Category Archives: Manufacturing

Manufacturing, Power / Energy Facility

Albany, GA – Sprinkler system helps contain fire at Albany Green Energy biomass plant

Albany fire crews responded to a small fire at the Albany Green Energy biomass plant next to Procter and Gamble.

At least four fire trucks responded to the plant around 3 a.m. Thursday.

Batallion Chief Kelly Harcrow said there was a small fire in a hydraulic tank in the building. Crews quickly contained the fire and let it burn itself out, shortly after 7 a. m.  AFD put firefighters in the factory with a hose, ready to make sure everything went ok. 

Harcrow said the fire burned on the surface of the tank.

One fire truck and its crew will stay here for the day to monitor everything.

A spokesperson for the company said, “the fire resulted from an equipment failure.”

The sprinkler system inside the building helped in this emergency.

“It is not actually putting the fire out, but it is keeping it contained into the one area, which is an advantage to us and that allows the product to consume itself and not spread throughout the plant. So it’s doing what it was designed to do,” explained Harcrow.

One ambulance also responded, but Dougherty County EMS Supervisor Phillip Jackson said they have not had to transport anyone.

Harcrow said people were inside at the time but no one was injured and everyone made it out safely.

Manufacturing, Power / Energy Facility

Albany, GA – Early morning fire at biomass energy plant contained by sprinkler system

Albany fire crews responded to a small fire at the Albany Green Energy biomass plant next to Procter and Gamble. At least four fire trucks responded to the plant around 3 a.m. Thursday. Batallion Chief Kelly Harcrow said there was a small fire in a hydraulic tank in the building. Crews quickly contained the fire and let it burn itself out, shortly after 7 a. m. AFD put firefighters in the factory with a hose, ready to make sure everything went ok.

Harcrow said the fire burned on the surface of the tank. One fire truck and its crew will stay here for the day to monitor everything. A spokesperson for the company said, “the fire resulted from an equipment failure.”

The sprinkler system inside the building helped in this emergency. “It is not actually putting the fire out, but it is keeping it contained into the one area, which is an advantage to us and that allows the product to consume itself and not spread throughout the plant. So it’s doing what it was designed to do,” explained Harcrow.

One ambulance also responded, but Dougherty County EMS Supervisor Phillip Jackson said they have not had to transport anyone. Harcrow said people were inside at the time but no one was injured and everyone made it out safely.

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.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Carlisle, OH – Dust explosion contained with help from sprinkler system

Static electricity built up caused a spark and small explosion, said Brad Wymore, director of marketing and sales at Mar-Flex Waterproofing and Building Solutions. He said there were some flammable materials within the solvent-based product manufactured in the Carlisle facility. Wymore said the on-site sprinkler system was triggered, and there was a fast response from the fire departments. There were no flames at any time, but a foam used to put out the small explosion does cause some smoldering. Wymore said 10 people were inside the building at the time, but only one was in the back near the explosion.

A small explosion at Mar-Flex Waterproofing and Building Solutions led to no structural damage at the business. Just a wall panel was torn off. Lt. Dustin Perry, Franklin Twp. fire, said the damage was contained to a mixing tank. He said a dust explosion caused the incident.

UPDATE @ 11:33 a.m.
A small explosion was reported inside the business around 10:30 a.m. Crews on scene report part of a wall is laying out from the side of the building.

No injuries are reported, and all employees are accounted for.

On scene were fire department crews from Carlisle, Franklin, Madison Twp., Middletown, Miami Valley, Clearcreek Twp., Franklin Twp., Germantown and the Joint Emergency Medical Service.

The company, Mar-Flex Waterproofing and Building Solutions, has been located here for less than a decade.

Multiple fire crews have responded to a reported fire at a factory in Carlisle Monday morning.

Crews were dispatched around 10:30 a.m. to Mar-Flex Waterproofing and Building Solutions at 500 Business Parkway on reports of a fire and possible explosions from the building.

Manufacturing

Yorkville, NY – Fire at large printing company contained with help from sprinkler system

Firefighters Friday afternoon responded to a compressor unit fire at Vicks Lithograph and Printing on Commercial Drive.  Though there was some water damage to the interior of the building due to the sprinkler system, no injuries were reported by the New York Mills Fire Department.  “It was under control within 20 minutes,” said Mike Edwards, second assistant chief.

Firefighters at 2:45 p.m. were called to 5166 Commercial Drive. Arriving firefighters reported smoke visible. The depth of the snow deterred firefighters initially, but Edwards said everything was plowed out as it should have been. There was visible smoke in the building that would eventually dissipate, he said. However, the situation could have been worse.

“It was a good job by everybody involved,” Edwards said. “Other than the damage, it was a large manufacturing facility that could have been much worse if it wasn’t for the actions of the staff and the sprinkler system.” The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Yorkville Fire Department assisted on scene.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Pocatello, ID – Sprinkler system helps firefighters control blaze at food processing plant

Firefighters responded to a fire at the Amy’s Kitchen food processing plant on the city’s north side early Wednesday morning.

The fire was reported around 3 a.m. and triggered a massive response by the Pocatello Fire Department.

The fire was declared to be out around 4:10 a.m. and firefighters said the plant’s sprinkler system helped them gain the upper hand on the blaze. There were no injuries.

The blaze started in the plant’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and caused minor damage to the facility, the Fire Department reported. Smoke flowed from the plant’s roof but no flames were visible from outside the plant.

The fire also resulted in the plant’s evacuation.

The Fire Department said that because of dangerously high carbon monoxide levels in the plant caused by the fire, the plant’s workers were not allowed back into facility until approximately 8:30 a.m.

The firefighters focused their efforts on the portion of the Amy’s Kitchen plant nearest to West Quinn Road and a Fire Department ladder truck provided firefighters access to the plant’s roof in this area.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the cost of the damage caused by the blaze was not known.

The Fire Department said the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation but the blaze was definitely unintentional.

In response to the fire, Amy’s Kitchen issued a statement saying the company is grateful that no one was hurt during the fire. The company also thanked the firefighters who responded to the scene.

“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our team in Pocatello and the local fire department for their quick response and help in evacuating everyone safely out of the building,” the statement read.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Lincoln, NE – Overnight fire at metal finishing company held in check with help from sprinkler system

Lincoln Fire and Rescue said nobody was injured in an early morning fire in southwest Lincoln.  LFR responded to a fire at Lincoln Industries just after 2 a.m. Thursday. Fire officials said boxes in an area that holds chemicals were on fire. A sprinkler system helped keep the fire in check and fire crews were able to put the rest out.

LFR told 10/11 situations like this are a challenge because of hazardous materials. Crews have to be careful about water runoff. Employees at the plant were able to evacuate safely and even helped fire crews in making their efforts a success.  The fire did shut down south Folsom from D to Rosa Parks, but it has since reopened.

Investigators are now working to determine the cause of the fire.  Lincoln Industries bills itself as the largest and most diverse privately-held metal finishing company in North America.

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.