All posts by viking210

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Geneva, IL – Fire in garage of townhouse contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

No one was injured in a fire that started Thursday evening in the garage of a townhouse on the west side of Geneva, officials said.

The incident happened at about 5:13 p.m. in the 2000 block of Vanderbilt Drive.

When firefighters got to the two-story, multi-unit townhome building, they found light smoke showing from the two-car attached garage. The garage sprinkler system had activated and helped contain the fire before first responders arrived, officials said in a news release Friday.

All residents had evacuated before firefighters arrived. Crews brought the fire under control in less than 20 minutes.

The townhome remains habitable, officials said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The St. Charles, Batavia, and Elburn and Countryside fire departments helped Geneva crews at the scene, as did the Geneva Police Department. The West Chicago Fire Protection District provided station coverage during the incident.

Apartment Building, Residential

Boulder, CO – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at apartment complex

A woman has been arrested and is suspected of intentionally setting a fire Thursday morning at a Boulder apartment complex.

Boulder Police Department and Boulder Fire-Rescue responded to the fire in the 3700 block of Canfield Street at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Thursday.

The building’s automatic fire sprinkler system activated and helped contain the fire to a single unit, although two units sustained smoke and water damage, according to Boulder Police. Residents of the two damaged units were displaced, but other residents have been cleared to reenter the building.

A Boulder Fire-Rescue firefighter was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The investigation indicates that the fire was intentionally set, with evidence suggesting multiple items were ignited within the suspect’s apartment unit.

The specific method used to start the fire remains under investigation.

Officers arrested Ranita Ezeonu at the scene. She was booked into the Boulder County Jail on suspicion of the following charges:

  • First-degree arson
  • Reckless endangerment
  • Harassment
Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Syracuse, NY – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in university dorms; No injuries reported

A trash can fire in Syracuse University’s Brewster Hall activated a sprinkler that flooded several rooms on Wednesday, the Syracuse Fire Department confirmed.

The SFD responded to the alarm a little before 2 p.m. The sprinkler extinguished the flames with “limited” fire damage, an SFD spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange. There were no reported injuries.

At least two dorm rooms were affected by water damage, according to SFD reports.

“There was significant water damage but limited fire damage thanks to the sprinkler system doing its job,” the spokesperson wrote.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, an SFD spokesperson said.

SU’s Department of Public Safety had no immediate comment.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

St. Cloud, MN – Sprinkler system contains fire at school; No injuries reported

A malfunctioning bathroom fan is believed to be the cause of a small fire at Stride Academy on Tuesday afternoon.

According to a Critical Incident Report from the St. Cloud Fire Department, they were called to the school around 4:50 after the school’s fire alarm was activated. They arrived and were told by the staff that there was a smell of smoke in the building. Crews went inside and found a small fire had started in the attic space. The automatic sprinkler system had activated, preventing it from spreading.

Everyone got out of the building safely, and no one was hurt.

College/University (on campus), Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential, School / University

Holland, MI – Two separate fires contained by sprinkler systems; No injuries reported

Two fires broke out at Holland-area buildings within 48 hours of each other, and both were stopped by fire suppression systems before causing major damage, according to the Holland Fire Department.

The first fire was reported just before midnight on Feb. 8 at the Resthaven Farmstead, a senior living community in Holland. Crews were initially notified of a waterflow alarm, which was upgraded to a structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find that a bag of linens had caught fire in a kitchen storage area. The fire marshal’s investigation determined the cause was spontaneous combustion of products within the linens. The building’s sprinkler system had already extinguished the fire before crews arrived.

The second fire happened on the morning of Feb. 10 at the Hope College DeWitt Student and Cultural Center, located at 141 East 12th Street. At 7:02 a.m., Holland firefighters and police were dispatched following a waterflow alarm. Hope Campus Safety had been investigating the alarm and discovered smoke in the basement. When firefighters arrived at 7:08 a.m., they found that a fire had occurred in a basement office. The Holland Fire Marshal determined the fire likely started near a desktop light. Again, the building’s suppression system had done its job before firefighters got there.

No injuries were reported at either scene, and the Hope College fire had minimal impact on classes and normal building operations, the department said.

The Holland Fire Department credited proper maintenance of the sprinkler systems for the outcomes at both buildings and is urging all building owners with sprinkler systems and fire alarms to keep them maintained and functioning as designed.

The Holland Township Fire Department, Holland Police Department, and American Medical Response provided assistance at both fires.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Batavia, IL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at manufacturing plant; No injuries reported

Equipment caught fire at the Suncast Corporation manufacturing facility in Batavia over the weekend. No workers or any attending firefighters were hurt during the blaze.

The Batavia Fire Department responded on Feb. 7 to 701 N. Kirk Road.

The building had been evacuated after the automatic sprinkler system was activated inside the room containing the fire. Several employees attempted to put out the fire using portable fire extinguishers prior to the evacuation, according to a release by the fire department.

Fire crews located part of the machinery equipment actively burning inside the powder coat booth area. The automatic sprinklers successfully contained the fire to the equipment involved, according to the release.

No smoke or odor exited the building. The fire crew was able to fully extinguish the fire in around 30 minutes. Employees were able to enter the building and return to operations following the incident, according to the release.

The fire department said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Cost estimates from the fire damage is not yet available.

A total of 32 fire personnel were on-scene.

Several local fire departments assisted at the scene, including the St. Charles Fire Department and the Geneva Fire Department.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Plainfield, IN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Amazon distribution center; No injuries reported

Plainfield firefighters responded to a fire at an Amazon distribution facility Saturday evening.

According to a Facebook post from the Plainfield Fire Territory, around 6:45 p.m. Feb. 7, firefighters were called to the Amazon distribution facility located at 1750 Smith Road, near Bradford Road, on a report of a building fire.

When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the building, and the sprinkler system had been activated. That’s when firefighters upgraded the incident to a second alarm fire.

Firefighters say the fire was contained to a conveyor belt and mechanical system and that they were able to bring the fire under control in “about 20 minutes.”

Photos posted on the fire territory’s Facebook page show the interior of the building remained smoke-filled after the fire was extinguished. All employees were accounted for, and no injuries were reported, officials said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Franklin, TN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at multi-level parking structure; No injuries reported

The Franklin Fire Department put out a fire at a multi-level parking structure surrounded by a four-story apartment building.

On Friday night, crews with the Franklin Fire Department were called to the McEwen Northside Apartments at 4015 Aspen Grove Drive just before 11 p.m.

While crews were en route, 911 callers reported smoke and a vehicle on fire on the third level of the parking garage.

When crews arrived, firefighters found a 2015 Honda Odyssey van on fire. The building’s automatic sprinkler system activated and helped contain the fire preventing extension to other vehicles, the parking structure and the nearby apartment building, according to the Franklin Fire Department.

No injuries were reported and the parking structure and apartment building sustained no damage. Officials said the cause of the fire is undetermined.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Goleta, CA – Fire in commercial building held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

With the help of a fire sprinkler system, firefighters limited the damage from a fire that broke out Saturday in a Goleta commercial building, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

County Fire and the Santa Barbara City Fire Department personnel responded just after 7:30 a.m. to a report of a fire at 120 Cremona Drive, adjacent to Goleta City Hall.

The fire was knocked down at 8:04 a.m., said fire Capt. Mike Gray, and was contained to a single room on the first floor of the building.

The blaze was “held in check by the activation of one fire sprinkler head until fire crews arrived and fully extinguished it,” Gray said.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Firefighters remained on scene doing mop-up and overhaul.

Other - Residential, Residential

Crystal Lake, IL – Sprinkler system held fire in check at residential complex; No injuries reported

Fire officials are crediting fire alarms and sprinklers for preventing further damage or loss of life during a garage fire at a residential complex in Crystal Lake early Thursday morning.

Battalion Chief Brian Tamason of the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department said firefighters were called to a 6-unit complex on Ambassador Circle for an activated fire alarm at 1:17 a.m. Thursday.

Upon arrival, fire crews rapidly identified the activated fire alarm in building 406 and observed smoke showing from an east-side garage door.

Building 406 is a large two-story multifamily residence where units are side-by-side.

Battalion 3 established command and upgraded the response to a working fire while fire crews quickly located a small fire in a garage, Tamason said.

Fire crews noted the small fire was being held in check by an operating residential sprinkler system, which prevented further fire growth and extension.

Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire, Tamason said, reporting the fire was out at 1:36 a.m.

Smoke, fire, and water damage were isolated to the single two-car garage, Tamason said. The estimated loss to the property is $5,000.

No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.

Tamason said all residential units at this location remain habitable and no residents were displaced because of the blaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Tamason said the fire serves as a powerful example of the life-saving importance of fire sprinkler systems.

Nationally, fire sprinklers are estimated to control or extinguish approximately 52,800 fires each year, he said, Tamason said.

In this incident, the fire was held in check by the building’s sprinkler system, resulting in minimal damage and no civilian injuries.

Because the fire was contained, Tamason said the resident was able to safely return home without being displaced.

Area fire departments, including Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District, Cary Fire Protection District, Huntley Fire Protection District, McHenry Township Fire Protection District, Nunda Rural Fire Protection District, and Wauconda Fire District, were dispatched to the scene to assist.

Carpentersville Fire Department and the Woodstock Fire and Rescue Districts worked to handle change of quarters duties for the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department.

Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers