Category Archives: Manufacturing

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

Brantford, ON, Canada – Fire following explosion at paint factory is extinguished by sprinkler system

Investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office, Ministry of Labour and Brantford Fire Department are trying to determine the cause of a Thursday explosion that sent one person to hospital.  The explosion occurred at the Sherwin-Williams paint factory at 140 Garden Ave. at about 6:30 p.m.

The injured worker, a woman, was cleaning a vat when the explosion occurred, said Janet Deline of the Ministry of Labour.  The worker was taken to a Hamilton hospital for treatment. The spokesperson for the company said she’s OK.  No other injuries were reported.

“The incident remains under investigation,” Mike Conway, director, corporate communications for Sherwin-Williams, said in a statement sent to The Expositor. “Sherwin-Williams is working closely with Brantford officials to determine the cause.  “There is no impact to air or water supplies.

Brantford firefighters were called to the plant, located in an industrial area, just after 6:30 p.m.  Firefighters confirmed an explosion had taken place and a fire had been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. Firefighters remained on the scene overnight and were still there Friday morning.  The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office was called immediately and investigators started work on Thursday and were continuing their investigation on Friday.

The blast caused a wall relief panel on the side of the building to pop open, fire prevention officer Scott Hardwick said Friday.  Walls in buildings like the paint factory are designed to pop out to relieve built-up pressure and prevent entire buildings from exploding, he added.

There are a lot highly inflammable materials in the plant, including solvents and paints.

The fire marshal’s office is called in to investigate incidents involving an explosion, Hardwick said.

Firefighters were called to the plant on Dec. 18, 2014 following an explosion and small fire. One male worker sustained minor bruises to his shoulder after being pushed into a wall during the explosion.

The worker didn’t require medical attention.

Suffolk, VA – Early morning fire at peanut processing facility extinguished with help from sprinkler system

Birdsong Peanuts processing plant on Factory Street in Suffolk caught fire Monday morning.  According to a news release from the Suffolk Fire Department, crews were called to the 300 block of Factory Street around 5:10 a.m. after receiving reports of a fire at Birdsong Peanuts. When crews arrived there were no visible signs of smoke or fire from the outside, but after a physical inspection of the property, firefighters found heavy smoke and fire on the 7th floor of the facility.  Crews used ladder trucks and the help of a sprinkler system to extinguish the fire.  Seven employees were evacuated from the building and no one was injured.

Okolona, MS – Machinery fire at furniture plant controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries

A fire at a United Furniture Inds. plant here on Saturday should cause only minor disruptions in production and delivery.  No one was injured in the blaze, which – while still under investigation – appears to have started with machinery United uses to move goods around the 800,000-square-foot plant that produces stationary upholstery.

No finished goods were damaged, and the fire should cause only a day of disruption at the plant, which already was scheduled to close a couple of days this week for a bi-annual inventory count.
Executive Vice President of Sales Jay Quimby said the situation turned out as well as it could have.

“First of all, nobody was hurt,” he said. “Our plant personnel reacted quickly, the local fire department responded immediately, and our sprinkler system and plant design functioned the way it should.

“We were already planning to shut down a couple of days for inventory, and this might add another day to that. There was no significant damage to the building.

Quimby added that United will send out a letter to customers alerting them to the situation.

Ferdinand, IN – Sprinkler system extinguishes manufacturing fire that started in lacquer finishing booth

Units of the Ferdinand Volunteer Fire Department responded to an active fire Saturday morning at MasterBrand Cabinets’ 624 W. Third St. manufacturing complex.  Today was a scheduled down day, according to Fire Chief John Hoppenjans, so a limited number of employees were on hand when fire started in a finish room spray booth that was being cleaned.

Lacquer in the booth combusted but the plant’s sprinkler system activated and extinuished the fire, according to the chief.  The fire department was called at 9:29 a.m. and firefighters went about ensuring the fire was out. The department then ventilated smoke and assisted in the cleanup.  Employees had evacuated the building, Hoppenjans said, adding that the fire was contained to the spray booth.  He credited the operation of the plant’s sprinkler system with helping to limit damage to about $20,000.

Three individuals who had been in the vicinity of the fire were transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center as a precaution after complaining of breathing difficulties, according to Hoppenjans.  Six trucks and 24 firefighters were on the scene 90 minutes.  The Ferdinand Police Department and Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Services assisted.

Evansville, IN – Sprinkler system activated during rooftop fire at business

Firefighters were called to a business near Hwy. 41 and Lynch road, just before 4:00 a..m., at Azimuth Custom Extrusions.

A passerby says they saw the flames shooting from the roof and called for help.

The business’ sprinkler system was activated during the fire.

Once firefighters arrived, they determined the fire was coming from a fan on top of the roof.

Employees were evacuated.

It’s unclear if the fire extended into the interior of the business.

The investigation is ongoing.

La Grange Park, IL – Fire in laser cutting area of manufacturing facility extinguished by single sprinkler

***Fire Department Release *** At 10:31 a.m. on Thursday morning, the La Grange Park Fire  Department was dispatched to an activated fire alarm at a manufacturing facility located at 1245 Barnsdale Rd. No call was received from the facility. Upon the fire department’s arrival at 10:37 a.m., the building’s fire alarm was sounding, the building was partially evacuated, and smoke was coming from overhead dock doors. Upon further investigation, it was noted that a fire had occurred in a laser cutting area. Employees in the area initially attempted to fight the fire with fire extinguishers, and then a single fire sprinkler operated and completely extinguished the fire. Firefighters checked for fire extension, cut electricity to the affected area, and shut down the fire sprinkler system. One employee who was in the area where the fire started and who helped to initially fight the fire, was treated by paramedics and transported to Adventist La Grange Hospital. The fire appears to have started when plastic being cut by a laser overheated, and plastic dust and hoses in the ventilation system ignited. The building and contents are valued at several million dollars, but damage at this time appears to be limited to $5,000.00. The employees should be commended for their initial actions, and the limited amount of damage to the overall business can be directly attributed to a properly operating fire sprinkler system,” according to Fire Chief Dean J. Maggos. Further damage to equipment in the immediate area is still being assessed. La Grange Firefighters assisted by La Grange Park Firefighters at the incident.

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.

Norwalk, OH – Sprinkler system keeps large bakery fire controlled while fire crews arrive

A fire at New Horizons bakery caused about $55,000-worth of damage on the business.

The Norwalk Fire Department received a call reporting the bakery’s “large fire” at 8:01 a.m. Sunday. Firefighters saw “moderate smoke” coming from the building and its roof once they arrived and found the fire had started in the muffin line machine, a multi-million dollar machine, according to fire chief John Soisson.

According to firefighters’ estimations, New Horizons lost about $25,000 in property damages and another $30,000 in destroyed contents. 

“It looked like some of the muffins had caught fire then … one of the machines caught fire that makes their buns and muffins and then it extended into their exhaust system,” Soisson said. “It was an exhaust fire. Whenever you’re baking, you’re baking at high temperatures. That’s just a risk that comes with their business, I guess.” 

The report said the fire also extended outside the upper ventilation trunk and ignited the roof area assembly as well.

Firefighters used a ladder truck to put out the blaze and then checked to make sure there were no hot spots remaining.

It took the 16 firefighters in their five trucks about two hours to extinguish the fire. It could have been worse, though, the chief said, adding the business’ precautionary measures are what saved it. 

“New Horizons does a good job with their production and the sprinkler system worked as it was designed,” Soisson said. “Only four sprinkler heads came on and controlled the fire until we got there and were able to finish extinguishing the fire.

“My big point for this is that fire codes are important. New Horizons is a company that’s very good to work with and they have very good fire suppression system within there and that was able to keep the fire relatively small and contained until we got there and were able to get it extinguished. That’s why sprinklers in building are so important within the city.”

Soisson said he hopes other businesses will learn from the experience too.

“Nobody likes fire codes because it costs money to do that stuff, but this is the benefit,” he said. “Their system worked really well and damage was pretty minor because of that.”

New Horizons was able to keep production going and was fully operational later on Sunday. 

Waco, TX – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at manufacturing plant

Firefighters were battling a fire Monday evening at the Hobbs Bonded Fibers plant at 200 Commerce St. in Waco.

A passing Waco fire crew spotted smoke coming from the plant Monday evening and notified the Waco Fire Department’s dispatcher.

About a half-dozen units were dispatched to the plant, which had been evacuated.

An employee said it appears the plant’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire before the crews arrived, but firefighters later spotted flames.

Just before 7 p.m., firefighters were looking for hot spots concentrated in the ceiling.

The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.

The plant produces a range of products ranging from filters to health care products to industrial apparel to carpet and rug backings to Nomex and Kevlar products, quilt batting, fiberfill and pillow forms.

Firefighters were dealing not only with the fire, but also record-high temperatures.