Other / Not Specified, Other Business Redmond, OR – Downed power line causes fire at wood products business; Sprinklers contain blaze January 13, 2017 viking210 A downed power line fell onto a roof at Redmond’s Bright Wood Corp., sparking a fire in an electrical box Sunday morning, officials said. A sprinkler system contained the blaze until power was shut off, but damage and expected repair costs still totaled an estimated $400,000. Redmond fire crews were called out around 10:20 a.m. to the Bright Wood mill at 630 Southeast First Street, said Fire Marshal Traci Cooper. Firefighters arrived to find the downed power lines and a fire in an electrical box in a mill building, Cooper said. The sprinkler system activated and contained the fire until Pacific Power could shut off electricity to the area, she added. Fire crews then ventilated the building to remove smoke and ensure the blaze was extinguished. The fire marshal said the cause of the downed power line was not known, though freezing rain had been reported in the area.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Medford, OR – Fire at commercial laundry business contained with help from sprinkler system January 10, 2017 viking210 Firefighters battled both fire and ice Thursday night in northwest Medford when they responded at 8:50 to a blaze at Alsco Inc., 980 Ellen Ave. The building, a commercial laundry facility, sustained “moderate smoke damage,” with no visible damage to the structure, according to an agency Facebook post. An investigation showed the fire ignited in a large dryer that had been filled with mop heads and other textiles. The materials were left in the dryer by accident, fire officials said, likely leading them to smolder, ignite, then spread to some nearby linen bags. Alarms in the building began to sound and the facility’s sprinkler system kicked on. Fire crews initially responded to the scene with four engines, but quickly upgraded the response to a second alarm because of the amount of smoke and the fire’s location deep in the building. “Second alarm is actually used for resource improvement,” said Medford Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Erin Sawall. “It could be for any myriad of needs.” Six engines from Medford Fire-Rescue and Jackson County Fire District No. 3 responded, tangling with ice outside while they fought the fire inside. Thursday night’s low temperature in Medford dipped to 18 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, turning the roads outside into a skating rink for firefighters while they prepared hoses. “It was a very icy scene,” Sawall said. “Crews operated in a pretty dangerous atmosphere.” Crews deployed salt to help. One firefighter did slip, Sawall said, but he wasn’t seriously injured. No other injuries were reported. Firefighters had the flames extinguished within a half hour, but spent almost three more hours on scene venting the buildup of smoke. Fire officials said the building’s sprinkler system was a big help in snuffing the flames. “It had some serious potential,” Sawall said. “Under these conditions, that’s the best we can hope for.”
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Mansfield, OH – Sprinkler system keeps cardboard fire at business development center from spreading December 30, 2016 viking210 Braintree Business Development Center, 201 E. Fifth St., Mansfield – Firefighters were contacted about an alarm going off early Saturday. They arrived to find heavy white smoke that limited visibility. Cardboard had caught fire in a single room. A sprinkler activated to keep the fire from spreading. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Fair Lawn, NJ – Arson fire at commercial building extinguished by sprinkler system December 29, 2016 viking210 A man was charged with burglary and arson after he broke into a River Road building and set a trash can on fire, police said. Police responded to 13-09 River Road on a report of a fire. Police found that a fire had occurred in the building’s trash room and that the sprinkler system extinguished it. Detective Paul Donohue investigated and, after reviewing video evidence, arrested Edward Ostrowicz, 26, of Saddle River, Metzler said. Ostrowicz is homeless, but found him at his parents’ home, police said.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Bowling Green, KY – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire, prevents it from spreading in downtown building December 5, 2016 viking210 At about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, the Bowling Green Fire Department responded to a structure fire with visible flames on the third floor at 423 Park Row, the building adjacent to the Brewing Co. Three fire trucks responded to the call and immediately started preparing a ladder truck to allow firefighters access to the roof. Once they gained access, they found a small fire had been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. “On a large building we will try to determine exactly where it is before we start committing resources to the wrong area,” BGFD Chief Jason Colson said. “We’ve shut down the sprinkler system and stopped water from flowing in the building.” Firefighters also went into the surrounding buildings to verify that there weren’t any other issues or possible fires. Colson said no further fire resources were needed and both buildings were unoccupied. The cause of the fire was undetermined as of 8:30 p.m. Fire investigators were called to the scene. BGFD was attempting Thursday night to make contact with the building owner.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Albuquerque, NM – Sprinkler systems help protect businesses in string of arson fires November 29, 2016 viking210 The Federal Bureau of Investigations confirms one person is in custody following a string of fires at several Albuquerque businesses Saturday morning. Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden would not elaborate on the suspect’s connection to the fires. “We do have a person in custody and we firmly believe that our community is safe and this should not happen again,” said Chief Eden. The FBI is leading the investigation and they have not released any details on who was taken into custody or what charges that person faces. APD says it is helping the FBI, ATF and State Police gather evidence. Albuquerque Police Arrested the suspect Saturday morning in connection with a fire at the Barnes and Noble at Coronado Center, another fire at the Old Navy Store on Cutler near San Mateo and a fire at the Shred It center on Broadway. Those businesses all suffered fire and smoke damage as well as water damage from sprinkler systems set off by the fires. There were similar incidents at three Starbucks locations in Albuquerque on Friday morning.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Thurmont, MD – Fire at catalog business controlled with assistance from sprinkler system October 31, 2016 viking210 Frederick County Fire and Rescue responded to a building fire around noon on Saturday on Apples Church Road in Thurmont, Md. Official said smoke was coming from the top of a building which led neighbors to call 911. Fire officials said that the sprinkler system went on which helped calm down the fire, but fire crews did use fire hoses. Locals said that a catalog business is located in that building and the property owner and businesses owner was on site. No one was harmed in this incident “Once the smoke gets cleared out then we will go in and make sure that the fire is completely out, there is no areas and the Fire Marshall will do their determination and figure out what caused the fire,” said Battalion Chief, Doug Wallick. This is an open investigation.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Portage, MI – Sprinkler system helps contain attic fire at business October 17, 2016 viking210 Portage firefighters put out an attic fire at a West Michigan business on Sunday. Firefighters were sent to J. Rettenmaier, 1615 Vanderbilt Ave., just before 2:30 p.m. after a fire alarm was set off at the business. According to firefighters there was light smoke coming from the building when they arrived and found an activated sprinkler. The firefighters said there was a small fire in the attic and they had to cut two holes in the roof to get to the area. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation by the Fire Marshal.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Portland, ME – Sprinkler system contains overnight bank fire; Business opens as usual in morning September 9, 2016 viking210 About two dozen firefighters responded to the Norway Savings Bank building early Wednesday morning for a fire. A bank spokeswoman said the bank will open as usual Wednesday. The bank’s drive-up opened at 8 a.m. and its lobby will open at 8:30 a.m., she said. Karen Hakala said bank officials were thankful that no one was in the building when the fire broke out and that no one was hurt. The fire started on the third floor near a water heater, Deputy Fire Chief Shawn Neat said. Crews were called to the building on Congress Street around 2:45 a.m.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Mount Vernon, KY – Fire at Renfro Valley entertainment center controlled by sprinkler system July 20, 2016 viking210 In the early evening hours of July 16th the Mount Vernon Fire Dept. was dispatched to a reported building on fire in the Village at Renfro Valley. Upon arrival, fire units observed a large amount of smoke coming from the replica fire station building in the village, across from the gristmill. Once crews made entry, it was determined that the fire was actually a golf cart on fire inside and not the building itself. The building’s sprinkler system activated and kept the fire contained. It was quickly extinguished, with only smoke and water damage to the building and its contents. Brindle Ridge Fire Department responded automatic aid while Brodhead Fire Department responded mutual aid.
