The fire erupted on City Center Drive around 11:50 p.m. Monday, according to the Chino Valley Fire District.
The flames set off the sprinkler system, which helped contain the fire.
Officials say it was caused by a computer that caught fire on the second floor of the building, which sustained some water damage.
Nobody was inside the building at the time.
On Sunday, severe storms swept through Charles County, prompting multiple emergency calls for the Potomac Heights crew. While managing incidents, including a water rescue of victims trapped in a submerged vehicle, firefighters attempted to prepare dinner at the station. Before completing their meal, they were dispatched to another flood-related emergency. Upon returning, they heard alarms and observed smoke in the kitchen, where the station’s sprinkler system had activated, confining the fire to the cabinets and immediate area.
The rapid response of the sprinkler system limited damage to the kitchen, ensuring no injuries occurred. The Potomac Heights station, built in 1975 and renovated in the 1990s to meet updated life safety codes, is equipped with smoke alarms and an automatic fire sprinkler system. This incident underscores the importance of such systems in protecting even fire stations, which serve as critical community hubs.
Fire Chief Michael Gimmel praised the sprinkler system’s performance. “Our members constantly put damages in harm’s way to serve the community. I’m incredibly thankful that our safety systems worked flawlessly to keep them safe at home,” Gimmel said. The station’s infrastructure, designed to prioritize safety, proved its value in containing the fire before it could spread.
The department expressed gratitude to mutual aid partners who assisted at the scene and to Charles County fire chiefs and members who offered support. “The type of incident response and support received reflect the strong, family-oriented culture of the Volunteer Fire Service here in Charles County,” the department stated.
The incident serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of emergencies, even within a fire station. Potomac Heights volunteers were stretched thin by storm-related calls, including life-threatening flood rescues, yet the station’s safety systems ensured their home base remained operational. The limited damage allowed the department to continue serving the community without significant disruption.
Charles County’s storm season, often marked by heavy rain and flooding, places high demands on volunteer fire departments. The Potomac Heights station’s ability to withstand this incident demonstrates the importance of modern safety upgrades, such as those implemented during its 1990s renovation. The department encourages residents to install and maintain smoke alarms and consider sprinkler systems to enhance home safety.
The Monroe County Courthouse caught fire on Saturday, January 11, 2025.
A state worker noticed smoke emanating from the courthouse’s windows at 3:30 a.m. This state worker, in turn, notified local authorities. Local fire departments promptly responded to the call and saved the courthouse. However, there were still some damages inside the building, according to County Commissioner Kenny Mann.
“We have been working on redoing the courthouse due to problems – just an old building. We finally got grant money and the governor’s office helped. We were just a few months away from from having this project completed. This will be a setback, but no lives were lost and nobody was injured. That was the greatest thing,” said Commissioner Mann.
The fire broke out between the second and third floors of the courthouse, even affecting the new courtroom that was under construction.
The building’s sprinkler system may have aided firefighters in putting out the fire, but its activation did additional damage to the building.
Minor water damages have been reported around the courthouse, as well as the new courtroom’s insulation in the ceiling. No damages were reported in the Upper Record Room – which is home to the county’s “precious records”.
The water from the sprinklers did make its way to the downstairs record room, housing older records.
“There was some water damage to them. [ServPro] has a technique that they use to where they they freeze the records and their dry-out process puts them back to where almost original state,” said Commissioner Mann.
ServPro is aiding in cleanup at the courthouse, thanks to the County Commission gathering shortly after the fire and voting to declare a County State of Emergency. This declaration helped them get quicker help as they bypassed the bidding process required by law.
“[The] government will not shut down here. We just have to maybe relocate to other places on our complex here, too, for a few weeks,” clarified Commissioner Mann. “Rather than that, business will [go on] as usual. We just have to maybe relocate to other places on our complex for a few weeks.”
The fire is under investigation, as its cause remains unknown.
Investigators said surveillance video shows Theresa Abichaker, of West Roxbury, setting a clothing donation box on fire and then taking off.
No one was hurt and the sprinkler system extinguished the fire. The Westboro Fire Department responded to the scene and confirmed the fire was out.
Police searched the area, using drones and K9s to find the suspect. She is facing four charges and was ordered to have a mental health evaluation.
Shant Soghomonian, also known as Michael Soghomonian, is charged with using fire to damage the building, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for Vermont. No injuries were reported, the office said, and a motive remained unclear as of Sunday afternoon.
Soghomonian entered the Church Street building Friday morning and headed directly to the third floor, where Sanders’s Vermont office is located, the U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement. Security video footage showed the 35-year-old man spraying a liquid near the door of the office, then lighting the area with a handheld lighter, the statement added.
A “significant” blaze began, engulfing the door and hindering multiple staffers from fleeing, according to a statement from the Burlington Police Department. Soghomonian then fled the building.
The fire damaged the door’s exterior, and the hallway, and set off the building’s sprinklers. The sprinkler system “largely extinguished the fire,” the police department said. Authorities responded at 10:45 a.m.
Sanders was not present when the incident occurred, according to the police department. The agency did not disclose how many staffers were in the office at the time.
In a statement, the senator said he was “deeply grateful” to local, state and federal law enforcement for responding to the fire.
“I am also thankful that none of the many people who were in the office building at the time of the fire were injured,” he added. “I appreciate the outpouring of support and well-wishes for me and my staff. We are proud to be able to continue to serve Vermonters during these challenging times.”
Soghomonian, previously of the Northridge area of Los Angeles, could face a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted. A lawyer “has not yet been identified” for him, the U.S. attorney’s office said in its statement.
Multiple agencies investigated Friday’s incident, including the Burlington Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Vermont State Police and U.S. Capitol Police.
Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said in a statement on Sunday that she was grateful for the collaboration, and added that her office “will continue to be in close communication as their office navigates the impacts of this incident.”
There were no injuries from a fire at the law enforcement center in Lawrence late Tuesday.
Just before 11p.m. crews responded to a fire alarm at the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center at 111 East 11th Street in Lawrence, according to Fire Chief Richard Llewellyn.
This facility houses several Douglas County departments, including the District Attorney, Emergency Communications Center (ECC), Court Services and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
While initial units were responding, the incident was upgraded to a “Confirmed Structure Fire” and additional resources were dispatched.
First responders encountered significant smoke in the basement of the building. Following a thorough search in low visibility conditions, firefighters located a fire that was contained by a single activated fire sprinkler head.
Crews put the fire out and then searched the rest of the building for fire extension and to ensure that no victims were present.
Douglas County’s Emergency Communications Center (ECC) continued to operate throughout this incident, both receiving incoming 911 calls and dispatching resources as appropriate. Dispatchers monitored ongoing fire operations in the building and worked through an audible fire alarm which remained activated for an extended time period.
Investigators determined the fire occurred in the jury deliberation room for the Division 7 Court Room in the basement of the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.
The room had experienced water damage from a sprinkler head that was damaged during recent freezing temperatures. The fire was determined to be accidental due to an electrical/mechanical malfunction of a fan that had been left running in the room to assist with the drying process. No injuries were reported.
In an update to the county court’s website, officials said the courthouse– at 455 West Hamilton Street — would be closed for the day on Dec. 20, and all matters scheduled for the day would be rescheduled.
On Wednesday morning, Allentown Fire Department Captain John Christopher told NBC10 that a minor electrical fire in the supply room in the basement parking garage had caused the need for a closure.
The fire, he said, was knocked down by the building’s sprinkler system and electricity was shut off.
After services were shut down, he said, a decision was made to close the courthouse for the day in order to perform repairs.
The Historic Lehigh County Courthouse and Magisterial District Judge’s office will remain open, officials said.
Fire crews arrived on the scene and were met by employees who had found smoke and flames in the laundry room. Crews found that the clothes in the dryer had caught fire, and the sprinkler system had activated. Fire Crews quickly extinguished the fire and removed the smoke from the building. The cause of the fire is undetermined. One inmate was transported to Altru with unknown injuries. There were no injuries to fire personnel or corrections staff.
The fire department responded with five engines, one aerial truck, one command vehicle, and twenty personnel. The fire department was assisted by the Grand Forks County Corrections Staff, Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office, and Altru Ambulance.
Crews responding to a report of a fire at the police station on Main Street around 8:20 p.m. found a smoldering fire being held in check by the building’s sprinkler systems and heavy smoke in the building, according to Westboro Fire Chief Patrick Purcell.
The police station was evacuated.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and ventilated the building.
No one was injured. Policing operations, including patrol, remain operational.
After a search, which included police K-9 units and police drones, a person of interest was located and taken into custody. That person’s name is not being released.
There was minimal fire damage to the building, but the sprinkler system caused significant water damage. Purcell estimated the damage at $250,000.
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.
