Category Archives: Other – Manufacturing

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Reno, NV – Fire at Tesla factory extinguished with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A Tesla’s factory building in the state of Nevada was evacuated late Saturday after a large oven used in the manufacturing process caught fire.

According to a statement issued by the U.S. leading electric vehicle manufacture on Sunday, there were no injuries in the incident and production began again on Sunday morning.

“Last night, there was a fire in the cooling tube coating oven on the 3rd floor of Gigafactory 1 that was quickly contained. Employees were evacuated out of an abundance of caution, there were no injuries, and production began again this morning. We would like to thank the Fire Department and our employees for their rapid response.” the statement said.

KTVN Channel 2, a news channel in Reno where the Tesla’s factory located, reported that the Storey County Fire Department responded the blaze about 10 p.m. Saturday night and the crews found on scene that the fire started in a baking oven where employees make a powder coating.

Joe Curtis, the Emergency Management Director was quoted as saying that the fire was located on the third floor of the factory and did not extend to other parts of the building before it was mostly extinguished by the automatic sprinkler system.

The fire was fully extinguished before 2 a.m. Sunday.

Saturday’s fire was the second time in one month for Tesla to contend with fire at one of its facilities. There was a minor fire last month on the grounds of the Tesla factory in Fremont of California.

The factory in Reno of Nevada produces Model 3 electric motors and battery packs.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Ashland, MS – Electrical fire at factory extinguished with help from sprinkler system

An electrical fire that started at a factory in Ashland Tuesday afternoon is still under investigation.

According to Benton County Fire Investigator Randy Hobson, some electrical wiring on the outside of Abby Manufacturing in Ashland apparently caught fire around 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4. The fire spread to a nearby pile of tires causing thick, black smoke to fill the air around the factory. The cause of the electrical fire is unknown at this time.

Ashland Fire Chief Chris Shoup used a backhoe to move the smoldering tires away from the building to avoid further damage to the building if the fire was to reignite Tuesday night. 

The outside of the Abby Manufacturing plant received some fire damage. However, there was also a lot of water damage from the sprinkler system on the interior of the plant.

Ashland Fire Department, Snow Lake Fire Department and Able’s Store Fire Department all responded to the fire.

“I would like to say ‘thank you’ to all the fire departments that responded,” said Hobson. “Everybody pitched in. The police department and sheriff’s department helped and the highway patrol blocked off the road for us. If it hadn’t been for them the whole building would have caught on fire.”

Firefighters had the fire contained around 6 p.m.

Abby Manufacturing is a fabricated steel and aluminum products manufacturer. The company was founded in 1994 in Walnut.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Itasca, IL – (Fire Dept. Reported) Industrial facility fire caused by oily rags is contained by sprinkler system

*** Fire Department Release *** At approximately 3:10 am on July 31st, the Roselle Fire Department received a report of an activated fire alarm on Norwood Ave. in Itasca. Upon arrival nothing was noted, and a visual inspection was done around the building and from the roof.  Once entry was gained, smoke was noted in the warehouse. Investigation revealed two plastic carts that were full of dirty rags and wood stain that had ignited. Two sprinkler heads activated and controlled this fire.   Had the sprinkler system not operated as designed, it is highly probable that this would have been a major fire as there were two barrels of flammable liquids nearby in this woodworking business.  Crews were on the scene for less than two hours doing ventilation, and the business was open that morning.

Other - Manufacturing

Tilbury, ON, Canada – Industrial fire confined to point of origin by sprinkler system, Fire Chief says

Chatham-Kent firefighters tackled an industrial fire Saturday in Tilbury.  Officials say they first got the call shortly before 4pm, on a report of an activated fire alarm at 28 Mill St. W.  When firefighters arrived, they found the building filled with smoke and upgraded the call to a structure fire.  C-K Fire Assistant Chief Philip Thorburn said crews put a hose line into the building and found fire inside a piece of equipment. The fire was soon put out with the building’s sprinkler system confining it to the point of origin. Two C-K Fire companies responded to the incident. No injuries were reported. Damage estimates are at $10,000.

Other - Manufacturing, Recycling / Waste Facility

Fountain Inn, SC – Sprinkler systems keep fire outside plastics business from spreading into structures

Dispatchers said the fire was reported at Ameri-Pak at 477 S. Woods Drive before noon last Tuesday.   The fire burned an area between buildings, but the side of several buildings was singed.

Fire Chief Ronnie Myers said the fire burned mostly outside where the business takes in scrap plastics.  The fire was out within a few hours, but crews were still monitoring hot spots late Tuesday afternoon.  Officials said the sprinkler system went off in both buildings, which helped to contain most of the fire outside.  Several fire departments including Oconee, Pickens, Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg and Laurens assisted, Myers said.

“Once you get plastic burning, it’s very hot. It gets so hot, you can’t put it out with just water. You have to put foam on it to smother the fire. It was a very intense fire,” Fire Chief Ronnie Myers said.  Ameri-Pak is a packaging company. Its website says that the company services manufacturers including 3M, Sealed Air, Tape Logic, Rubbermaid and Ivex.

Food Processing, Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Norcross, GA – Fire at corn mill contained with help from sprinkler system; Exhaust pipe identified as origin of fire

An exhaust pipe in a corn mill and refinery is believed to have caused a fire at the Norcross business Friday afternoon. Firefighters responded at 12:28 p.m. to an automatic fire alarm at Olé Mexican Foods, Inc., which is located on Crescent Drive NW in unincorporated Norcross, after the alarm company told dispatch that multiple manual pull stations had been activated, said Justin Wilson, a spokesman for the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Several other people called 911 to report a fire on top of the building and smoke coming from the business as well, Wilson said, and on scene, firefighters found the six-story building with heavy smoke coming from the roof.

“Crews quickly deployed a high-rise pack to the fourth floor and connected to the building’s standpipe system,” he said. “The fire pump for the standpipe system was currently operating and the sprinkler system was active. A carbon dioxide extinguishing system also discharged on the fifth floor. Heavy smoke conditions and fire was located on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors.”

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire on all floors before redirecting to the roof, where the blaze was still active. “Before the fire could breach the affected (exhaust) system, copious amounts of water was applied to extinguish the blaze,” Wilson said. “The fire was contained to metal pipe used in a process to dry corn flakes prior to the refinery process. Crews began ventilating the residual smoke from the building using positive pressure fans.” Wilson said about 60 firefighters were on the scene due to the size and complexity of the incident and later determined that the fire originated on the fourth floor from malfunctioning equipment. He added that the corn flakes in the pipe contributed to the spread of flames inside the machinery. No injuries were reported and the fire was under control within two hours of arrival.

Other - Manufacturing

Omaha, NE – Fire at industrial building controlled thanks in part to sprinkler system

No injuries were reported Tuesday night in a fire at an industrial building near South 42nd and D Streets.  Fire crews reported to the structure, which contains recycling materials, around 7:25 p.m.  Firefighters reported smoke on approach to the location.  The fire was declared under control at 7:45 p.m., thanks in part to a sprinkler system that helped contain the blaze, fire crews said.  Several employees were on location at the time of the fire, which remains under investigation, fire officials said.  The $889,300 structure sustained an estimated $250 in damage, officials said.

Other - Manufacturing

Brown Deer, WI – Fire in industrial building extinguished by automatic sprinkler system

An automatic sprinkler system helped quell a late night fire in an industrial building in Brown Deer Saturday. According to the North Shore Fire Department, crews were called to an industrial building at N 55th Street and W Brown Deer Road around 9:50 PM. Firefighters encountered heavy smoke as they entered the building. Fire officials said the automatic sprinkler system was able to extinguish the fire as firefighters arrived. Crews remained on scene for about 90 minutes. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Officials report extensive water and smoke damage to the building but yet to determine a dollar amount of the damage. No firefighters were injured and no one was in the building at the time of the fire.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Houston, TX – Electrical fire in industrial building knocked down by sprinkler system

A fire that damaged a building in a northwest Houston industrial area Wednesday night was likely electrical, officials said.

The Houston Fire Department was initially called out to reports of a fire in a building around 9:40 p.m. at the intersection of Fairway Park Drive and Mitchelldale Street, just northwest of Loop 610 along U.S. 290.

There are a variety of commercial buildings and single-story offices in the vicinity of the building. The business housed there, Aramsco, is a rental provider of equipment for restoration companies.

Firefighters had to cut their way in through garage doors, and they found fire along a wall that separates an office and warehouse. The fire was extinguished quickly.

The sprinkler system went off and had already taken care of much of the fire, fire department officials said.

The arson division is investigating, but the incident could have been an electrical fire, officials said.

No injuries were reported.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Stratford, CT – Sprinklers help contain fire at business caused by malfunctioning fluorescent light

A malfunctioning light fixture is the apparent cause of a Wednesday night fire on East Main Street.  Firefighters were called at about 10:20 p.m. Wednesday from an employee of Ashcroft Inc., who reported that there was a fire inside the building located at 250 East Main St. Several second shift workers told the Stratford Fire Marshal’s Office that worsening smoke conditions were visible inside the production area.

Nearby employees evacuated the facility and some used three portable fire extinguishers to control the fire. Fire department officials said the building’s sprinkler system was activated due to worsening conditions, which held the fire in check until firefighters arrived at 10: 27 p.m.  Firefighters under the command of Assistant Chief Timothy Brennan extinguished the fire a short time later. Power was cut to the affected area of the building, fire officials said.

No injuries were reported. The fire marshal’s office investigator determined the cause of the fire was a malfunctioning fluorescent light fixture. Firefighters cleared the scene by 12:08 a.m. Thursday.