All posts by viking210

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Cincinnati, OH – Sprinkler system keeps fire from spreading at woodworking operation

Cincinnati firefighters say a sprinkler system helped keep a fire at a Linwood business from spreading. Crews were called to Wine Cellar Innovations in the 4500 block of Eastern Avenue just before 8:30 a.m. after workers witnessed smoke and fire coming from one of the company’s large dust collection/air filtration systems.

Firefighters encountered heavy smoke conditions on the manufacturing floor of a large industrial woodworking operation, but found the sprinkler system keeping the fire in check, CFD said. All the fire was contained to the sawdust within the hopper, CFD said. Firefighters had a hard time getting to the fire and were on scene for about four hours disassembling the machinery to ensure they had it completely out.

The majority of operations at the facility are now back up and operating, the fire department said. No injuries were reported.  Damage was estimated at $15,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

Abilene, TX – Overnight apartment fire put out by sprinkler system; No injuries

Abilene firefighters responded to an apartment fire in the 1200 block of Yeoman Road just after midnight early Sunday morning. When firefighters got to the scene the fire had already been put out by the apartment’s sprinkler system, but they did see some light smoke in the apartment next door.

Firefighters were able to clear out that smoke. Investigators said food cooking on the stove started the fire.  Damage is estimated at about $3,000.  No one was hurt.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Irvine, CA – Fire at metal finishing business held in check by sprinkler system

Firefighters worked 25 minutes Sunday to extinguish a blaze at a metal finishing company. The blaze was reported around 2:30 p.m. at Electrolurgy Inc. at 1121 Duryea Ave., said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.  Thick black smoke from the fire was visible on the 405 freeway, he added.

A sprinkler system in the business kept the flames in check and firefighters extinguished the blaze around 2:55 p.m., Concialdi said. An OCFA hazardous materials team responded because chemicals in the business were involved.  The cause of the fire is under investigation and damage estimates were not immediately available.

There were workers in the business when the fire broke out, but they managed to escape without injury.

Seven firefighters initially entered the building to extinguish the blaze and were decontaminated at the scene, Concialdi said. They were not injured. An OFCA hazardous materials team wearing protective gear later went into the business to determine what kind of chemicals were inside, said Concialdi.

It was determined the fire reached vats of liquid chromate, Concialdi said. A total of 40 firefighters responded.

Other Business, Place of Worship

South Whitehall, PA – Fire at synagogue controlled by sprinkler system

Emergency crews responded to a small fire at Temple Beth El in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County Sunday afternoon. The fire was reported at the synagogue – located in the 1300 block of Springhouse Road – around 7:30 a.m., according to county officials.

Crews on scene say the fire broke out in the rear of the building and was contained to a small maintenance room, which suffered smoke damage and minor water damage. Luckily, officials say the building’s sprinkler system was functioning properly and kept the fire from spreading throughout the rest of the building.

The fire did go to a second alarm, but only due to the size of the structure and the temperature outside. No one was inside the synagogue when the flames broke out, and no injuries were reported. Investigators are still looking into what may have sparked this fire.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Nashville, TN – Sprinkler system activates; Assists firefighters in hotel fire

A Nashville hotel has been evacuated after crews responded to a fire early Friday afternoon. It happened at the Fairview Inn and Suites located at 901 Division Street in the Gulch.

Initial reports indicated the fire may have been electrical in nature. Authorities said the it started in a utility room on the top floor next to the rooftop bar called Up. “They were able to extinguish it but we had a lot of water damage secondary to the sprinkler system going off,” District Chief Tim Moyers said.

The hotel is currently without power and there is extensive water damage inside. All guests have been removed from the building. No one was injured.

“As far as we know, we are here for two more nights or they will find us somewhere else to stay for two more nights,” visitor Delmore Spangler said. An employee with the hotel told News 2 they are working with all of the guest to relocate them to their sister hotels.

The fire remains under investigation. Additional information was not released.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Nursing Home/Senior Living

Northampton, MA – Electrical fire at nursing home contained by sprinkler system

An electrical fire forced several elderly residents to temporarily evacuate from the CareOne Nursing-Rehab Center in Northampton early Saturday morning.

Mark Spees told 22News his wife lives there. He said he rushed to her side as soon as he heard what had happened. “Got up this morning got a cup of coffee, turned on the news… the coffee’s still on the table because I just started moving,” he said.

When Spees got to the CareOne Nursing-Rehab Center, he was relieved to find out his wife was safe and sound. “Unbelievable, you know, all I could think was what’s happening? What’s going on? How’s my wife? When you’ve been married for 43 years you tend to worry,” he said.

Northampton Deputy Fire Chief Timothy McQueston told 22News an air conditioning unit plugged into an outlet on the third floor sparked the fire. Fortunately, the building’s sprinkler system helped keep the fire from spreading, and no one was seriously hurt.

Later that morning, crews were still cleaning up pieces of shard glass where firefighters had to bust open a window to rescue a woman trapped inside. She was one of three people taken to the hospital by ambulance, as the building’s staff ushered the other residents to safety.

At least 30 people on the third floor of the building had to be moved to other locations temporarily because of the damage.

The experience highlighted a fear that many children, husbands, and wives have as their family members get older and require extra care.

Leann Worsnop of Easthampton told 22News it’s hard not to worry about your parents when they no longer live under your care. “It’s as if it was your own child, the same thing, the same feelings, just you know, what can you do? It’s a feeling of helplessness, and then the whole fear of what actually happened,” she said.

The three residents who went to the hospital are expected to be ok. No one was else was injured.

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

Modesto, CA – Sprinkler system extinguishes suspicious overnight fire at Planned Parenthood

The Modesto fire and police departments are investigating a suspicious, but apparently small, fire at the Planned Parenthood Modesto Health Center on McHenry Avenue early Wednesday.

Signs on the doors of the center said it would be closed Wednesday, and a spokeswoman said staff members are assessing fire damage and working to reopen as soon as possible.

At about 3:25 a.m., one fire engine was dispatched to a water-flow alarm sounding at the 1431 McHenry Ave. center, said Battalion Chief Jesse Nicasio of Modesto Fire. When additional reports came in from passers-by of flames and smoke coming from the building, the call was upgraded to a commercial working structure fire and additional resources were sent, Nicasio said.

“Engine 5 found a broken glass door, the fire alarm sounding and fire sprinkler activation,” he said. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire, but crews ensured it was out, Nicasio said.

Information was not immediately available as to where in the two-story building the fire started or what damage was done.

Apartment Building, Residential

New Brighton, MN – Sprinklers prevent apartment blaze from spreading; No injuries

The New Brighton Department of Public Safety responded to the report of a fire at an apartment building in New Brighton last week.

Emergency responders were dispatched to the 600 block of Old Highway 8 N.W. after the building’s fire alarm sounded around 11:25 a.m. April 15.

When the fire engines arrived, crews found the remnants of a fire in an apartment on the third floor.

After gaining entry to the apartment, firefighters determined the building’s sprinkler system had controlled and nearly extinguished the fire completely and prevented the blaze from spreading further.

“The presence of a working fire-suppression sprinkler along with a properly working building fire alarm system saved significant property damage and potentially saved many lives,” the public safety department said in a statement.

According to the city officials, the cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious.

There were no injuries as a result of this incident.

City fire crews added reminders to residents to clean out dryer vents routinely, and to make sure smoke detectors are functioning properly.

Apartment Building, Residential

Prescott Valley, AZ – Sprinkler system credited with stopping potentially serious residential fire

A sprinkler system is credited with extinguishing a potentially serious unattended kitchen fire on Friday, May 20, Central Arizona Fire Division Chief Rick Chase said.

The fire started about 11 a.m., when fire crews were called to investigate an active sprinkler system in one unit of a two-story four-plex in the 4000 block of Viewpoint Drive. The residents were not home when the water began flowing but came home to find that it had turned on, Chase said.

“What (firefighters) found was a box on the stove that had a bunch of food, trash and stuff in it and it had caught fire,” Chase said. “The sprinkler put it out.”

Because the flames ignited when no one was home, he said, there was a possibility that a major fire could have resulted.

Home sprinkler systems are a good idea, he added, and they don’t work as some people believe.

“That’s kind of one of the myths that people have,” Chase said, “’I don’t want to flood my whole house,’ (but) only the sprinkler head where the heat activate it and pops that bulb is what activates. This head happened to be in the kitchen, closest to the stove, and was able to put it out.

“The moral was that it prevented the fire from spreading.”

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Fort Wayne, IN – No injuries as sprinkler system extinguishes fire at nursing home

About 50 people at a Parnell Avenue nursing home had to be evacuated after a fire sparked in a patient’s room late Tuesday morning.

Shortly after 11 a.m., crews were called to 3811 Parnell Ave. at the Glenbrook Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center.

When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from a patient’s room and an exterior door.

Crews said the sprinkler system had put out the fire.

All residents were evacuated, and they have all been moved back into the building.

Around 11:17 p.m., firefighters were able to get the fire under control.

No one was injured.

A representative with American Senior communities released a statement:

This morning at Glenbrook Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center there was a small fire isolated to one room. We are proud of the staff who reacted quickly, and as a result, there were no injuries. All residents are safe and were able to return to the building within 30 minutes after evacuation.

We are working with the Ft. Wayne Fire Department to determine the cause.”