Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

Portland, OR – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

One person was displaced due to a two-alarm fire at an apartment complex in downtown Portland Monday night.

At about 8 p.m., Portland Fire & Rescue were called out to a fire near the intersection of Southwest 10th and Southwest Salmon. First crews on scene saw fire showing from a third story window and a second alarm was called to bring in additional resources.

While evacuating residents, a firefighter came upon a person struggling to breathe in a stairwell. PF&R says the firefighter gave their mask to the struggling resident and helped them outside. The resident was evaluated for possible smoke inhalation but denied medical need in the end.

PF&R says the apartment complex’s fire sprinkler system helped keep the fire from spreading to other units in the building. The fire was extinguished about 20 minutes after the 911 call was made.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Seattle, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire inside apartment building; No injuries reported

Crews fought a fire inside an apartment in Downtown Seattle early Tuesday, causing residents to spill out onto the street.

At 3:30 a.m., crews were called to the building in the 1400 block of Madison Street. A fire was found inside a fourth-floor unit.

When firefighters arrived, the flames were under control, thanks to the building’s sprinkler system, according to the Seattle Fire Department. Crews put out the remaining fire.

No one was hurt.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Columbus, IN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

A residential sprinkler system limited fire damage at a Columbus apartment complex on Monday night.

Columbus Fire Department investigators said that the fire was caused by an improperly discarded cigarette, said Capt. Mike Wilson, fire department spokesman.

At about 6:47 p.m., Columbus firefighters were called to the St. Barts Apartments, 745 Sycamore St., for a fire alarm activation. When the first arriving firefighters arrived on the scene, they reported water flowing from a third floor balcony.

Firefighters used a ground ladder to gain access to the balcony and found an activated sprinkler head, smoldering cardboard boxes and minor fire damage on the exterior of the apartment. Firefighters moved the charred debris to allow water from the sprinkler to extinguish hot spots located within the empty cardboard boxes. When firefighters were sure that hot embers were fully extinguished, firefighters stopped the flow of water from the sprinkler system.

Columbus Fire Department investigators spoke to the apartment’s tenant, who shared that he had been smoking on the balcony approximately 30 minutes prior to the sprinkler system activation. The apartment’s tenant told fire investigators the he was storing empty cardboard boxes on the patio from a recent move.

Fire investigators determined that the tenant had been using an empty cardboard box to discard used cigarettes. The tenant told investigators that he believed he had fully extinguished the cigarette before discarding the cigarette in one of the empty boxes. Investigators have classified the fire as accidental in nature as a result of the improper disposal of smoking materials. Damage to the property is estimated at less than $5,000. No injuries were reported.

The fire incident commander, Capt. Dave Dwyer, said that the sprinkler system operated appropriately and helped to avert a more significant fire. “ With plenty of fuel and oxygen, the fire could have easily spread to other combustible materials or potentially entered the living space, if not for the sprinkler system,” said Dwyer said. The Columbus Fire Department has responded to two fire incidents in the past week that were extinguished by automatic sprinkler systems.

Apartment Building, Residential

Spring Hill, TN – Sprinkler system holds fire in check at early afternoon apartment fire

Spring Hill Fire Department responded to a reported apartment fire early Saturday afternoon.

The fire was contained to the balcony of the affected unit. Investigation found that discarded smoking materials in a flowerpot started the fire which spread to a plastic rocking chair.

Fire was held in check by the sprinkler system until SHFD Units arrived to complete the extinguishment.

No extension into the building or other hazards were found.

Apartment Building, Residential

Mackinac Island, MI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

Just before 2, the Fire Department was sent to the Stonecliffe Neighborhood for a report of an Apartment Fire.

The chief tells us a 2 story employee dorm was on fire after an incorrect use of an appliance.
The majority of the fire was knocked down by the sprinkler system.

Units cleared in 40 minutes.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at apartment complex

At 5:11 a.m., April 13th, Madison’s Fire Station Eight was dispatched to 4016 Nakoosa Trail for an activated fire alarm.

While the firefighters were en route, a 911 call came in, detailing smoke in the hallway, which elicited a full structure fire response.

Residents were evacuating the area when Engine 8 arrived at 5:17 a.m. One of the outside occupants stated that a fire had broken out in their unit. Upon investigation, the firefighters confirmed the fire was extinguished by the automatic sprinkler system.

The fire team shut down electricity to the apartment and assisted with water removal from the first-floor hallways. Three other units were affected by the water, though its occupants were not displaced.

The occupant of the fire unit was taken to the hospital, evaluated, and has since been released.

The apartment where the fire occurred is currently deemed uninhabitable, and the American Red Cross is assisting the displaced occupant.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Battle Creek, MI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

A fire ravaged three apartments in Battle Creek Saturday night, though the Battle Creek Fire Department confirmed there were no injuries.

According to reports by WZZM 13, the fire broke out at around 10:20 p.m. at an apartment building located at 111 West Street.

Upon arrival, smoke was observed in the hallway of the building.

The department’s investigation led to the discovery of a blaze that originated from a vent fan in a first-floor apartment, firefighters had to remove drywall from the ceiling to tackle the inferno.

“Crews pulled drywall from the ceiling to access the fire and put it out,” detailed the report by WZZM 13. The fire managed to extend its reach to the second floor, prompting the activation of a sprinkler system.

All residents were reported safe and, while the fire itself was contained, the aftermath saw disruption for the residents.

As noted by FOX 17, the American Red Cross stepped in to assist those who were unable to return to their apartments following the incident.

The repercussions of controlling the blaze included collateral damage; the apartments sustained fire-related harm and the water supply had to be cut to facilitate repairs of a damaged sprinkler reported MLive. Although the intrepid response from fire personnel contained the situation, residents faced the inconvenience of water outage.

The cause behind the harrowing event was identified as an “electrical shortage,” yet investigations continue, the Battle Creek Fire Department told reporters. The exact number of individuals displaced by the catastrophe has not been provided, but the quick response of emergency services prevented any physical injuries from being sustained.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kennewick, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

UPDATE April 1

According to the Kennewick Fire Department, the fire from Friday displaced as many as 24 people.

The Red Cross reportedly started the process of helping a family of nine, which lived in one of the damaged apartment units and had nowhere else to go over Easter weekend.

Disaster Response Team supervisor Terry Liikala said they were able to help the predominantly non-English speaking family thanks to the help of their bilingual eldest son.

ORIGINAL COVERAGE March 29

An apartment in Kennewick caught fire Friday afternoon and was kept from spreading by fire sprinklers, according to Kennewick Fire Department Chief Chad Michael.

Michael says the fire, located on the 1000 block of West Fifth Avenue, was contained with fire sprinklers to a fourth floor apartment unit before crews arrived.

All residents of the apartment building are allowed to reenter the building except the apartment which caught fire, according to Michael.

The cause is currently unknown and is under investigation by KFD. No injuries were reported from the fire, which is now out.

More information will be revealed later in a press release.

Apartment Building, Residential

Bismarck, ND – Sprinkler system extinguishes stovetop fire at multi-story apartment building; No injuries reported

The Bismarck Fire Department (BFD) was called to the downtown side of the capital city this weekend, as a sprinkler system activated in a multi-story apartment building.

According to a press release from the BFD, at approximately 5:28 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, the group received a call after a report of sprinkler activation at the Heritage Apartments on the 100 block of North 6th Street. Upon arriving on the scene, fire crews noted that the smoke alarm and sprinkler activation came from the fourth floor — and would later detect light smoke in the hallway and water flowing under the door of an apartment.

As they entered, firefighters found that a stovetop fire had been extinguished by the building’s fire sprinkler system, and that the unit’s occupant evacuated to the ground floor. Following this realization, the water flow from the sprinkler was shut down, and the four floor was ventilated to clear smoke.

No injuries were reported to occupants or firefighters, but three occupants were temporarily displaced due to water damage.

The cause of the fire was determined to be unattended cooking.

Apartment Building, Residential

Spring Hill, TN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

The Spring Hill Fire Department responded swiftly and effectively to a morning fire at a third-floor apartment at Worthington Glen Apartments, where they rescued a dog and two cats. Thanks to the rapid response and the assistance of the sprinkler system, the fire was contained, preventing any casualties.

The fire was dispatched at 11:21am Monday morning, fortunately, broke out while no residents were present in the apartment. However, the presence of beloved pets left behind prompted firefighters to take immediate action to ensure their safety. Firefighters managed to locate and safely evacuate the pets, much to the relief of the owners.

The sprinkler system played a crucial role in containing the fire, minimizing its spread to neighboring units. While the third-floor apartment sustained fire damage, the lower apartments experienced water damage as a result of the sprinkler system’s activation. Damage to the building is estimated to be around $150,000. The Fire Marshal determined one of the cats possibly turned the stove on and started the fire.

Worthington Glen is taking proactive measures to assist affected residents. Management is relocating residents to other available apartments within the complex to ensure their comfort and safety while repairs are underway.

Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers