Category Archives: Other-Government/Military

Other-Government/Military

Lee’s Summit, MO – Truck fire in state vehicle maintenance facility contained overnight by sprinkler system

A dump truck fire early Friday morning caused minor damage to the service area at the MODOT Maintenance Facility in Lee’s Summit.  Firefighters responded to the building at 2050 NE Independence Ave. at 1 a.m.  Firefighters saw smoke coming from a garage when they arrived.  A fire sprinkler helped control the fire. Firefighters said it was under control by 1:35 a.m.  The fire damaged the dump truck and the smoke caused minor damage to the service area.  No one was inside the building when the fire started. It’s not clear what caused the fire.

Other - Storage / Warehouse, Other-Government/Military

Elgin, IL – Fire in building storing large quantities of chemicals at water treatment facility extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire Friday night in a building with large quantities of chemicals at the city of Elgin’s water treatment facility was likely caused by an electrical motor failure, Elgin fire officials said.  The fire happened around 9 p.m. in a building at 375 W. River Road and was upgraded to include hazardous materials technicians from Elgin and South Elgin fire departments, according to an Elgin fire department news release. Firefighters entered the building and discovered the fire was extinguished by an automatic sprinkler system, the release stated. There was minimal chemical involvement, it stated.  Two employees were able to evacuate, the release stated. No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported, according to the release. There was no impact to the city’s water treatment operations or to the public, fire officials said.

Government/Military, Other-Government/Military

Toronto, ON, Canada – Arson fire at historic building controlled by sprinkler system

Police have taken over the investigation into a fire at Old City Hall on Monday night after investigators determined that it was deliberately set.

Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg told CP24 on Tuesday morning that investigators with the Ontario Fire Marshal and Toronto Fire Services made the ruling after wrapping up an extensive investigation at the historic building at around 4:30 a.m.

“I can confirm that the fire was intentionally set. It is now in the hands of the detective at Toronto police,” he said.

The one-alarm blaze broke out in the southeast corner of Old City Hall at around 8 p.m.

Pegg said that crews first became aware of the fire after the building’s sprinkler system went off.

He said that the damage from the blaze is estimated at about $100,000, which he called “extraordinarily low” given the circumstances.

“We are very fortunate that that this building has sprinklers and that the system worked as designed. It would have been a much different scenario had that not been the case,”: he said. “We had three sprinkler heads activate last night. The sprinkler system controls the growth, development and spread of the fire so in essence it keeps it in check until our firefighters arrive and can suppress the fire.”

Pegg said that there is smoke and water damage from the fire but no structural damage.

According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of the Attorney General, the fire impacted the Provincial Offences Act appeals office but did not damage any paperwork related to criminal cases.

“The Provincial Offences Act appeals office and matters scheduled in one courtroom have been moved within the building. The courts remain operational at this time,” Brian Gray said.

No information has been released about potential suspects at this point.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other-Government/Military

Quincy, IL – Fire in pool pump room at community center extinguished by sprinkler system

A chemical fire Friday that led to a temporary evacuation of the Kroc Center was the first fire in the building’s six-year history. An automatic fire alarm went off around 9:30 a.m. at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center, 405 Vermont, and employees immediately began evacuating patrons as a precaution. When the fire was confirmed, the automatic alarm was upgraded to a general alarm and multiple fire trucks responded.

“Every time we show up, and we see that a proper evacuation has taken place, it takes a lot off our shoulders,” said Quincy Fire Department Capt. Mark Bigelow. “Then we get down to the business of extinguishing the fire and controlling it.” The fire, believed to be chemical in nature, broke out in a pump room near the swimming pool area, Bigelow said. The cause is still being investigated, but Bigelow said construction equipment in the pump room, like propane tanks, may have been involved. No construction was being done at the time.

Bigelow said damage will likely be minimal. Most of the equipment in the pump room is designed for moisture, he said. The fire was extinguished by a sprinkler. “Another win for automatic sprinkler systems,” Bigelow said. No injuries were reported.

Carolyn Carpenter, Kroc Center marketing manager, said the facility regularly practices fire drills with its employees.

Several dozen people were left outside for about 30 minutes in the single-digit temperatures because of the evacuation. Staff members began transporting some patrons to the Salvation Army Family Store, which is used as a warming center. Patrons who were evacuated from the pool were outside in swimsuits and shoeless. Staff members began loading them into vehicles and handing out blankets and socks.

“Everybody here did an outstanding job,” Bigelow said.

As soon as firefighters cleared the building, patrons were allowed to return but remained in the Kroc Center’s Worship Theatre while the investigation was conducted.

Bigelow said that while the department has responded to the Kroc Center many times for false alarms, he believes this was the first actual fire.

Government/Military, Other-Government/Military

Saginaw, MI – Sprinkler system limits damage at County Road Commission garage

Fire destroys a Saginaw County Road Commission truck, but the sprinkler system inside the garage prevented more damage.

Managing Director Dennis Borchard said the fire in the snow plow truck appears to be electrical, but it will be up to the insurance adjustor to finalize the cause.

The garage’s sprinkler system was activated around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, which automatically alerted Saginaw County Central Dispatch.

Borchard said the sprinklers kept the fire contained until the Saginaw Fire Department arrived and was able to stop the fire from spreading.

Only one other truck has some damage.

Borchard said the truck that caught fire was not used Sunday, it was last used on Saturday. No one was in the garage in the 3200 block of Sheridan Avenue when the fire started.

The building was not damaged, but the road commission has to deal smoke and water throughout the garage.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Other-Government/Military

South Bend, IN – Sprinkler system activates to help control arson fire at work release detention center

Two men who were inmates at the DuComb Center have been charged with arson for allegedly setting a fire at the center in August.  South Bend Fire responded to a fire at the DuComb Center on W. Lathrop Street on August 17.  Firefighters located the fire in the ceiling of a bathroom at the facility.

The building’s sprinkler system was activated and firefighters reported heavy smoke in the building.  The fire was extinguished by firefighters.  An investigation into the cause of the fire determined someone lit a piece of cloth and placed it above the ceiling tiles.

The damage was estimated at over $100,000.  Surveillance video showed between 11:09 p.m. and 11:35 p.m., inmates Austin Lamberson and Theodore Carney went into the bathroom, stayed for a short time, then walked out, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Investigators said Lamberson was carrying a white cloth when he walked into the bathroom, but was not carrying it when he walked out.  The video also allegedly showed Lamberson carry a blanket into the bathroom, returns saying, “It’s still going, I don’t need to put that up there,” according to the probable cause affidavit.

A short time later, Lamberson returned to the bathroom with the blanket and left without the blanket, according to the probable cause affidavit.  A short time later, an employee discovers the fire in the ceiling.  Lamberson and Carney are each charged with one count of arson.

Other-Government/Military

Eden Prairie, MN – Firefighters credit sprinkler system from keeping bus garage fire from spreading

Other-Government/Military

Washington, D.C. – Fire at The Smithsonian Castle contained by sprinkler system

The Smithsonian Castle caught fire and has been evacuated, the D.C. fire department says. A fire broke out on the third floor of the towering, historic building on the National Mall, at 1000 Jefferson Drive SW. The fire was contained by sprinklers and no one is reported to have been hurt, the fire department said about noon Wednesday. It occurred in a non-public area, Smithsonian spokeswoman Linda St. Thomas said.

The castle is closed for the rest of Wednesday as the area is cleaned. The fire what accidental and “electrical in nature,” the fire department said in an update. The castle, also known as the Smithsonian Institution Building, is home to the Smithsonian Institution’s administrative offices and information center. It was completed in 1855 and has items from the collections of each Smithsonian museum. Information was not released immediately on whether any art or artifacts were damaged. The fire department initially said the area where the fire occurred had been under construction; they said in an update that it was not.

 

Government/Military, Other-Government/Military

Portland, OR – Sprinkler system helps stop fire at Metro Transfer Station; No injuries

Portland Fire and Rescue crews quickly put out a fire at Metro Transfer Station in Northwest Portland Monday afternoon.

The fire, which triggered the sprinkler system, was spotted around 12:20 p.m. by employees.

The building was briefly evacuated and no one was injured.

Responding fire crews helped put the fire out and operations were back to normal by 1:10 p.m.

Government/Military, Other-Government/Military

Laconia, NH – Fire in circuit courthouse contained with help from sprinkler system

A fire in a trash can caused the evacuation of the Laconia Circuit Court Monday afternoon.  Meredith’s Vikki Fogg said she opened the door to a ground floor restroom to be met by flames. She told her grandson Nathan, 7, to go tell the bailiff conducting security screenings at the courthouse entrance that there was a fire.

“It was really going,” said bailiff Bill Barnard who grabbed a five-pound dry chemical extinguisher and doused the fire.  Court was in session at the time the fire broke out and security personnel had smelled smoke and were searching all three floors of the building for the source when Fogg opened the door to the first-floor restroom at the end of the hallway between the offices for the probate and family court and the circuit court.

The fire triggered the building’s smoke alarms but not the sprinkler system. Laconia Fire Chief Ken Erickson said his department responded to the fire alarm activation and were advised en route to 26 Academy St. there was smoke in the building, and that security personnel were looking for the source.

“Any time you have a report of a fire in a courthouse it’s of concern. It’s a government building and you have to think whether something else might be going on. Someone trying to create a diversion to get someone out or a disgruntled person trying to lash out,” Erickson said.

Courthouse staff directed people to leave the building after smelling smoke and then joined them gathering in the rear parking lot as firefighters arrived. Fans were set up to help clear the air. Damage was limited to the ruined trash can and to the mess made by the dry powder from the chemical extinguisher.

Security cameras are mounted throughout the building and bailiffs were confident that recorded video images coupled with observations made by people in the courthouse would lead to the source of the fire.

 

Simple Share Buttons