Other / Not Specified, Other Business Park Ridge, IL – Fire in trash chute at parking garage extinguished by sprinkler system February 17, 2017 viking210 (No Media Coverage – Fire Department Reported) On February 12, 2017 at 5:09 p.m. the Park Ridge Fire Department was dispatched to 50 N. Northwest Highway for an activated fire alarm. Crews arrived on the scene within four (4) minutes and determined there was a possible fire in the trash room located in the parking garage. Upon entering the trash room, there was water flowing from 4 sprinkler heads inside the trash chute. These heads activated due to a fire of undetermined cause in the dumpster itself. The fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system saving what could have been a large fire loss. Crews checked for fire extension and damage. There was minimal damage to the building from water and smoke. No injuries were reported and all building fire protection systems were placed back in service that night.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Spokane, WA – Security video shows sprinkler system tackling fire at commercial building February 16, 2017 viking210 A video captures the start of a commercial fire at downtown Spokane business and highlights the importance of having a working sprinkler system. It is fortunate that a security camera was positioned in such a way to capture the entire life cycle of this fire. It does not happen very often that fire departments get video that shows how a fire might start, how it progresses, and how it can be controlled in a true, unsupervised everyday environment. “This video shows how something that starts out small can quickly escalate without the proper fire suppression systems in place,” says City of Spokane Fire Marshal Michael Miller. “If not for the working sprinkler, this fire could have been much worse. This is another example of why we stress the importance of installing and properly maintaining automatic fire suppression and detection systems.” The video captures a fire that started on January 28, 2016 in the Symons Building (15 S. Howard St.), a four story commercial building. The first indication of a problem can be seen when there is a brief flicker from a light fixture that is located in a main floor storage room. Hot material begins to drip from the fixture to the floor level where it ignited some plastic and consequently moved into the adjacent wood wall. The sprinkler head activated and helped confine the fire to a small area. Fire crews also credit the business for having a clean and orderly storeroom which helped in not providing a lot of fuel to the fire in its earliest stage. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire within 20 minutes. No injuries were reported.
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Hebron, OH – Sprinkler system helps extinguish fire in high school science lab; no injuries February 16, 2017 viking210 A fire caused by a science experiment prompted Lakewood High School to release students early Tuesday, according to district officials. District Superintendent Mary Kay Andrews said all students and faculty were unharmed in the incident and everyone did a great job of evacuating the building.” “Everything was calm,” she said. Students were released at about noon on Tuesday. Andrews said school will be in session Wednesday. The district staff was in the process of assessing the damage Tuesday afternoon. Andrews said the fire didn’t cause much damage. However, there was water damage from the sprinkler system going off in the science lab and a few other classrooms. Andrews said the school had not yet determined if the science lab would have to close for repairs.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Racine, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in commercial building; no injuries reported February 16, 2017 viking210 About $3,000 damage resulted from a fire Tuesday morning at a commercial building in the Uptown area. The fire, which was reported at about 9:15 a.m., originated on the second floor of the building at 1232 Washington Ave. on pallets holding folded cardboard, Racine Fire Department Lt. Mike Moss said. A sprinkler system put out the fire, which produced a lot of smoke because of plastics and other materials involved, Moss said. The building is used for storage by HFI Fluid Power Products, 1210 Washington Ave., Moss said. The area was not occupied at the time of the fire and nearby workers were able to exit unharmed. No injuries were reported.
Apartment Building, Residential Norman, OK – Sprinkler system helps put out fire that started in apartment building’s utility closet February 15, 2017 viking210 The Norman Fire Department reported that there were no injuries as a result of a fire today at an apartment complex. Norman Fire responded at about 2:45 p.m. to a report of a blaze at The Edge at Norman apartments, 2200 block of Classen Boulevard. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found visible flames and heavy smoke coming from an apartment within the complex. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. Norman Public Information Officer Sarah Jensen said the initial investigation showed that the fire started in the apartment’s utility closet where the hot water heater and heating and air conditioning units were housed. Due to the building’s fire sprinkler being activated, two units within the building sustained water damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential Richmond, KY – Fire at senior living center suppressed with help from sprinkler system February 14, 2017 viking210 Move-in day for many residents at Pebblecreek Crossing on Big Hill Avenue took a turn for the worse when a small fire in a lower-level apartment sent Richmond fire trucks racing to put out the flames Friday evening. The fire began when a new resident sat boxes on top of a stove that was turned on, according to Pam Turner, member of the Pebblecreek Crossing management team. Assistant Fire Chief Mark Murphy said Richmond Fire and Rescue received a call around 8:49 p.m. about a possible fire at the city’s newly constructed senior living facility. Approximately three tankers and three command units arrived on the scene. Madison County EMS and Richmond police also responded. Murphy said firefighters were met with heavy smoke when they opened the apartment door, but the sprinkler system had put out much of the fire. Firefighters were then able to put out hot spots and remove debris. The assistant fire chief said there was some smoke damage to the apartment as well as some minor fire and water damage. Two people were treated by EMS.
Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Harrisburg, PA – Overnight fire at popular downtown restaurant extinguished by single sprinkler February 13, 2017 viking210 A single sprinkler saved a Harrisburg restaurant from a catastrophic fire early Friday, city Fire Chief Brian Enterline said. The fire call came in just before 2 a.m. from the Capitol Gastropub in the 300 block of North Second Street. Only light smoke was in the building when firefighters arrived. Enterline said they found “a small fire in the basement that had been controlled and extinguished by a single fire sprinkler head.” The fire started in a plastic laundry tub filled with cleaning rags, he said. The tub was ruined and there was minor water damage, but that was it, the chief said. The damage totaled about $2,500. The restaurant was able to open without a hitch. “If this business did not have an operating sprinkler system to control the fire, the loss to not only the building but the lost revenue for the restaurant could have easily been in excess of $1 million,” Enterline said. “Fire sprinklers are a proven life safety and property loss reduction system that often comes under fire by the building industry as being overpriced and unnecessary.” The cause of the fire remains under investigation, he said.
College/University (on campus), School / University Salt Lake City, UT – Fire at University of Utah biology building extinguished by sprinkler system February 13, 2017 viking210 A small fire ignited Saturday morning in the University of Utah’s biology building. The fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system before crews from the Salt Lake City Fire Department arrived on the scene. The cause of the fire was not yet known as of late Saturday morning, but an investigator was expected to examine the scene later in the day.
Fire / Police Station, Government/Military Roanoke, VA – Fire in police station extinguished with help from sprinkler system; No injuries February 13, 2017 viking210 The Roanoke Police Department’s Station had to be evacuated on Thursday evening because of a fire. The fire broke out in a room on the third floor of the building, according to Tiffany Bradbury with Roanoke Fire EMS. She said everyone was evacuated from the building and that no one was injured. The sprinkler system was activated and the fire is now out; however, firefighters are currently checking the building to make sure everything is clear. Campbell Avenue is still closed to traffic. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Apartment Building, Residential McKinney, TX – Fire officials credit sprinkler system with minimizing damage in apartment fire February 13, 2017 viking210 McKinney Fire Department (MFD) responded to a multifamily structure fire Feb. 7, just days after another apartment complex fire. Tenants reported heavy smoke throughout Orion McKinney Apartments, 2508 Collin McKinney Parkway just after midnight. Responding units discovered the fire sprinkler system had activated and controlled and extinguished the fire in one of the apartments outside patios. A sprinkler head is credited for the minimal damage, and once again reinforced the value of fire sprinkler systems. No injuries reported from the fire. “This successful save by the sprinkler system shows the probability that the fire will be contained within an area, making it easier for occupants to leave and making the structure safer for our firefighters to work in,” said Fire Marshal Mike Smith. “Plus saving numerous dollars in construction costs.” Approximately 30 MFD personnel and investigators from the Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the fire.
