Category Archives: Hotel / Restaurant

Manassas, VA – Days Inn fire sparked by ice maker contained with help from sprinkler system

A third-floor ice maker sparked a Tuesday evening fire at the Days Inn on Centreville Road in Manassas, displacing 55 adults and three children saying at the hotel. Fire crews were called to the hotel in the 7600 block of Centreville Road at 5:28 p.m. and arrived to find fire on the third floor. “Due to activation of the building’s smoke alarm and sprinkler system, occupants were alerted to the fire” allowing everyone to get out safely, Prince William fire and rescue said in a news release. The sprinkler system help contain the blaze, which firefighters able to quickly extinguish, the release said. The building has been posted as unsafe. All of the hotel’s occupants were moved to another hotel. Investigators determined that the fire began in an ice maker on the third floor.

Osage Beach, MO – Electrical fire at resort hotel suppressed by sprinkler system; No injuries and minimal damage reported

A worker was repairing an electrical circuit in the laundry area when a short resulted at the junction box where he was working. The power surge jumped to another electrical run which energized a nearby gas line, causing pin holes in the gas line and causing a fire. There was minimal damage resulting from a fire at the Inn at Grand Glaize about 2:07 p.m. Tuesday in Osage Beach.

A worker was repairing an electrical circuit in the laundry area when a short resulted at the junction box where he was working. The power surge jumped to another electrical run which energized a nearby gas line, causing pin holes in the gas line and causing a fire. The fire was held in place and extinguished by a fire sprinkler system.  There were no injuries to either fire personnel or employees.  Responding were fire personnel from Osage Beach, Lake Ozark, Sunrise Beach and Mid County.  Firefighters cleared the scene by 3:30 p.m.

Yuma, AZ – Restaurant kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system

The Yuma Fire Department said Saturday at about 7:30 am an audible fire alarm was reported going off at the Yuma Palace restaurant, 350 East 32nd Street, by a Yuma Police officer patrolling in the area. Yuma Fire Department personnel arrived and confirmed the alarm was signaling water flow to the fire suppression sprinkler system, they also found the smell of smoke coming from the building. The business had not opened for the day and there were no employees on the property.

Firefighters forced entry into the kitchen area finding a sprinkler head was flowing water over the stove area. The water flow was shut down and a fire investigator was called to the scene. It was found that a pot of water had been accidently left heating on the stove top when the business had closed. The water boiled away and the heat ignited material around the cooking surface. The heat from this fire triggered the sprinkler head over that cooking area, stopping the fire spread and extinguishing it.

Fire sprinkler systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them. Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute. Even small fires can cause significant damage to property and endanger those nearby. Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat activate, not those in the rest of the room, building, or complex. Sprinkler systems save lives and protect property.

Maryville, TN – Sprinkler system helps firefighters put out possible arson fire at BBQ restaurant

A fire that disrupted dinner Buddy’s Bar-B-Q in Maryville Saturday evening may have been deliberately set, according to Maryville Police Department. Maryville Fire Department received reports of a small fire at Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, 2020 Bridgeway Drive, at 7:58 p.m. Saturday. The first Maryville units arrived on the scene within three minutes, and firefighters quickly had the situation in hand.  According to Maryville police and fire chief Tony Crisp, the fire started in a toilet paper dispenser in the women’s bathroom. The fire appeared to have been deliberately set, Crisp said, and police are investigating it as an arson.  The restaurant’s sprinkler system did its job, Crisp added, kicking in and extinguishing much of the blaze by the time firefighters arrived on the scene.  Although the restaurant was evacuated during the crisis, the fire was ultimately contained within the bathroom. Crisp said the damage was relegated to a section of bathroom wall.  No one was hurt in the incident. The arson investigation is ongoing, as Crisp said there are currently no suspects

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system controls hotel fire until crews arrive; No injuries reported

Six people have been displaced after a fire at the Rainier Hotel in downtown Vancouver. The single-room occupancy (SRO) unit on Carrall Street was evacuated around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, after some materials caught fire in a room on the third floor.  The occupant of the room managed to escape without injury before fire crews arrived on scene.  “There’s a fair bit of fire damage to that one room,” said Battalion Chief Terry Nikolai, with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.

Some other rooms also sustained water damage from the sprinkler system and firefighting efforts. “Thankfully the sprinkler activated and contained the fire, until our crews managed to get in there with a line and extinguish it,” said Nikolai.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Vaughan, ON, Canada – Suspicious overnight fire at bakery is kept from spreading by sprinkler system

A bakery in Vaughan was heavily damaged in what appears to be a “suspicious” fire overnight. York Regional Police say there are circumstances around the fire that require further investigation.  “It’s being considered suspicious and further investigation is required to determine the cause,” a YRP duty inspector said.  Fire crews were called to the scene at 10 Buttermill Ave., near Jane Street and Highway 7, just after 1:30 a.m. Vaughan Fire Services were quickly able to extinguish the flames but police say the bakery likely suffered extensive damage.  A sprinkler inside the bakery helped prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent units.  No one was inside the bakery at the time the fire broke out.

A broken window and objects found on the lawn in front of the bakery are part of the evidence in the case. The objects appear to be caps and nozzles for gas cans though officials have yet to confirm that. Police did say that it appears a canister containing an accelerant had been thrown inside.  Investigators with the Fire Marshal’s Office have been called to the scene.

Lake George, NY – Basement fire at Courtyard Marriott hotel extinguished with help from sprinkler system

One person was hurt and dozens of guests evacuated late Friday after a fire broke out in the basement of the new Courtyard Marriott hotel on Canada Street, officials said. At least 15 firetrucks from around the region responded to the hotel for the 8:40 p.m. call as smoke filled parts of the building.  The fire was out within minutes, and Lake George Fire Chief Jason Berry said guests were expected to be able to return to their rooms late Friday. But they had to wait for a few hours for the building to be ventilated and for sprinkler system heads that were activated to be replaced, the chief explained.

Warren County sheriff’s Sgt. Ben Geisler said one person was taken to Glens Falls Hospital after they were hurt during the evacuation, but the injuries were not considered serious The fire broke out in an industrial trash can in the southwest corner of the basement of the building, apparently from spontaneous combustion of construction materials in it, the chief said. That area is unfinished and construction has been ongoing.  Berry said firefighters arrived to find material on fire and smoke in the building, but the fire did not damage the structure itself. He said it was unclear what was in the trash container.

“The sprinkler system definitely did its job,” he said. Sprinklers went off only in the area where fire was detected, but sprinkler heads that activate have to be replaced before the building can be re-opened, Berry said.  Among the guests in the hotel were 30 or so members of the New York State Fire Districts Association, who took the situation in stride as they watched firefighters deal with the situation. They stood near the main entrance on the west side of the building, watching their brethren handle the situation. Some still had their bar drinks.

We got up and got out in an orderly fashion,” said Kit Thompson of Baldwinsville. “We knew what we had to do.” Jerry DeLuca, a fire chief from Ravena and executive director of the state fire chiefs association, was among the hotel guests, and he said there was no smoke evident on the side of the building where he was as he evacuated.  He praised the local fire department response.  “You guys did a great job,” he told Chief Berry.  Two blocks of Canada Street were closed for several hours, as firetrucks from around the region lined up in front of the building. Mutual aid came from North Queensbury, Bolton, Warrensburg, Queensbury Central, Bay Ridge, Luzerne-Hadley and South Queensbury. Several tower trucks were among the apparatus called to the scene.

College Station, TX – Early morning fire at BBQ restaurant controlled by sprinkler system

Rudy’s Barbecue in College Station had a fire scare early Wednesday morning. College Station Fire officials say people saw smoke coming from the building around midnight.  The building’s sprinklers were activated; keep the fire under control until firefighters arrived.  Officials say the fire was contained to the wooden fence outside of the building, and did not damage the inside of the restaurant.   No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Nashua, NH – Sprinkler system helps contain hotel fire to one room; No injuries reported

A fire at a hotel Sunday morning caused damage to three rooms and left three occupants displaced.

Nashua Fire and Rescue said they responded to the Temple Street Hotel at 23 Temple St. at about 9:30 a.m. after an alarm was activated.

Upon arrival, they discovered there was a fire in one of the rooms within the rooming house and smoke showing from a third-floor window in the rear of the building.

Officials said a fire sprinkler was activated that helped keep the fire contained to the room of origin until they could completely extinguish it.

The room of origin and two rooms below suffered significant water damage, and three occupants were displaced. Officials said no injuries were sustained during the blaze.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Yellowknife, NT, Canada – Sprinkler system contains fire at hotel caused by young person playing with lighter

A young person playing with a lighter caused Monday’s fire at the Explorer Hotel in Yellowknife.

City officials say a minor lit a book on fire in a room on the second floor, activating the hotel’s sprinkler system.

Fire crews arrived to find heavy smoke in the second floor room, but the sprinkler system had put out most of the fire. Firefighters extinguished the remaining small fire.

No one was hurt in the fire, but there is extensive water damage to the hotel’s second floor and lobby.

Guests were initially evacuated from the hotel during the fire, but were sheltered in the hotel’s conference rooms once it had been put out.

After the sprinklers stopped flowing, they were allowed to return to their rooms using the stairwell.

Guests on the second floor have been moved to rooms on other floors.