Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

Dale City, VA – Sprinkler system contains apartment fire to one unit

A sprinkler system kept a fire that broke out in a Dale City apartment Thursday from spreading to other units in the complex, according to the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue.

At about 2:30 p.m., dispatchers received a call about a fire alarm sounding at the Orchard Mills apartment complex in the 15100 block of Bannon Way in Dale City, the fire department said.

Fire and rescue crews responded and discovered the fire in a closet in one of the apartments; it had been contained by the sprinkler system. Firefighters suppressed and extinguished the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Saskatoon, SK, Canada – Sprinkler extinguishes apartment fire started by unattended candle

According to the Saskatoon fire department, just before 2 a.m.  fire dispatchers received numerous calls of a fire at 431 3rd Ave. North.

Multiple people were found evacuating the multi-story building. Crews made their way to the 12th floor where they found a suite with fire damage. A sprinkler head had already been activated and extinguished the fire.

An investigator has determined that an unattended candle was the cause of the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Laurel, MD – Apartment fire early Easter morning controlled by sprinkler system

Howard County firefighters responded to the blaze just before 1 a.m. Easter morning in the 9000 block of Thames Meade Road. Crews found a small mattress fire that was controlled by the building’s sprinkler system.

A fire was called to the scene to determine a cause and one person was evaluated by paramedics. Two apartments were deemed “unoccupiable,” and fire officials say that number might grow as investigators evaluate other apartments in the building for damage. The American Red Cross is helping residents with any short term help they may need.

Apartment Building, Residential

Milpitas, CA – Sprinklers help contain overnight apartment fire; No injuries

About 12:32 a.m., fire crews responded to the structure fire at 440 Dixon Landing Road in a third floor apartment, Milpitas Fire Department spokesman Sean Simonson said. By 12:47 a.m., crews had extinguished the small cooking fire, he said. Additional firefighters helped evacuate nearby apartments and kept the fire from spreading. 

Three nearby apartments in the three-story “A” building suffered water damage as a result of the activation of the automatic fire sprinkler system. No injuries to residents or fire crews were reported.

Apartment Building, Restaurant

San Antonio, TX – Restaurant fire in mixed-use residential building suppressed by sprinkler system

San Antonio fire officials responded to the fire just after 2 a.m. at the Saltgrass Steakhouse on River Street near E. Crockett and N. Presa streets. The restaurant’s sprinkler system kept the fire contained and damage was limited to the kitchen. 

Firefighters said the flames started in the river level kitchen at the restaurant and appeared to be electrical in nature.  About 25 residents from about 15 apartments above the restaurant were evacuated due to smoke, but later allowed to go back inside. No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Gillette, WY – Sprinkler system extinguishes early morning fire in apartment building

The Campbell County Fire Department responded to 1926 Harvest Moon in Gillette for a fire alarm activation at 6:12 a.m. Friday. The call was upgraded to an active structure fire after neighbors reported seeing flames in the rear of the building. Upon arrival, crews found a four-plex apartment building with fire and heat damage in the back porch area of a lower unit, according to a fire department incident report. A fire sprinkler had activated and extinguished the fire before the department’s arrival.

Apartment Building, Residential

Schenectady, NY – Sprinklers activate; help contain overnight apartment fire

The fire, which broke out around 1 a.m. Saturday at 799 Albany St., left the 48-unit apartment building temporarily closed to about 25 tenants, according to the Red Cross.  Deputy Fire Chief Michael O’Clair said the hallway sprinkler system kicked on.   The fire damage was limited and confined to one apartment building.  

Residents were able to enter the building Saturday afternoon to retrieve some belongings, but the building is not expected to be habitable until Tuesday.  The cause of the fire had not been determined later Saturday.

Apartment Building, Residential

Erie, PA – Overnight apartment fire controlled by sprinkler system

A fire at an Erie aparment building was reported at 11:20 PM at 343 East 6th Street.  When fire crews arrived on the scene, they found that the sprinkler system was activated, keeping the fire from getting worse. The fire broke out near the foyer of the apartment building, and was quickly extinguished. No injuries were reported, and a fire inspector was called to investigate.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fargo, ND – Sprinklers keep fire from spreading at apartment complex

Fargo firefighters got a quick knockdown on a fire thanks to an automatic sprinkler system that controled most of the stove fire. The fire was reported just after 6 p.m. Wednesday in a second floor apartment at 5018 Amber Valley Parkway South in Fargo.

There were no injuries. The fire started when the tenant was cooking and stepped away from the kitchen. She noticed the fire when she heard her smoke detectors go off.

Battaliion Chief Tim Binfet says if the sprinklers had not activated, the fire would have spread throughout the apartment. Damage is estimated at $15,000. The Red Cross assisted the tenants with temporary lodging.

Apartment Building, Residential

Pasadena, TX – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system

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** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Department Reported **
On Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 7:34 pm, the Pasadena Fire Department responded to a reported Automatic Fire Alarm at 3271 Shaver Street in Pasadena.  Upon their arrival firefighters were advised that it was a false alarm but that the water flow alarm was also activated.

Investigation by fire department personnel revealed that there had been a small fire in the kitchen of one of the apartment units which activated a single sprinkler head and extinguished the fire. No Injuries were reported. Fire damage was confined to the top of the stove and the cooking container and water damage was confined to the apartment of origin. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental.

This incident shows the importance of an automatic fire sprinkler system and demonstrates that if the building did not have an automatic sprinkler system, the outcome could have been completely different.

Furthermore there is no doubt whatsoever that at the very least the presence of a sprinkler system saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and property loss to the building owners and potentially prevented citizens and firefighters from being injured or killed.

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