Category Archives: Other Business

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Royal Oak, MI – Sprinkler system helps minimize fire damage at recycling center

Firefighters extinguished a blaze at Royal Oak Recycling after officials say a fire broke out there Wednesday afternoon and workers were evacuated.

Royal Oak firefighters were called to the recycling facility about 12:50 p.m.

“They had a fire inside one of the machines,” said Fire Chief Dave Cummins. “It doesn’t look as though there was any structural damage from the fire.”

Cummins said firefighters were screening workers at the facility at 414 E. Hudson to see whether any of them needed to be taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation they may have suffered while they were in the building.

Other than possible smoke inhalation there were no reported injuries.

The fire reportedly broke out on a conveyor machine at the recycling plant.

Though smoke spread and a sprinkler system about the machine was activated, Cummins said it was a relatively small fire.

“We’ve had similar fires at the building in the past,” he said.

Less than a year ago, about 20 people at Royal Oak Recycling were evacuated and the plant closed for the day after a machine caught fire in November 2016. No one was injured.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Moraine, OH – Sprinkler system keeps fire in check at garbage hub transfer station

The garbage hub for Montgomery County is back in business after being shut down much of Thursday from a trash fire believed to have been caused by recently dumped, smoldering materials.

The county’s Solid Waste Transfer Station on Sandridge Drive reopened to both commercial and public customers by mid-afternoon, about 10 hours after fire crews responded the Moraine site near I-75.

“Our operations are getting back to normal,” county Environmental Services Communications Coordinator announced in a statement. “We will be open for regular business hours the rest of the week.”

Crews responded to the fire at the facility shortly before 5 a.m. Thursday, forcing employees and haulers off site, and the postponement of the start of a free, three-day appliance disposal program, which will begin Friday.

No injuries were reported and the blaze was put out by early afternoon, a county official said.

Thursday afternoon there was no dollar value estimate of the damage. But it was limited to some offices and the tipping floor where garbage is deposited after haulers make their pick-ups from customers throughout the county, Moraine Fire Chief David Cooper said.

“It’s a big building. There’s not much to burn other than the trash that’s in there,” he said.

Cooper said a definite cause had not been determined. However, it’s not uncommon for trash fires to flare up after haulers empty loads that can contain smoldering material, he said.

“And basically what happens is a fire starts down deep inside of it and it kind of snakes through,” Cooper added. “So you have to just dig it out and keep applying water.”

Moraine fire personnel were on the scene for more than seven hours, aided by crews from Dayton, Kettering and the Miami Valley Fire District, Cooper said.

The transfer station was not staffed overnight, he said, allowing the fire to get “a pretty good head start” before crews arrived. Yet he noted the “sprinkler system actually held it in check” for “quite some time until we got there.”

Crews used back hoes to separate the trash while using some 30,000 gallons of water to extinguish the flames, Cooper said.

“You almost have to move every bit of trash that’s on that floor,” he said. “So we just have to move it from one side to the other and we spray it down.”

While the transfer station was closed because of the fire, county employees were diverted to alternative work sites, and haulers were directed to dump their loads at landfills, Wooten said.

The blaze also set back the start of the Appliance Amnesty program. The appliance disposal program – free to county residents – is a twice-a-year opportunity for people to unload large, unwanted household items.

Other / Not Specified

Rolla, MO – Kitchen fire at domestic violence shelter extinguished by sprinkler system

Rolla Fire and Rescue were dispatched to the Russell House at 3:57 p.m., Sunday afternoon, October 1 to control what has been described as a small grease fire in the kitchen.  “The fire was contained to the kitchen area,” said Chief Ron Smith. He explained the pan with the grease fire was put in the sink, which put the fire under the overhanging cabinets. The building has a sprinkler system which was activated and extinguished the fire.

“The water damage is extensive,” he said. “This happened on the first floor, so water damage extended down into the basement area. It severely damaged the sheet rock and false ceiling, so there was a lot of water damage to the building.” “The cabinets were scorched and there was extensive smoke damage in the kitchen,” he explained. Rolla Fire and Rescue firefighters helped to get the smoke out of the building and helped residents gather some belongings since staying at the Russell House was not an option, until cleanup and repairs can begin.

“There is significant water damage in some parts of the house,” said Randi Turntine, development and volunteer coordinator for Russell House, which offers emergency shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. “We had 53 residents in the shelter (28 women and 25 children ) and worked with the Red Cross to get them placed temporarily. We’re unsure at this point when we’ll be able to get back in.”  Turntine said the crises lines are still being managed 24/7, seven days a week. “We’re still able to work in this [crises] capacity—we just aren’t able to shelter anyone at this time,” she noted.

She said in a media statement that “We will work closely with other domestic and sexual assault shelters throughout the state to meet the needs of victims in our service area. We are thankful for the quick response from Rolla City Fire, neighboring shelters, the Red Cross, board members, and our staff members. The backbone of Russell House has always been the community support we receive, and last night was a perfect example of that. While this is a small bump in the road, our shelter will recover from this and continue to be a safe haven for victims of domestic and sexual abuse. All outreach offices in Phelps, Crawford, Maries, and Dent counties will remain open.”

“Also, we’re having a large event this Saturday night, the masquerade ball, and we want the public to know that it will continue to go on.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

McKinney, TX – Sprinkler system prevents major damage to animal shelter; All animals safe

McKinney Fire Department (MFD) responded to an incident Sept. 28 at The Collin County Animal Shelter, 4750 Community Ave, just after 5:00 p.m. First responders upon arrival noted the fire alarm was sounding and strobes activated.

The investigation revealed the fire sprinkler system had activated and extinguished the fire within the shelter. A single sprinkler head is credited for the minimal fire damage and reinforced the value of fire sprinkler systems. Shelter staff reported no injuries to the 124 sheltered animals.

Approximately 26 MFD personnel and investigators from the Fire Marshal’s office responded to the fire. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

“This successful sprinkler save continues to demonstrates the effectiveness of automatic fire sprinkler systems in a commercial environment. Had a fire sprinkler system not been present, the outcome may have been very different,” said Deputy Fire Marshal Andrew Barr.

For additional information on fire protection systems, code requirements or other fire prevention topics, visit www.mckinneyfire.org or call 972-547-2862.

Other Business

Medford, OR – Sprinkler system contains grease fire at laundry service

Just before 7:00 Saturday morning, Medford Fire-Rescue and Jackson County Fire District 3 responded to a fire alarm at American Linen Service Company between Medford and Central Point.

When crews arrived, they found open flames inside and smoke down to shoulder level. Fortunately, a sprinkler system just over the fire kept it relatively contained.

Investigators say the source was some grease rags.

“[Businesses throw the rags] in a bin and then that bin gets emptied in these big bags and ends up here, so if [the rags are] tightly wadded up and not given the opportunity to dry out, they will develop and generate their own heat,” Battalion Chief Ron Nelson said.

Nelson says most of the damage from the fire was contained to some bags of rags and some nearby shelves. He also added these types of fires are not uncommon in places that use oils and mixtures that could ignite when heated.

Other Business, Place of Worship

Methuen, MA – Sprinkler system helps firefighters control suspicious church fire

Officials are investigating a two-alarm fire that damaged the Christian Church Voice of Salvation at 5 Pleasant St. late Sunday.

Deputy fire Chief Scott Sullivan said the blaze, reported at 10:22 p.m., is still under investigation but indicated he is “leaning toward arson.” 

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is involved in the probe and took samples for analysis, Sullivan said.

Investigators used an accelerant-sniffing dog to detect possible signs of arson. A sprinkler head controlled the fire long enough for a hose team to get into the building, which housed the Red Tavern for many years, Sullivan said.

The building has many void spaces and that makes firefighters nervous, the deputy chief said. The firefighters who responded to the fire did a good job of keeping the flames from spreading, he said.

The fire damaged a rug and some furniture, Sullivan said. The Haitian-American congregation will most likely not hold worship services there next Sunday, he said.

Salem, New Hampshire, and Lawrence crews assisted Methuen firefighters. The last unit left the scene at 2:24 a.m. Monday.

Other Business

Yuma, AZ – Fire at linen services company contained by sprinkler system; Third Yuma sprinkler save in one week

The Yuma Fire Department said sprinklers helped put out a fire that could have gotten out of control.  Monday just after 1:00 a.m., an alarm was reported indicating a fire sprinkler activation at the Alsco facility, 3231 South Florence Lane. Yuma Fire Department and Marine Corps Air Station Fire Department personnel arrived to find heavy smoke in the building. YFD said entry was made to the facility and it was found that a fire had occurred involving several large bags (approx. 250 lbs. each) of restaurant linen products. The fire had been contained and extinguished by the fire sprinkler system.

Office Building, Other Business

Tucson, AZ – Sprinkler system credited with minimizing damage at downtown office building

Firefighters arrived just in time to see the sprinklers activate over flames in the administrative office of Visit Tucson.

The fire alarm at 100 South Church Ave in downtown Tucson triggered a call to 911 at 6:38 p.m., according to a release from Tucson Fire Department. It stated firefighters arrived on scene two minutes later and had the situation under control 12 minutes after that.

They didn’t find anyone inside the building, but determined the fire started around some construction equipment. The cause of it all is still under investigation, according to the department’s release.

The department credits a working fire alarm and sprinkler system with saving property and lives from the flames.

Other / Not Specified

Falmouth, MA – Fire at marine laboratory held in check by automatic sprinkler system

Falmouth Fire/Rescue reports that at approximately 9 AM Thursday morning, they responded to the Marine Resource Center, part of Marine Biological Laboratories at 125 Water Street in Woods Hole. Shortly after arrival, Engine 20 reported smoke showing from the rear of the building. A full first alarm was dispatched, bringing Engine 25 and Ladder 26 to the scene. Crews connected to the sprinkler system and advanced an attack line that they then connected to the standpipe in the stairwell. The crew made entrance to the second floor hallway and found a heavy smoke condition with a fire in a lab that was being held in check by the sprinkler system. The crew fully extinguished the fire and began ventilating the building. Firefighters remained on scene for about 90 minutes. There were no injuries, and the fire is believed to be accidental. Mutual aid from Joint Base Cape Cod and Mashpee Fire covered the Falmouth stations during the incident.

Other Business

New Bedford, MA – Damage from arson fire at laundry business limited by sprinkler system

State and New Bedford fire officials are investigating another suspicious, early-morning fire that damaged a laundry building Thursday in the city’s near North End, officials said.  The fire at Purity Services Laundry, 405 Myrtle St., was in a garage loading area that is inside the building, according to Fire Chief Michael Gomes.

“It was not accidental,” the chief said of the fire.  Damage from the blaze was minimized due to the activation of the company’s sprinkler system, according to Gomes and Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal’s office. Gomes said the Fire Department learned of the fire when the sprinkler system was activated.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire within 20 minutes of their arrival. According to the New Bedford Police Department log, the fire occurred at 3:07 a.m. Thursday.  Items held in the storage area suffered fire damage and there was smoke damage throughout the building, Gomes said.

Officials with Purity Services Laundry were not available for comments Friday morning.

Investigators said they have not determined whether Thursday’s fire is related to numerous early-morning fires in the city’s near North End during July and August.

Chief Gomes said this fire is under investigation by the New Bedford Fire and Police Departments and the state Fire Marshal’s office.

Anyone with information can call the state’s arson hotline, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-800-682-9229, Mieth said. All calls are confidential.