Category Archives: Hotel / Restaurant

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Santa Barbara, CA – Hotel fire kept in check thanks to sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Firefighters responded Sunday to a fire in an area under renovation at the Hyatt Centric Hotel on the beachfront in Santa Barbara.

Crews were dispatched shortly after 10 a.m. to the hotel at 1111 E. Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara City Fire Chief Eric Nickel told Noozhawk.

The fire was on the roof in an area of the hotel being remodeled, Nickel said, adding that when firefighters arrived, they found workers attempting to put out the blaze.

The fire likely was caused by the roofers, Nickel said, noting that a propane tank and a hot torch were found near the ignition point.

Firefighters used a ladder truck to make access to the roof, and pulled apart some of the roofing material to gain access to the flames.

The fire was declared under control at 10:52 a.m., Nickel said.

He noted that the flames were kept in check by the hotel’s sprinkler system.

“With the building under construction and the walls all opened up, we could have lost the whole thing if not for the sprinklers,” he said.

Crews searched the first and second floors of the affected area to make sure everyone was out, Nickel said.

Firefighters remained on scene late Sunday morning doing overhaul, and an investigator was called in to search for the cause of the fire.

No injuries were reported.

With all of the city’s fire engines and trucks assigned to the incident, crews from Santa Barbara County and Montecito were called in to provide coverage in the city, Nickel said.

Check back with Noozhawk for updates to this story.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Erie, PA – Fire sprinklers extinguish fire after man sets bed on fire at hotel

A Corry man was charged with setting fire to a Summit Township motel bed and damaging the motel room’s sprinkler system.

Patrick Hanlin Jr., 30, was staying at the Microtel Inn, 8100 Peach St., on Tuesday when he set fire to his bed, state police said in a news release. Hanlin then left the room without notifying authorities about the fire.

The room’s fire suppression system extinguished the fire but state police discovered that one sprinkler head had been broken before it was activated. The fire caused about $15,000 in damage, state police said.

Troopers also found drug paraphernalia in the room.

Hanlin was arrested in the motel lobby and later charged with causing or risking a catastrophe, criminal mischief, arson, reckless endangerment and possession of a controlled substance–paraphernalia.

Hanlin was taken to the Erie County Prison on $50,000 monetary bail.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

West Goshen, PA – Fire sprinklers contain hallway fire at hotel; No injuries reported

A fire in a hallway forced the evacuation of the Microtel on the 500 block of Willowbrook Lane Thursday evening.  

West Chester firefighters were alerted just after 8 p.m. and arrived to find the alarms sounding and the building evacuated.

Chester County Fire Marshal Latta White said there were no injuries, however power was out to the building so no residents would be able to return to the building. He said the building has 90 rooms of which more than 70 were occupied, most with multiple guests.

White said the fire was contained by sprinklers, and firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze which was located on a first floor hallway.

The fire alarm went off, and the desk person checked the fire alarm and found smoke on the first floor and called the fire department, White said. 

Multiple guests could be seen leaving the scene with assistance from firefighters.

White said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Rochester, MN – Single fire sprinkler keeps fire at Rochester’s oldest hotel confined to break room kitchen

A high-rise fire broke out Sunday at Rochester’s oldest hotel.

The blaze was reported around 8:45 AM on the 11th floor of the Kahler Grand Hotel.

The Rochester Fire Dept. says firefighters “encountered floor to ceiling smoke” when they reached the 11th level of the downtown hotel. The fire was found in a staff kitchen area and RFD says a single sprinkler head kept the flames confined to that room.

No monetary estimate was given but damage may have been extensive. According to the RFD report, there was “damage to the breakroom kitchen on the 11th floor including cabinets, appliances, and other furnishings. Smoke damage in the common hallways on the 11th floor along with water damage on the 11th floor and 10th floor from the sprinkler system.”

One resident was treated on scene for minor injuries.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Glendale, WI – Fire contained to maintenance closet on third floor of motel thanks to fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

A Motel 6 in Glendale caught fire Tuesday morning, Dec. 17. Thankfully, the building’s fire sprinklers did their job. 

The alarm came at about 11 a.m., sending the North Shore Fire Department to the motel on Port Washington Road. 

Everybody inside the building was evacuated; some of them elderly and some in wheelchairs. 

The fire was confined to a maintenance closet on the third floor and the sprinkler system helped crews control the fire quickly. 

“Unfortunately one of the things that comes with fire sprinklers is a lot of water, because they’re doing their job to put the fire out. So we’re dealing with a lot of water damage. Not a ton of fire damage, it’s just primarily contained to that affected room,” said Capt. Dan Tyk, North Shore Fire and Rescue. 

One occupant of the hotel reported a minor injury that occurred while evacuating the building. She was evaluated by paramedics on scene and declined transportation to a hospital. There were no other injuries reported.

Fire and smoke damage is minimal, but there is extensive water damage on all three floors due to the activation of the fire sprinkler system.  

The preliminary damage is estimated around $100,000. 

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by North Shore Fire/Rescue and the Glendale Police Department.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Yuma, AZ – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in restaurant’s walk-in freezer

Just after 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, Yuma Fire Department (YFD) responded to a fire alarm at the Del Taco restaurant on East 32nd Street.

YFD personnel found the Del Taco filled with smoke coming from a commercial walk-in freezer unit.

YFD says the fire began in the freezer unit and had been extinguished by the sprinkler system.

YFD Fire Inspectors arrived shortly after the alarm sounded and shut down power to the freezer and the water supply to the sprinkler system.

Firefighters confirmed the fire did not spread from the original wiring where the fire started.

The flame only set back taco sales for a few hours, as the Del Taco was able to reopen a short time later in the afternoon.

YFD says fire systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them.

Thanks to the sprinkler system, this Yuma Del Taco wasn’t destroyed.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Grand Rapids, MI – Kitchen grease fire at downtown restaurant quickly extinguished by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

A kitchen grease fire at The B.O.B. in downtown Grand Rapids caused minor damage late Tuesday, Nov. 26.

The fire happened at about 8:20 p.m. and caused a sprinkler system to activate, Grand Rapids fire officials said.

The fire, on the first floor, was quickly extinguished and no one was injured. Firefighters also quickly shut off the sprinkler system.

It wasn’t immediately clear if any operations at The B.O.B. would be disrupted because of the fire.