All posts by viking210

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Winnipeg, MB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for at seven story hotel; No injuries reported

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) has had a busy 12 hours, responding to two recent blazes on Pembina Highway and Main Street.

The first call came just after 7 p.m. Friday, when crews were called to a fire in a three-storey apartment block in the 1600 block of Pembina Highway.

Firefighters arrived to a building full of smoke, and tracked the fire to the laundry room. They attacked the flames, declaring them under control by 7:45 p.m.

Everyone got out of the building safely, no injuries were reported. Investigators believe the fire was accidental, caused by a dryer malfunction.

Twelve hours later, at 7:02 a.m. Saturday, crews responded to a seven-storey hotel in the 500 block of Main Street.

A WFPS spokesperson tells CTV News the fire happened at the McLaren Hotel, but was contained to a suite.

Firefighters arrived to heavy smoke in the building and quickly located the fire. It had been kept under control by the building’s sprinkler system, and firefighters were quickly able to extinguish the remaining hot spots.

Some occupants of the building self-evacuated, while others were able to shelter in place. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage estimates are not available.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Clear Lake, IA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at hotel

A Clear Lake hotel was evacuated Saturday after a trash can fire caused smoke to fill the second floor and fire alarms to sound.

According to the Clear Lake Police Department, At approximately 12:19 PM on Saturday, the Clear Lake Police Department received an automatic fire alarm call at Fairfield Inn Hotel at 1401 Bayou Road in Clear Lake.

CLPD said moments later, employees reported a fire in a trash container on a housekeeping custodial cart in the hallway of the 2nd floor at the hotel.

As the alarms were sounding, staff at the Fairfield Inn began evacuating the hotel. When Clear Lake Fire Department arrived, firefighters searched the 2nd floor, and encountered the smoke-filled hallway. CLFD personnel found a trash container on the custodial cart used by the hotel housekeeping staff had burned out.  The cart was located directly under the hotel sprinkler system. The fire activated the sprinkler head helping to put the fire out prior to CLFD’s arrival.

According to CLFD Captain Tom Hartwig, Jr. the sprinkler system did its job, quickly stopping the spread of the fire.

Crews worked to check for fire extension in the ceiling and clear the 2nd floor of smoke. Once cleared, the hotel staff and guests were allowed to return inside.

CLFD responded with one ladder company, two engine companies along with two ambulances and one command truck for a total of 14 CLFD personnel. The CLFD was assisted on scene by the Clear Lake Police Department. The fire remains under investigation. Damage was contained to the 2nd floor with smoke and water damage from the sprinkler activation.  Estimated damages are $5000.

Uncategorized

Mountain View, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire in commercial building

Yesterday morning, the City of Mountain View Fire Department received an emergency call from 2522 Leghorn St. A fire engulfed a single-story commercial building at this location.

Upon arrival, firefighters found that the facility’s sprinkler system had already begun fighting the flames per the City of Mountain View news report.

Mountain View and Palo Alto Fire Department units controlled the fire efficiently.

They confirmed the fire’s extinction using thermal imaging cameras and ensured safety by cutting open the building’s walls and roof.

The fire originated from the rear, it appears, where no ignition sources exist.

An investigation continues into the cause of the fire, which migrated from exterior to interior, causing an estimated $100,000 in damage.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Quincy, IL – Sprinkler system activated for dryer fire at senior center; No injuries reported

Two engines from the Quincy Fire Department responded to a fire at the Quincy Senior Center, 639 York, on Monday night.

The Quincy Fire Department responded to a report of a fire in the basement, but it received no indication of what was on fire was given. The first crew arrived on scene at 8:10 p.m. No smoke or other signs of fire were observed from the exterior.

The first-arriving crew made entry into the basement and discovered a fire in an industrial dryer. One sprinkler head had tripped, and the fire was kept in check and extinguished by the sprinkler system. Two other crews arrived on scene and assisted blocking the flow of water from the sprinkler head. They then squeegeed the water into a floor drain. The sprinkler system was shut down until a sprinkler technician arrived and reset the system.

No civilians or firefighters were injured at the scene. The dryer appears to be a complete loss. The laundry room, south hallway, and kitchen in the basement sustained water damage.

An investigation determined that mop heads and rags, which previously had cleaning solution on them, had been drying in the dryer.

The fire department had 10 members on scene from two engines, as well as a quint and the assistant chief.

Fire / Police Station, Government/Military

Burlington, VT – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at police department

A fire at the Burlington Police Department was intentionally set, authorities say.

The Burlington Fire Department was dispatched Monday morning around 2 a.m. to the headquarters of the Burlington Police Department at 1 North Ave.

A fire had been set in the lobby, according to the police department, by Stephen A. Romprey, 62, who said later when he was questioned that he was making a point. He set fire to paper in the vestibule which is the only part of the police station that remains open at night. He was taken into custody and charged with second degree arson and reckless endangerment.

By the time fire crews arrived on scene the fire had been put out by the building’s automatic sprinkler system. Due to the amount of smoke the fire had produced, crews evacuated workers from the Emergency Communications Center, which was in a different part of the building. An emergency plan was activated to relocate the dispatch services so that 911 calls were not disrupted.

The fire and sprinkler system caused thousands of dollars in fire and water damage to part of the building, according to Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad. The water from the sprinkler flooded floors in multiple areas. About three hours after the evacuation, the Emergency Communications Center was able to operate out of the BPD building once again.

The police department is considering locking the doors to the vestibule as a result even though it includes a phone the public can use to alert authorities and a warm space that some unhoused use at night. Murad said the department is considering putting a phone on the exterior of the building.

This was the second in about a week’s time that Burlington emergency responders were targeted. On Nov. 5, an ambulance was stolen while on a call, driven about half a mile and crashed into a parked car.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Casper, WY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at machinery facility; No injuries reported

Mills Fire Department officials said there were no injuries resulting from a fire at Wyoming Machinery on Thursday morning.

Crews were dispatched to the structure fire at 5300 W. Old Yellowstone Highway at 6:53 a.m. on Nov. 9, according to a Mills Fire Department release on Thursday.

“Upon arrival of the first fire units, smoke was visible from the roof of the shop on the Southeast end of the building,” the release said. “When crews entered the structure they encountered heavy smoke conditions and the fire sprinkler system was active.”

The business had already begun the evacuation process of the shop area, and all employees were accounted for.

Crews were able to locate the seat of the fire and confirm that the fire sprinkler system had suppressed the fire.

Natural and mechanical ventilation cleared the smoke and crews shut down the sprinkler system.

“Members of the Natrona County Interagency Fire Investigation Task Force investigated the fire and determined it to be an accidental fire, originating in the shop area,” the release said.

There were no injuries to employees or firefighters. The Mills Fire Department thanks the Mills Police Department, Natrona County Fire District, Casper Fire/EMS, Bar Nunn Fire, Banner Health EMS, Casper Public Safety Communications Center, and members of the Natrona County Interagency Fire Investigation Task Force for their response.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Sharon, OH – Fire at restaurant extinguished by sprinkler system

According to a press release, the fire happened shortly before 7:00 p.m. Wednesday night at The Block by Nova Destinations on Chestnut Avenue. It originated in or near a laundry basket on the floor.

Once the fire started, the building’s sprinkler system activated and fire crews were able to make it to the restaurant in less than two minutes.

Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke inside the building and one fire sprinkler near the bar area flowing. According to the release, the whole fire was extinguished by the sprinkler alone.

Fire crews say damage to the building was minimal.

Crews added that during the new occupancy fire inspection conducted on the building in July, the city’s fire inspector discovered that the water supply valve to the sprinkler system was closed, which was unknown to the fire department at the time.

Further investigation revealed that the water supply valve had been closed and the system had drained in 2021 due to freezing concerns, but the fire department was never notified that this had been done.

The city fire inspector immediately required the valve to be reopened along with a complete evaluation of the sprinkler system. Had this not happened, the situation could have been much worse.

“If no city fire inspection had been performed, it is very likely that the water supply valve would still have been closed at the time of this fire, allowing the fire to spread unchecked until it was large enough to be seen blowing out of the windows by a passerby,” said Deputy Fire Chief, Nick Samson.

Uncategorized

Ann Arbor, MI – Sprinkler system activated for fire inside building; No injuries reported

Fire crews in Ann Arbor are crediting a building’s sprinkler system with saving the structure.

According to authorities, the fire happened at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, at a building located on Ellsworth Road, just east of Varsity Drive.

Firefighters responding to the scene forced their way into the building and found water flowing from under a door. Inside that room, they found a fire in a trash can that did not spread because of the activated sprinkler system.

Authorities said the fire was caused by the trash can being too close to the boiler.

The fire was extinguished, the water was shut off and the building was ventilated. No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cross Lanes, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

A sprinkler system in a Kanahwa County apartment is credited with preventing a horrible tragedy early this morning.

Firefighers from Kanawha and Putnam County responded to the blaze around 4:30 a.m. at the Unity Apartments in Cross Lanes.

The fire broke out in the bedroom of one unit, but the sprinkler quickly had the fire under control even before the fire department arrived. Nitro Fire Chief Casey Mathes said had it not been for the sprinkler, the early morning fire very likely would have claimed several lives.

Twenty-seven residents of the apartment building located on Big Tyler Road were evacuated. They were allowed to reurn home after about an hour.

Investigators said the fire is blamed on smoking in bed.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Dayton, OH – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Walmart; No injuries reported

The Beavercreek Walmart will reopen Wednesday following a Monday evening fire set inside the store.

The Beavercreek Twp. Fire Department responded around 5:45 p.m. to the store at 3360 Pentagon Blvd. after staff and customers reported flames in the craft section and smoke throughout the store.

The store was immediately evacuated and there were no reports of injuries. Although the store remained closed Tuesday, Walmart said it was serving pharmacy customers Tuesday through curbside pickup.

The fire was contained by the automatic sprinkler system and extinguished quickly by firefighters.

Beavercreek police on Tuesday identified two juveniles as suspects, but no further information is available, police said.

“We are thankful for the swift action of first responders Monday night and for our associate’s work to get the store ready to reopen for the community Wednesday morning,”

Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers