Category Archives: Manufacturing

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Greenville, MI – Fire at plastics compounding business quickly extinguished with help from sprinkler system

Firefighters from the Greenville Department of Public Safety responded at 5:20 p.m. Thursday to a structure fire at West Michigan Compounding, located at 1300 Moore St. in Greenville.

According to Greenville Department of Public Safety Sgt. Brian Blomstrom, during routine cleaning, a hot ember escaped into the ventilation system, starting a fire that was quickly extinguished due to a combination of the company’s sprinkler system and a quick response time from fire fighters. No one was injured.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Anderson, SC – Ductwork fire at manufacturing plant contained by sprinkler system

Officials responded to a fire at a new plant in Anderson County on Wednesday night. The plant’s state-of-the-art sprinkler system contained the fire to the ducts and fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze.

According to dispatchers, several fire departments were on the scene at First Quality Tissue on Masters Boulevard. First Quality produces ultra-premium towel and bath tissue products. Firefighters said they received the call about the flames at 7:30 p.m. and when they arrived on scene, smoke was coming out of the top of the building. Employees working in the building were evacuated. After the fire was out, fire crews allowed First Quality employees to return to the building. Officials said no one was injured in the fire.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Columbia, MO – Sprinkler system saves Quaker Oats facility

Officials are investigating a fire at the PepsiCo Quaker Oats facility in Columbia Wednesday morning. Several employees called 911 around 6:25 a.m. to report a fire in a rice cake processing machine. They attempted to put the fire out with handheld extinguishers before evacuating the building. Shortly thereafter, the building’s automatic sprinkler system extinguished the fire.  According to Columbia Fire Battalion Chief John Metz, without the sprinkler system, the fire would’ve been “devastating”.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Cleveland, OH – Fire at large commercial business extinguished by sprinkler system, Damage minimized

Cleveland Firefighters rushed to battle a blaze at InterGroup International on Wednesday morning. By the time crews arrived, the sprinkler system had already extinguished the fire.

Officials say the fire started around 5:30 a.m. as a worker was testing material to be recycled. The business is a shipping and receiving company that buys, reprocesses and sells post-industrial scrap plastics. The business is located in the 14500 block of Darley Avenue on the city’s east side.

Owner Neil Gloger says only two employees were inside at the time and evacuated safely. Gloger says there was no building damage but minor damage to supplies. He says they feel fortunate about the outcome and the business was able to reopen within two hours of the incident.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Gloucester, MA – Fire in freezer at seafood company extinguished by sprinkler system

A Gloucester firefighter sustained what the department termed a minor injury when crews responded to a fire within a freezer at the former Good Harbor seafood location within the Blackburn Industrial Park at around 2:15 p.m. Thursday.

Chief Eric Smith said a piece of equipment fell on the firefighter’s hand and he was brought to Addison Gilbert Hospital for evaluation. The small blaze was contained within the freezer, Smith said, and a sprinkler discharged and extinguished the flame.

“The sprinkler kept it under control,” he said.  The crew was still on scene as of 5 p.m. Smith said firefighters were disassembling the freezer to make sure no flames remained inside.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

South Plainfield, NJ – Fire at plastics manufacturer controlled with help from sprinkler system

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Veerag Mehta, an official with Polymer Dynamix, said that a dust collector outside of the building caught fire this morning, which caused an explosion through ventilation ducts.  Nobody was seriously hurt, but several people had ringing in their ears and they’re being checked for concussions, Mehta said.

The company does not know why the dust collector caught fire and exploded. The explosion — limited, because of sprinkler systems in the ducts — sent a plume of dust through part of the building, covering several workers, Mehta said.

“Knock on wood, everyone seems to be OK,” Mehta said.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Fire at high-tech optical manufacturer put out by sprinkler system (Middlefield, CT)

Local firefighters were on the scene of a fire at Zygo Corporation in the eastern part of town early Monday. Four people were reportedly evaluated for injuries but declined medical treatment.  NBC Connecticut is reporting that the fire was minor and that it was put out by the sprinkler system inside the business.  Crews were beginning to clear the scene around 6:45 a.m. Monday.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Automatic sprinkler contains fire at Mercury Marine plant (Fond du Lac, WI)

No one was hurt and damage was minor in a fire at Mercury Marine Monday afternoon. The Fond du Lac Fire Department responded to the call at 2:36 p.m. Upon arrival, crews learned the fire started in Plant 98 in a dust collector. The automatic fire sprinkler activated and contained and extinguished the fire. “The fire suppression system worked as designed and kept the fire contained to the dust collector” said, Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Fire at automotive components manufacturer contained by sprinklers (Greencastle, IN)

Local fire crews were called to the scene of a fire Friday evening at Heartland Automotive. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene to reports of heavy smoke at 9:36 p.m.  Greencastle Fire Chief Bill Newgent told the Banner Graphic the blaze originated in the facility’s paint room. The sprinkler system in the area contained the fire until firefighters arrived to extinguish it completely. No cause has been determined.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Overnight fire at manufacturing business held in check by sprinkler system (St. Charles, IL)

The St. Charles Fire Department responded to an activated fire alarm at 4:15 a.m. at Eifeler-Lafer Inc., located at 3800 Commerce Drive. The company provides steel and carbide coating, which is used in making tools and medical devices. The business was closed at the time of the fire and no employees or other occupants were inside.  An overhead sprinkler helped keep the fire in check and firefighters were able to extinguish the rest in about 30 minutes. No firefighters were injured.