Category Archives: Athletic Club/Sports Facility

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Norman, OK – Sprinkler system extinguishes concession stand fire at basketball game

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Oklahoma Sooner’s men’s basketball game against the Georgia Bulldogs was delayed a few minutes Saturday after a popcorn machine erupted into flames inside Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.

The fire occurred early in the first half and prompted fans to be evacuated from the area around the concession center, according to multiple reports, before the flames were extinguished and the Southeastern Conference game resumed.

Different videos from Lloyd Noble Center showed people getting ushered away from the area near the machine — which was located at a concession stand on the venue’s concourse — and the sprinkler system eventually putting out the fire and leading to a smokey scene.

“I’m just glad the sprinkler system worked just for the safety of everybody but also that we were able to resume play,” Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser told reporters after the game, according to KOCO News 5. “I literally looked up and I’m like, ‘This is just, I mean, add it to the list’ in terms of stuff I’ve never seen like it. I mean, it was a huge flame.”

The delay occurred with 15:31 remaining, with Georgia leading 11-7, and SEC Network analyst Rodney Terry described the scene as a “full-blown fire going on right now.”

“A popcorn machine, it looks like,” play-by-play announcer Kevin Fitzgerald said, according to Awful Announcing. “Everybody’s starting to clear out. You can see the sprinkler overhead system is working right now. So, our officials, they pointed up there. Goodness gracious. Everybody is scattered from that area. The sprinkler system working effectively here. Oh my gosh! Well, good catch, partner. I didn’t even notice that. It seems like we have avoided any sort of catastrophic situation.”

Fitzgerald later made a joke about the popcorn being “overcooked,” saying, “Talk about burnt popcorn.”

Once the game resumed, the Sooners bounced back from their early deficit to earn a commanding 94-78 victory over the Bulldogs — serving as their second victory in a row after nine consecutive losses ruined their conference record.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Nashua, NH – Sprinkler system activated for attic fire at country club

An attic fire activated sprinklers at Nashua Country Club, causing extensive interior water damage.

At approximately 7:30.a.m. Nashua Fire Rescue responded to a report of smoke in the building from a property rep at 25 Fairway Street, The Nashua Country Club.

Engine 2 was first to arrive and established command and met the property rep who stated that there was a fire in the attic. Ladder 2 arrived and reported a sprinkler activation. C4 arrived and assumed command.

E4 arrived and assisted with water supply and additional suppression. Units were able to access the attic in two locations and discovered a partially extinguished fire being held in check by the sprinkler system. E2 reported the fire knocked down and the sprinklers were shut down. Ladder 2 opened up a small portion of the roof to allow for ventilation. Crews remained on scene with extensive salvage and overhaul

The building sustained extensive water damage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Nashua Fire Marshal’s Office.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Winston-Salem, NC – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire at stadium; No injuries reported

Firefighters were at Truist Stadium in Winston-Salem on Thursday morning, but thanks to the building’s sprinkler system, the damage was minimal.

Our news crews say the scene is now clear.

Around 5:15 a.m., firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the stadium and found smoke coming from the elevator shaft.

Crews entered the building and quickly located the source of the fire in the kitchen area. The sprinkler system had already activated, keeping the flames contained.

Firefighters stretched a line into the kitchen and brought the fire fully under control. Officials said no one was hurt.

The Winston-Salem Fire Department says repairs are expected to be minimal. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Winston-Salem Dash, who play at the Truist Stadium, says the fire was not in a fan-facing area of the venue. The team’s April 8th home opener will not be impacted.

A statement from the Dash said, “The Winston-Salem Dash extends its gratitude to the Winston-Salem Fire Department for its rapid response and cooperation.”

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Kansas City, MO – Sprinkler system activated for fire at dance studio; No injuries reported

Authorities are investigating the cause of a building fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday, crews responded to a reported building fire in the 500 block of Walnut in the City Market area, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.. Crews reported light smoke and fire visible on arrival of a three-story commercial mixed-use building.

A small fire had started on the third floor of the structure which houses a dance studio. The third-floor units sprinkler system had activated and held the fire in check until KCFD’s arrival.

Fire crews shut down the sprinkler and began salvage and overhaul operations. No injuries were reported.  Power to the entire building was shut off. Several businesses were displaced temporarily until the building can be evaluated.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Norfolk, VA – Sprinkler system activated for HVAC system fire; No injuries reported

Norfolk Fire-Rescue responded to a fire at the Scope Arena Thursday morning.

A malfunctioning HVAC system caught on fire shortly before 7:45 a.m., according to the assistant chief of Norfolk Fire-Rescue. The sprinkler system activated and helped extinguish the fire.

No one was injured.

Crews are working to clear the smoke from the building. Officials said people in the area will smell smoke as they work to clear it out.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Washington, D.C. – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Capital One Arena; No injuries reported

DC Fire and EMS personnel were called to the arena on Sunday morning when a small fire broke out inside the building. 

It was reported on the second floor, according to officials.

Sprinklers inside the building were able to make quick work of the small fire, though there was smoke permeating throughout parts of the arena that crews had to ventilate upon their arrival.

No injuries were reported. It is unclear what caused the fire.

The Wizards are still set to play the Phoenix Suns inside Capital One Arena at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 4.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Kennewick, WA – Sprinkler system contains fire at Toyota Town Center

Kennewick Fire Chief Chad Michael credits the sprinkler system for containing a fire at the Toyota Town Center Friday. 

The fire started in one of the HVAC units in the basement of the facility at 7000 West Grandbridge Boulevard, prompting an evacuation of the center on September 22, 2023. 

The building was evacuated, and firefighters entered the building to find the rapid activation of the sprinkler system confined the fire to the unit.

Crews shut down the sprinkler system to minimize water damage and the facility was able to reopen a short time after the incident. 

Fire Chief Michael says the incident is an excellent example of the important role sprinklers play in both the protection of life and property.  

According to the National Fire Protection Association, “From 2015 to 2019, sprinklers operated in 92 percent of fires large enough to activate sprinklers and were effective at controlling the fire in 96 percent of the incidents in which they operated.”  

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

St. Louis Park, MN – Sprinkler system activated for early morning arson fire at fitness center; No injuries reported

Members of the St. Louis Park Fire Department are investigating a fire at an LA Fitness early Monday morning, a city spokesperson says.

A 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS photographer saw several units at the scene and the building’s sprinkler system running.

Authorities say St. Louis Park firefighters were called to the location at around 4:15 a.m. and found multiple sources of fire inside. Firefighters extinguished the flames, which the sprinklers kept at bay, and no injuries were reported.

The fitness center, located at 3555 Highway 100, will be closed for the day.

The city says no arrests were made but the fire is being investigated as arson.

Anyone with information is asked to call the St. Louis Park Police Department at 952-924-2600.

It is unknown at this time if the location foresees any impact beyond Monday.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Boston, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at press box grandstand

In the aftermath of a six-alarm fire that tore through a section of the old Suffolk Downs grandstand roof late Monday night, May 30, and into early Tuesday morning, on-site simulcasting has been interrupted as officials continue to investigate the cause of the blaze and assess the situation.

“The fire was contained to the press box structure on the roof. The press box, the television control room, the former placing judges’ stand, the stewards’ stand, and the announcer’s booth, that entire area was destroyed,” said Chip Tuttle, the CEO of Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, which sold the property to HYM Development Company in 2017 but continues to lease and operate the simulcasting and advance deposit wagering business.

The grandstand has not been in use since live racing ended at the end of June 2019, although the clubhouse has remained open for simulcasting. Suffolk Downs conducted simulcasting Memorial Day and closed at 6:30 p.m. The fire broke out at 10 p.m. in the building that was constructed in 1935.

“Because the television control room was destroyed, we’re going to have some interruption of on-site simulcasting,” Tuttle said. “We’re just trying to ascertain today how long that’s going to be.”

He added that as soon as the fire started, the sprinkler system was deployed, and the Boston Fire Department responded immediately. Boston EMS crews were also on the scene.

The fire was classified as five-alarm by 11 p.m. Monday, and by 12 a.m. Tuesday it was a six-alarm blaze. Mutual aid partners from six additional fire departments across Metro Boston were called in. Boston Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey was in command on the scene and by midnight ordered all firefighters off the Suffolk Downs roof before the flames surged through it.

The Boston Fire Department tweeted that due to the limited water supply in the area, firefighters had to relay pump to get water to the structure, which is a maneuver that required thousands of feet of hose. Firefighters battled the blaze all night, and although it was contained by Tuesday morning, they were still visible on the scene Tuesday afternoon checking for hot spots and containing them.

HYM Development is in the process of repurposing the 161-acre racetrack property into a multi-mixed use development that will include 10,000 rental apartments, condominiums, office parks, restaurants, retail businesses, and entertainment venues. An official with HYM said May 31 that the fire damage did not affect the portion of the development currently under construction and that the redevelopment is continuing.  

Repairs to the old grandstand are to be determined.

“Whether the building was ultimately coming down or part of it was going to be preserved, I don’t know,” Tuttle said.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Denver, CO – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Denver Broncos stadium; No injuries reported

A fire that broke out in the home stadium of the NFL’s Denver Broncos destroyed rows of seats and damaged a suite area on Thursday, authorities said.

The Denver Fire Department responded to Empower Field at Mile High at about 2:15 p.m. MDT, Capt. Greg Pixley told The Denver Post. The fire was extinguished approximately 30 minutes later as firefighters and the stadium’s sprinkler system brought the blaze under control.

“This fire burned very hot. We’re lucky the sprinkler system started to hold the fire in check,” Pixley told the newspaper. “This was a significant fire.”

Stadium officials said in a statement on Twitter that the fire occurred in a construction zone near the East Club Lounge. Pixley said the fire ignited on the fourth level of the stadium and spread to the third-level seats, KDVR-TV reported. Smoke interrupted an event on the second floor that had about 100 people in attendance, but there are no reports of injuries, the television station reported.

Pixley said the sprinkler system was activated in the indoor seating area, but there was no sprinkler system over the exposed stadium seats, according to the Post.

That exposed the stadium’s plastic seats to the blaze.

“This type of plastic that the seats are composed of burns with not only significant ferocity, very large flames, but also produces a tremendous amount of black smoke,” Pixley told reporters.

Six rows of seats in two sections near the suites were destroyed, KCNC-TV reported.