Category Archives: Office Building

Office Building, Other Business

Rocky Mount, NC – Sprinklers limit damage to room of origin in office building blaze

No one was injured when a fire broke out Tuesday night at a local office building on the 1400 block of Atlantic Avenue.

Rocky Mount firefighters responded around 5:15 p.m. to an alarm call at the Jay Group building where employees had already evacuated. An automatic sprinkler system had activated in the office where the fire started and kept it in check until crews got to scene and extinguished the blaze within 15 minutes of being dispatched.

“Kudos to the automatic sprinkler system” said Jamie Vaughn, division chief of operations for Rocky Mount Fire Department. “It really saved this property and the lives of those people.”

It is unclear how many employees were in the building when the fire started, but the damage was limited to the room of origin. Fire investigators are working with Rocky Mount police to determine the cause of the fire, which is still under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 977-1111 or crimestoppers@rockymountnc.gov. Text a tip to police at 274637 by beginning messages with RMPOL to direct the tip to the Rocky Mount Police Department and type up to 155 characters about the information.

Office Building, Other Business

Boise, ID – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in downtown commercial building

Boise Fire says a small fire that broke out at the Charles Schwab building has been ruled accidental. Firefighters were called to the building, near 9th and Main Streets, just after 6:30 p.m. last Sunday.

While they found smoke inside, crews say the building’s sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire. A Boise Fire spokeswoman says there was moderate damage to the building.

On Monday, Boise Fire says an employee from the building had taken laundry home to wash. After it was clean, he placed the warm laundry in a crate and brought it back to the business. The heat, mixed with cooking oil remnants, sparked the fire, Boise Fire says.

Office Building, Other Business

Appleton, WI – Sprinkler system prevents fire in office building from spreading; Adjacent businesses spared

The Appleton Fire Department released a statement today saying they were dispatched to a fire at the Epiphany-Rose building around noon today for a report of smoke in the building.  According to statements by workers at Kerber-Rose Certified Public Accounts, located in Suite B, they had noted that a bank of electrical lights had stopped functioning. 

After investigating and finding no reason for the failure, the individuals continued with their work.  A couple hours later, another bank of electrical lights also failed.  One of the workers then heard a “crackling and popping” sound in the ceiling above his work station.  Shortly after that, smoke was seen coming from the ceiling area and the fire sprinkler system activated.

The Appleton Fire Department credits the automatic fire sprinkler system for keeping the fire from spreading further.

Upon arrival of fire units, smoke was found throughout the Suite. Upon investigation, a fire was found burning in the attic.  Automatic fire sprinklers and a fire wall in the attic prevented the fire from spreading to the Epiphany Law Office, located in Suite A.  Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire but due to the blown insulation in the attic, fire crews remained on scene for several hours conducting overhaul operations to ensure that the fire was completely extinguished.  Fire crews also assisted in removing numerous items from the interior of Suite to prevent further damage.

No one was injured at the fire. Initial estimates are that the fire damage was at least $150,000. 

Office Building, Other Business

Columbia, MO – Fire at office building controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries

No one was injured Wednesday morning after a fire broke out at a commercial building in south Columbia. Columbia Fire Department crews responded at about 9 a.m. to Building 5 of the Woodrail Centre, 1000 W. Nifong Blvd., to find smoke coming from the eaves, according to a news release.

Firefighters saw water coming from Suite 120 in the building, then entered the suite to find light smoke and an activated sprinkler head. The crews turned off the sprinkler system to prevent further water damage. The sprinkler was enough to bring the fire under control, the release said.

A fire marshal was investigating the cause of the fire, and a damage estimate was not available. Crews remained at the scene after the fire was extinguished to clean up water in the building.

Office Building, Other Business

Pittsburgh, PA – Fire at U.S. Steel Tower extinguished by sprinkler system

Pittsburgh firefighters responded early this morning to a fire in the U.S. Steel Tower in Downtown. According to a release by the city’s department of public safety, firefighters responded to the fire at Pittsburgh’s tallest building at about 4:45 a.m., but found that a small fire in a custodian room in the lower level of the building had already been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. There were no injuries and only minor damage, according to the release.

Office Building, Other Business

Las Vegas, NV – Suspicious fire at business doused by sprinkler system

A man stole a security guard’s truck while the guard was responding to a fire alarm Wednesday morning. The guard was doing a routine check when a fire alarm started going off. He then found a suspicious man standing around who he believes was trying to break into a business.  The man said he just got out of the hospital and wants to get to California.  While the guard was questioning him, the man then took off with the guard’s truck, which was still running.   “He bolted back to my truck and took off with it,” said Otis Linton, the security guard.

The fire started around 1 a.m. in the 6100 block of Brent Thurman Way, near Sunset Road and the 215 Beltway. Upon arrival, firefighters saw no visible fire or smoke coming from the structure but the sprinklers were activated. There was a small fire in offices that were under construction.  The fire is under investigation.

Office Building, Other Business

Honolulu, HI – Sprinkler system activates to suppress flames in office fire

A two-alarm fire in the Waiakamilo Business Center was reported just after 10 p.m. Tuesday. Nine fire companies responded and 35 firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke pouring from the five-story building in Kalihi. The fire was located and contained to a ground floor unit. The building’s sprinkler system activated and helped suppress the flames. The fire was fully extinguished by 10:55 p.m. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation. A damage estimate is not available yet

Office Building, Other Business

Washington, NJ – Fire in records storage area at corporate building contained by sprinkler system

The cause of a fire in a storage area of the Albea Americas Corp. in Washington on Sunday remains under investigation, a fire official said. The blaze broke out around 6:15 a.m Sunday at 191 Route 31 in what the company refers to as its “tech area” on the building’s main floor, said Washington Fire Chief Bob Cammarota. He said the room mostly contained a storage area of paper records.

Once the sprinkler system went off, it helped keep the fire contained to the single area, Cammarota said. “It was a fire that could have been much worse,” he said. “The sprinkler system helped out a lot.”

About 20 employees on the overnight crew were evacuated safely and eventually were allowed back in the building, Cammarota said. He said they could work inside, but were told by fire officials to avoid entering the storage area.

Cammarota said the Warren County Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate.  An Albea Americas spokesman did not immediately return an email request for information. Albea is a global leader in personal care and cosmetic packaging, according to the company’s website.

Office Building, Other Business

Madison, WI – Overnight fire at downtown office building extinguished by sprinkler system

The building that houses the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development (WHEDA) is closed Wednesday due to a fire that broke out overnight according to a release from WHEDA. Madison Fire Department said they were called to the Tommy Thompson Commerce Center around 1:06 a.m. for an activated alarm.

Fire officials said when firefighters arrived the fire was out. They say a high-voltage power supply to the building shorted and caused sparks to shower down on some plastic materials underneath. A small fire ignited, and the automatic sprinkler system in the room caught the fire early.

A representative from WHEDA says there is no power in the building, and it’s completely closed at this time. Power is not expected to be restored until Thursday. Employees have been told not to report to work until they are notified.

Fire officials say there’s limited fire damage to the room and a small amount of smoke damage in the area where the fire took place.

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), the Educational Approval Board, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Tourism also have offices located in the Tommy Thompson Commerce Center.

Office Building, Other Business

Richmond, VA – High-rise office fire put out by sprinkler system; No injuries

A fire inside the James Madison Building in downtown Richmond caused smoke but no reported injuries Thursday. Firefighters were called at 1:28 p.m. to the building at 109 Governor St., which houses the Virginia Department of Health, said Richmond fire Lt. Chris Armstrong. Hundreds of employees gathered outside after the building was evacuated.

Investigators determined the fire was accidental and the result of a malfunctioning microwave, Virginia State Police said in a news release. The fire started on the third floor, Armstrong said. The sprinkler system put out the fire, and crews were working to clean up the water, he said.

The building was closed Thursday and will remain closed today. The state hopes to reopen the building Tuesday, after Monday’s Columbus Day holiday.