The Coralville Fire Department, Iowa City Police Department, and Johnson County Ambulance Service assisted in the emergency response.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Monroe, WI – Fire controlled by sprinkler system after explosion at commercial printer

Firefighters responded to an explosion in Monroe early Saturday morning.

According to a Facebook post from the Monroe Fire Department, firefighters were sent to RR Donnelley after the sprinkler system there was activated.

Officials said when firefighter arrived on the scene, they noticed smoke coming from the building, and that some windows were damaged.

The Monroe Fire Department said there had been an explosion in the building which resulted in a fire that activated the sprinkler system.

The fire was controlled by the sprinkler system.

There was some damage to equipment and the building, however the business has sufficient backup equipment to avoid a closure.

The Monroe Fire Department also said the staff at the company worked very well with firefighters to get things quickly resolved and into recovery.