A resident at the Woodlands of College Station complex on Harvey Mitchell Parkway called 911 around 8:30 p.m. after he heard a pop in his bedroom, according to a College Station Fire Department spokesman.
A fire started to spread into a bedroom wall, but the sprinkler system kept the flames from spreading until firefighters arrived.
The College Station Fire Department said an electric skateboard battery caused the fire.
Clarkesville Fire Department along with other emergency services was called to the Cameron Apartments at 3:10 p.m. for a fire alarm.
According to the release, when fire crews arrived they forced entry into the apartment and found smoke with one sprinkler turned on.
The sprinkler system was reportedly able to put out the fire in the kitchen area. Firefighters were able to contain the fire in the apartment. Officials say the fire did not spread throughout the building or to other apartments.
During the investigation, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire was caused by a cat that was inside the apartment.
The cat allegedly jumped on the refrigerator and knocked a bag off, onto the toaster.
Clarkesville Fire Chief Jason Poole said the cat in question had a history of jumping on the counter to get on top of the refrigerator.
The residents were not home at the time of the fire and all the pets in the apartment were saved by the firefighters.
Residents of the apartment complex for senior citizens reported seeing smoke and flames.
According to an RPD press release the sprinkler system in the building did its job and prevented the fire from spreading. Most of the damage from the incident was from the sprinklers rather than fire.
67 residents were either evacuated or sheltered-in-place. One resident was transported to the hospital for a medical evaluation according to today’s press release.
The Richland Fire Marshal Investigator and the RPD Arson Investigator are working to determine the cause of the fire. Multiple suspicious fires were reportedly lit in the building. There are currently no suspects.
Officials say at 6:30 p.m., crews were dispatched to the Colony Village Apartments. When they arrived, they found heavy smoke pouring out two third-floor windows. Crews say, luckily, the building’s sprinkler system was fully operational and put out most of the fire before they got there.
The fire was marked entirely under control just after 7 p.m.
10-12 people have been displaced, possibly more if water from the third floor trickles down to the other two levels.
There were no injuries whatsoever.
Gardiner Fire Chief Rick Sieberg said the tenant in the third-floor apartment apparently knocked into a stove, turning on a burner that ignited some nearby paper products and caused a small fire up the wall, which activated the sprinkler head.
The Maine Office of State Fire Marshal is investigating the fire.
“Having that sprinkler system is like having the fire department in your apartment 24/7,” Sieberg said. “The amount of property and lives that can be saved by that sprinkler system is enormous.”
Sieberg said the Gardiner firefighters who responded turned off the sprinkler.
This is the third time in the last decade the sprinkler system has extinguished a fire in that building, which is located several hundred feet from the site of a fire in July 2015 that destroyed 235 Water St. and damaged buildings on either side of it.
Sieberg said damage to the unit was minor, and no other unit was affected. No one was hurt.
The first arriving unit was Deputy Tighe from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, who confirmed a large amount of water coming from the second floor, and smoke in the building. Deputy Tighe made his way to the second floor and confirmed a fire in apartment 210. He immediately radioed for additional units and began evacuating residents.
Additional responding units arrived and assisted with the evacuation of the building’s residents. Responding fire companies arrived and continued with the evacuation and extinguished the fire. The fire was contained to apartment 210 – where it originated – due to the building’s sprinkler system.
The American Red Cross responded to assist with displaced residents.
Investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing by the Niagara County Origin and Cause Team. There is no estimate on damages at this time.
According to authorities, the fire happened Saturday night at an apartment complex on Lyndenglen Drive. The Ann Arbor Fire Department said the fire was caused by hot ashes being placed on a wood pile on an outside balcony.
The damage to the apartment complex is estimated to be $5,000. Authorities said without the sprinkler, the fire would have made it into the attic before fire crews arrived.
The Ann Arbor Fire Department said any ash removed from a fireplace should be placed in a steel container with a lid and cooled for at least 24 hours. The container should never be inside, on a wooden porch, deck or balcony and needs to be placed at least 10 feet away from any structure to cool.
The fire started just before 3 a.m. in Building A on Willey Creek Road inside the Ray Farm community off Route 27 in Exeter, according to Exeter Fire Chief Eric Wilking. Residents of four story building were evacuated for about an hour as firefighters put out the blaze and remained on scene to remove smoke and remove the smell of smoke and gasoline from the garage, stairways and hallways.
“This fire certainly had the potential to spread, but the sprinkler system and quick work of our crews kept it at bay. The incident is a good reminder about the effectiveness of a working sprinkler system,” Fire Chief Eric Wilking said in a statement.
No one was injured in the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
A fire broke out in a unit of an Abilene apartment complex Sunday evening.
According to a press release, crews arrive around 6:40 pm to the Buffalo Ridge apartments to find the alarm and sprinkler system activated in one of the units. Because of the sprinklers, the fire was contained to just the unit’s stovetop.
According to those at the scene, no one was inside the unit at the time, although neighbors did rescue a dog from the flooding caused by the sprinklers.
The damage is estimated to be approximately $5,000.
Firefighters arrived on the scene of a three-story apartment complex and found an activated sprinkler head discharging water in a ground-level attached garage, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.
Firefighters entered the garage and found evidence that a small fire had occurred within the garage. No flames where located during the initial investigation.
During the ongoing investigation, firefighters located several cardboard boxes that presented evidence of fire damage. The boxes contained various new home appliance items and new home décor materials. Firefighters learned that the garage unit was used as a storage and maintenance garage for the apartment complex. Some of the items were damaged as result of the fire, Wilson said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time. Investigators believe that a small fire occurred near the boxed items which lead to an increase in heat within the garage unit. The sprinkler head that activated was located in close proximity to where investigators believe to be the area of origin. Investigators said that the sprinkler system worked as designed and played a significant role in reducing fire extension to the structure as well as limiting property damage. No structural damage resulted from the fire. Damages to the contents of the garage are estimated at $3,000.
No injuries were reported at the scene. Agencies that assisted at the scene include the Columbus Police Department and the Columbus Regional Health Emergency Medical Service. No occupants were displaced as a result of the fire.
