Other Business, Place of Worship Cottonwood, AZ – Sprinkler system stops overnight fire at church from spreading March 26, 2016 viking210 Shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday, the Cottonwood Fire and Medical Department was sent to a structure fire at the River Community Church on the water tank hill above the 400 block of South Willard Street. Fire personnel said that flames were visible from a block away. The main body of the fire was located in a utility sub-structure attached to the main church building, containing heating and cooling system ductwork. The fire had breached the wall of the sub-structure and extended into the sanctuary of the church where flames were stopped by church’s fire sprinkler system. The fire was controlled within 30 minutes, however the blaze took about an hour to fully extinguish. Fire damage was extensive to the HVAC sub-structure and there was additional fire damage to walls and adjacent roof and ceiling areas of the sanctuary. There was also smoke damage throughout the structure as well as some water damage to furnishings. Clarkdale Fire District and Verde Valley Ambulance Company assisted Cottonwood Fire with support.
Other Business, Place of Worship Church Hill, TN – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at Baptist church March 26, 2016 viking210 Six thousand dollars in reward money is being offered by the First Baptist Church of Church Hill ($5,000) and the Church Hill Police Department ($1,000) for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for an early Wednesday burglary and fire at the First Baptist Church of Church Hill on East Main Boulevard. The church sustained fire, smoke and water damage early Wednesday apparently after burglars started two fires in the sanctuary. On Wednesday afternoon, Church Hill Police Chief Mark Johnson issued a news release on Wednesday afternoon about the incident in which he asked that anyone with knowledge of the crime call police. “On March 23rd at approximately 2:50 a.m., officers with the Church Hill Police Department responded to a fire alarm at the First Baptist Church of Church Hill located at 202 E. Main Blvd.,” Chief Johnson wrote in the news release. “Church Hill Officers observed flames inside the sanctuary. The Church Hill Fire Department was paged out and responded to the scene. The fire was quickly extinguished by a combination of the sprinkler system and responding firefighters. However, the church was heavily damaged by smoke and water from the sprinkler system.” The fire chief noted that by the time firefighters entered the church sanctuary, the church’s fire sprinklers had discharged, extinguishing the two fires in the altar area of the church. “We didn’t have to use any water to put out the fires,” Chief Wood said. “But the sanctuary was filled with smoke and we used fans to get as much of it out as possible.” Firefighters quickly determined that the two sanctuary fires had been intentionally set, Chief Wood said. He noted that the fires remain under investigation by the Church Hill Police Department. A police spokesperson said this morning that a report about the fire was not yet on file and that Police Chief Mark Johnson was not available for comment. The police chief noted in the news release that a CHPD investigation revealed that someone (likely more than one) gained entry to the church by an unknown means. “There is a possibility that the suspect(s) had access to one or more keys to the church,” Chief Johnson wrote. However they entered the church, the suspect(s) committed petty vandalism by pouring toilet bowl cleaner onto the floor, the chief noted in news release. The suspect(s) also committed theft by removing multiple miscellaneous items from the locked music room, then placing the items in a pile outside (the church) before abandoning them, the chief wrote. “The suspect(s) deliberately set two fires near the stage/altar,” Chief Johnson wrote. “One in the middle. The other on the left side on the steps leading to the altar. we are estimating the fire, smoke, and water damage will end up exceeding a million dollars. We are excluding no one as a suspect, however, this may have crime may have been committed by young people.” The chief also noted that Church Hill police are in possession of items the suspect(s) handled and will be forwarding them to the TBI crime lab with a request to detect latent fingerprints. “We have also made a request to obtain video footage of a nearby business with surveillance equipment,” Chief Johnson wrote. The chief noted that First Baptist Church of Church Hill is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the damage while the Church Hill Police Department is offering a separate $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible. “I am asking anyone with any information on this despicable crime to contact us immediately by calling (423) 357-7181 or (423) 357-3487,” Chief Johnson wrote.
Apartment Building, Residential Moncton, NB, Canada – Sprinklers keep overnight kitchen fire from spreading at high-rise apartment building; No injuries March 25, 2016 viking210 About 100 people were displaced from their apartments in a Moncton building overnight after a relatively minor fire in the kitchen area of one unit on Tuesday at around midnight. The fire in one unit of six-storey building triggered the sprinkler system in the building to go off and smoke spread to other units. “There was a small grease fire on the stovetop on one of the apartment units on the third floor,” said fire prevention officer Steve Richardson. “There was minimal damage from the fire and smoke but the heat activated three sprinkler heads. So there was heavy water damage to the apartment and the two floors below the fire floor. “It extinguished the fire really quickly but until the crews were able to get there and plug those sprinkler heads, there was a lot of water that ran through the building and the floors below from where the fire was.” Michael R. LeBlanc, who lives in the building, said the events were “a little foggy for me.” “I have health issues, so it takes a while to get going. It took me a while to put warm clothes on.” LeBlanc said he saw water on some floors, but none on his, so he went back to bed. At 4 a.m he was awakened by a firefighter in his bedroom. “I was quite startled by that. He told that you have to pack up,” he said. Red Cross found lodging, food for 60 people The 50-unit Belmar Plaza building at 460 Mountain Rd. is owned by Killam Properties, which was able to provide furnished apartments in some of its other Moncton properties for the tenants of five units. The Canadian Red Cross arranged for hotel lodging and food for 51 adults and nine children from 23 units. Five of the apartments in the building were vacant at the time of the fire. All other tenants made their own arrangements for temporary places to stay. Most residents were able to retrieve clothing and personal items before leaving. All residents were allowed back into their apartments on Wednesday, with the exception of those living in the unit where the fire happened. There were no injuries reported.
Other - Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill Lexington, KY – Fire at wood truss manufacturer controlled by sprinkler system March 25, 2016 viking210 Lexington firefighters believe dry conditions may have contributed to the quick spread of a fire Tuesday night that damaged the Bluegrass Truss Co building on Lima Drive. The fire department got a call from the building’s alarm company about 6:20 p.m. about smoke alarms going off, Battalion Chief Mark Harvey said. One person was in the building and called to confirm there was a fire when he saw the warehouse was filling with smoke. Harvey said the fire likely started in a container for discarded cigarettes. The fire was ruled as an accident. The flames spread quickly up a side wall and into the roof and trusses, Harvey said. The sprinkler system helped keep the fire under control until firefighters arrived. The building was damaged, but it would probably be able to be repaired quickly, Harvey said. Wind and dry conditions have led to a city-wide burn ban that will continue into Wednesday. Harvey said those conditions may have led to the quick spread of the fire on Lima Drive. The fire department responded to several mulch fires throughout the day Tuesday that were also thought to be a result of dry conditions.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant South Bend, IN – Fire at metal finishing business extinguished by sprinkler system March 25, 2016 viking210 The South Bend Fire Department was called to a fire at Pioneer Metal Finishing on Foundation Drive just before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. When firefighters arrived, they could see smoke inside the building through the windows. They forced their way into the building and discovered the fire had been put out by the building’s sprinkler system. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Apartment Building, Residential Lexington, KY – Fire at off-campus apartment complex extinguished by sprinkler system March 24, 2016 viking210 A fire above a stove in the University Village Apartments on Simpson Avenue in Lexington Tuesday night was extinguished by the sprinkler system, which kept the fire from spreading, according to fire investigators. The fire was out before firefighters arrived. Investigators say there was minimal smoke and fire damage to the apartment and no smoke damage. All of the occupants evacuated as a precaution. The people who live in the apartment will be able to stay there, according to investigators. No one was hurt, according to firefighters. In addition to the effective sprinkler system, all of the smoke detectors also functioned properly, according to investigators.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Dandridge, TN – Fire at monofilaments plant extinguished by sprinklers; System credited with averting disaster March 24, 2016 viking210 A fire suppression system averted potential disaster last Thursday afternoon at the Wetekam Monofilaments USA manufacturing facility in Dandridge. Fire Chief Andy Riley reported that the department responded at 12:07 p.m. to a fire alarm at the 93,000 square foot building, where a fire had filled the machine shop with thick smoke. “The visibility was zero inside the building, but we were able to use a thermal imaging camera to determine that the fire had been put out by six sprinkler heads that had been activated.” Based in Germany, Wetekam makes yarns that are used in the weaving, automotive, medical, upholstery, and other industries. The company has over 30 workers locally and invested several million dollars in its plant in the Jefferson County Industrial Park. Riley said all workers were evacuated from the building but were expected to be able to return to work this week since fire damage was contained to the machine shop wall and did not affect the production line. “This was a case where the fire suppression system did the job it was designed to do,” he said. “The back wall was apparently lit up in flames when the call came in, but the sprinklers got it out quickly.” The fire was accidental, but the cause has not been determined, the chief said. No one was injured. The machine shop was unoccupied when the fire started, but employees in the general area reported hearing a crash before smelling smoke, Riley reported. Firefighters were on the scene for about three hours at the 956 Pine drive building clearing smoke from the interior with heavy fans. Firefighters also used a power saw to cut into the rear wall and remove damaged insulation. Volunteer firefighters from Kansas-Talbott and Lakeway Central responded under mutual aid but were diverted to another call in their district, Riley said. New Market and White Pine volunteer firefighters then responded to the Pine Drive location. A total of 22 firefighters worked on the operation. Wetekam, one of the largest monofilament makers in Europe, bought the Dandridge plant two years ago. The company was established in 1965.
Apartment Building, Residential Erie, PA – Apartment fire caused by unattended candle is put out by sprinkler system March 24, 2016 viking210 Erie firefighters were dispatched to the Alex W. Thompson apartment complex, 441 W. Third St., on a report of a fire Monday at 1:49 p.m. The fire broke out in an apartment and was caused by a candle placed next to a plastic ornamental plant, Erie Fire Inspector John Widomski said. The fire set off the building’s sprinkler system, which put out the fire, Widomski said. Widomski said there was minimal fire damage.
Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Pinole, CA – Sprinkler system keeps fire at vacant restaurant from spreading to other businesses March 23, 2016 viking210 Commercial structures worth $4 million sustained only $75,000 in damage from a Friday morning fire in Pinole, according to the Pinole Fire Department. The fire was reported at 8:09 a.m. at 1570 Fitzgerald Drive at a recently closed HomeTown Buffet restaurant. The restaurant is part of a larger structure consisting of a Big 5 Sporting Goods store and an adjoining strip mall. When firefighters arrived, they found the restaurant’s sprinkler system on and smoke coming from the attic, fire officials said. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the parapet area of the roof. They also ensured that water did not damage the sporting goods store’s merchandise. Fire officials said the cause of the fire was an electrical short. The short occurred where electrical work had been done to remove the restaurant’s sign. No one was injured and none of the other businesses sustained damage by fire or water. Big 5 Sporting Goods opened a couple of hours late as electricity had to be shut off as firefighters extinguished the fire, according to fire officials
Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant Oak Ridge, TN – Fire in air conditioning unit at Comfort Inn suppressed by sprinkler system March 23, 2016 viking210 An Oak Ridge hotel that was shuttered after a fire prompted the evacuation of all guests early Saturday morning is expected to reopen either late Monday or early Tuesday, Oak Ridge Fire Marshal Travis Solomon said. The five-story, 112-room Comfort Inn at the corner of Rutgers and Illinois avenues was about 90 percent occupied, mostly with students participating in rowing practice and with off-road enthusiasts, when the fire was reported shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday. The blaze was in an air-conditioning unit at one end of the fourth floor, Solomon said, and the fire department is still trying to determine what ignited the blaze. The hotel’s sprinkler system was activated by the blaze and helped suppress it, he said. “That shows that sprinkler systems, they not only save property, they save lives. It could have been a lot worse.” The fourth-floor hallway was filled with thick black smoke, and firefighters had to assist people disoriented by it and help them down the stairwell, Solomon said. Three people were initially missing during the evacuation, and hotel staff “did a fantastic job determining who was missing and needed to be found.” All were located. One person was evaluated for possible smoke inhalation but didn’t require medical attention. Solomon said hotel personnel found other hotels for the guests. Thirteen firefighters and seven firetrucks responded. The fire department is inspecting the hotel’s fire alarm and sprinkler system, Solomon said.
