Category Archives: Manufacturing

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Danville, VA – Damage from fire at flooring manufacturer minimized thanks to sprinkler system

Smoke poured out of the loading dock doors in one of the plants at Columbia Flooring on Maxine Road as Danville firefighters arrived in response to a reported fire at about 7 p.m.

About an hour later, sweating and parched firefighters gathered near one of the six engines at the scene, to wrap their heads in wet towels and drink water or energy drinks — the fire was considered under control, Fire Marshall Shelby Irving said, though smoke still billowed out of the loading dock doors.

As firefighters began carrying fans toward the building to help clear the smoke, Irving said it was impossible to look for the cause of the fire until the smoke was cleared.

“There’s so much smoke in there you can’t see anything,” Irving said.

But the sprinkler system in the plant had done its job, Irving said.

“The sprinklers did activate and keep the fire in check,” Irving said. “Because of that, the [firefighters] were able to get in there pretty quick and get a line on the fire … the damage will be much less than it could have been.”

The fire was in a production area of the plant and caused extensive damage to machinery and electrical equipment, according to a news release. This section of the plant will be closed for two to three days. 

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Spring Hill, TN – Sprinkler system helps contain blaze at GM plant; welding sparks likely cause of fire

About 240 workers were evacuated from the General Motors Spring Hill Manufacturing Facility on Wednesday after a fire broke out on the third floor of one of its production buildings.

Six Columbia and four Spring Hill fire trucks responded to the scene, Columbia Assistant Fire Chief Tim Holt said.

Firefighters received the call at 3:03 p.m. and rushed to GM’s body shop off Nashville Highway and Saturn Parkway.

Crews found an air-handling machine on fire, spreading smoke in the building, Holt said.

“We got it knocked down quickly, within 15 minutes,” Holt said. “The sprinkler system helped keep the fire in place.”

One GM security guard on the scene was treated for smoke inhalation, he said.

The incident likely was caused by welding sparks, which caught cardboard on fire, Holt said.

Columbia’s fire department had 16 firefighters on scene.

GM spokesman Tom W. Wickham said the body shop was closed for the rest of Wednesday evening and will reopen Thursday morning.

“We had to clean up a lot of water and debris,” Wickham said.

A similar incident brought fire crews to the GM plant just after midnight May 20. No one was hurt then, but the building was evacuated.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Chicago, IL – Sprinklers contain fire at pharmaceutical company for second time this year

For the second time in three months a fire started at the AbbVie pharmaceutical research and development facility in North Chicago.

Firefighters responded about 9:40 p.m. Tuesday to a reported fire at the AbbVie Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing facility at 1401 Sheridan Road, North Chicago Fire Chief Dell Urban said.

The fire started in a laboratory and electronics storage room, she said. The blaze was contained to the room, which sustained water damage.

“The fire was held in check by the sprinkler system,” Urban said. “Everyone had been evacuated and there were no injuries.”

The chief described the fire as electrical, but said the company and the department are still investigating the cause.

Urban said there was a fire laboratory at the complex about three months ago. That blaze was also controlled by the sprinkler system.

The AbbVie Fire Department did not return a call for comment Wednesday.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Naches, WA – Machinery fire at wood products manufacturer contained by sprinkler system

A smoking piece of machinery at Spinner Wood Products triggered an early morning response from the Naches and Gleed fire departments today. At about 4:11 a.m., firefighters responded to a fire alarm activated from the business, located at 10533 Old Naches Highway. Naches fire chief Alan Baird said the alarm was for a trip to the sprinkler system.

Baird said he originally upgraded the incident to a second-alarm fire as they didn’t know the size of the fire. It was determined that the fire originated in a piece of machinery used for printing names on pallets and bins. The combination of heat from the machine’s electrical motor and sawdust smoldered for hours, Baird said.

The fire was contained to the machine thanks to the sprinkler system, which activated over the machine in question. Baird said they wrapped up shortly after 6 a.m.; the fire chief added 10 firefighters were on scene.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Cincinnati, OH – Sprinkler system keeps fire from spreading at woodworking operation

Cincinnati firefighters say a sprinkler system helped keep a fire at a Linwood business from spreading. Crews were called to Wine Cellar Innovations in the 4500 block of Eastern Avenue just before 8:30 a.m. after workers witnessed smoke and fire coming from one of the company’s large dust collection/air filtration systems.

Firefighters encountered heavy smoke conditions on the manufacturing floor of a large industrial woodworking operation, but found the sprinkler system keeping the fire in check, CFD said. All the fire was contained to the sawdust within the hopper, CFD said. Firefighters had a hard time getting to the fire and were on scene for about four hours disassembling the machinery to ensure they had it completely out.

The majority of operations at the facility are now back up and operating, the fire department said. No injuries were reported.  Damage was estimated at $15,000.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Irvine, CA – Fire at metal finishing business held in check by sprinkler system

Firefighters worked 25 minutes Sunday to extinguish a blaze at a metal finishing company. The blaze was reported around 2:30 p.m. at Electrolurgy Inc. at 1121 Duryea Ave., said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.  Thick black smoke from the fire was visible on the 405 freeway, he added.

A sprinkler system in the business kept the flames in check and firefighters extinguished the blaze around 2:55 p.m., Concialdi said. An OCFA hazardous materials team responded because chemicals in the business were involved.  The cause of the fire is under investigation and damage estimates were not immediately available.

There were workers in the business when the fire broke out, but they managed to escape without injury.

Seven firefighters initially entered the building to extinguish the blaze and were decontaminated at the scene, Concialdi said. They were not injured. An OFCA hazardous materials team wearing protective gear later went into the business to determine what kind of chemicals were inside, said Concialdi.

It was determined the fire reached vats of liquid chromate, Concialdi said. A total of 40 firefighters responded.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Fairfield, OH – Potentially catastrophic fire at food processing facility averted with help from sprinkler system

A small fire broke out in a room used for Koch Foods’ deep frying process, and while the Fairfield fire chief said minimal damage was caused, it could have been worse. Emergency crews were dispatched around 4 p.m. Monday for a reported fire at the food manufacturer at 4100 Port Union Road.

Fairfield Fire Chief Don Bennett said “we lucked out” when the fire started and was contained to the room with two giant vessels of hot oil. The chief said the mechanics in one of the vessels overheated and said “there was a sufficient amount of fire,” which did catch some of the other oils in the room on fire.  The building’s sprinkler system helped to suppress the fire.

Each of the giant vessels had about 1,000 gallons of oil each, according to Bennett. “The potential was there for something catastrophic,” he said.

The plant was evacuated and business is resuming. The room where the fire broke out happened to be finished with production for the day, and Bennett said that portion of Koch Foods operation is expected to be fully functional tomorrow. “There was no loss of business,” he said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Forks Township, PA – Polystyrene fire at plastics manufacturer controlled by sprinkler system

A Sunday morning fire at a Forks Township manufacturer could have been much worse if not for the building’s sprinkler system, a township fire official said. Crews were called for the fire at about 12:15 a.m. at the Ecopax building, 3600 Glover Road, said Matt Mowrey, deputy chief for the Forks Township Fire Department.

Ecopax manufactures foam and plastic food containers. A commercial roll of polystyrene caught fire, leading to a working blaze, but the flames were kept from spreading by the building’s sprinklers, Mowrey said.  The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and the blaze is under investigation, Mowrey said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Clearfield, UT – Sprinkler system suppresses fire at trailer manufacturer

 A destructive structure fire was avoided early Saturday morning due to a business’s water suppression system.  At 8:11 a.m., North Davis Fire District responded to a fire alarm at trailer manufacturer, Utility Trailer, in Clearfield, located at 1111 S. 1000 West. When crews arrived, water and smoke were coming from the east side of the building, according to a press release from North Davis Fire District.

About 500 employees working at the time, had already been evacuated and set up outside at meeting points designated by Utility Trailer.  Firefighters found a 40-foot trailer had been destroyed by the blaze. The release states the sprinkler system in the building kept the flames from expanding.

There was damage to two trailers: one by fire and the other by water from the sprinkler system, according to the release.  The cost of damage was estimated at $50,000.  “If not for the water suppression system working, this business could have been devastated and could possibly experienced loss of life,” the release states.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Apple Valley, CA – Fire at cement plant held in check by sprinkler system

A blaze that erupted at a local cement plant injured two firefighters before it was extinguished early Tuesday morning. Apple Valley Fire Protection District Fire Marshal Jason Nailon told the Daily Press the flames took about an hour to extinguish. The fire was believed to have been caused by possible static or dust explosions at the plant, but remains under investigation.

Reports of a blaze at a building in the Cemex plant in the 25200 block of Black Mountain Quarry Road were received around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said. Nailon said the blaze involved the plant’s alternate fuels that power their kilns, which are made up of wood chips, pistachio shells and tire chippings.

It is believed a minor explosion started the blaze, but the building’s sprinkler system kept the fire in check until firefighters arrived. “When we got there, the fire was almost out because of the sprinklers,” Nailon said, “but the rafters appeared to be burning. It turned out to be an accumulation of dust up on the rafters that was still burning.”

About 17 to 20 firefighters responded, including four engines from AVFPD and two from the San Bernardino County Fire Department. It took about an hour to bring the fire under control, Nailon said.

One firefighter reported an ankle injury while another suffered from heat exhaustion while combating the blaze. Nailon said some Cemex employees were at the site as well, but they reported no injuries. Estimated damages to the building are not yet known, but Nailon said the concrete construction and sprinkler system protected the building from further damage.