Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

Fire squelched by sprinkler system in multi-story apartment building (Baton Rouge, LA)

A fire which began on the fifth floor of a downtown apartment building was eliminated by the building’s sprinkler system. The majority of the the apartment’s residents are seniors, and everyone was able to evacuate without injury. 

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by reporter Andrew Nomura and CBS 9News, which focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system **

Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinklers douse apartment fire started by small child (Vancouver, WA)

An eight-year old child started a fire in the bedroom of an apartment on Monday evening while using a lighter. The unit’s fire sprinkler activated and put out the majority of the fire before fire crews arrived.

“Automatic fire sprinklers keep fires small,” Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said. “The (loss) potential was really great.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Apartment fire extinguished by fire sprinkler system (Sneads Ferry, NC)

Nearly 30 people were displaced after a small fire set off water sprinklers at a apartment complex.  The fire started at approximately 6:30 p.m. Monday in the kitchen area of one of the apartment units but was immediately contained and put out. The fire was minor, and no injuries were reported.  The fire’s investigation is closed, and it was ruled an accident.

Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinkler puts out fire at apartments that burned in 2007 (Madison, WI)

Six years after a blaze destroyed a Madison apartment building, officials say the sprinkler system at a new building on the same site prevented serious damage from a weekend fire.  The fire started Saturday when a discarded cigarette ignited a Christmas tree on a balcony, authorities said.  By the time firefighters arrived, however, an automatic sprinkler had already extinguished the fire, leaving the building with only cosmetic damage, officials said.  That’s a far cry from July of 2007, when a fire started by a cigarette butt caused $3.5 million in damage, according to State Journal archives.

“This is a perfect example of how fire sprinkler systems limit damage and most importantly, save lives,” Madison Fire Department spokeswoman Bernadette Galvez said in a statement.

Apartment Building, Residential

Apartment cooking fire eliminated by sprinkler system (Springfield, MO)

A cooking fire erupted in an apartment unit around 8 p.m. on Sunday, January 20. The smoke alarm went off, alerting the residents, and the sprinkler activated, extinguishing the fire. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Kitchen fire extinguished by single fire sprinkler (Arapahoe County, CO)

When firefighters responded to a home fire on January 13, the fire had already been eradicated by a single fire sprinkler. The fire began when a pot of cooking oil started on fire, which spread up the stove and cupboards. 


Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinklers keep fire from spreading in apartment fire (Crofton, MD)

On the afternoon of January 9, a fire was called into the Anne Arundel County Firefighters at a three story apartment building. The fire, which started on the balcony of a second floor unit, had quickly spread into the living room, where a fire sprinkler activated and contained the fire until fire crews arrived. A 20-year old male was in the apartment at the time of the fire, and he remained uninjured from the incident. The fire department was able to extinguish the remaining flames within 20 minutes of arrival, and investigators report that the fire was caused by improperly disposed smoking materials.

Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinklers save three-story apartment building from damage (Cape Coral, FL)

A grease fire began in a third floor unit of an apartment building on Tuesday evening. When fire crews arrived soon after they received the alert, they found that a single fire sprinkler had activated and eliminated the fire with no fire damage to the building. 

According to City Fire Marshal Alan Carter, “Without fire sprinklers and quick extinguishment, this could have easily been fire that could cause a very significant loss from fire, displaced twelve families, and potential loss of life.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Mattress fire at apartment complex contained by fire sprinklers (Tinley Park, IL)

** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED **

A fire sprinkler helped to extinguish a bedroom mattress fire at the Edgewater Walk Apartments on Tuesday (Dec. 31).  The sprinkler activated minimizing fire, heat and smoke damage.  The fire did not extend past the area of origin. The cause of the fire is not known, but is considered suspicious.