Category Archives: Apartment Building

Sprinklers prove effectiveness in unoccupied apartment unit fire (Los Angeles, CA)

A fire erupted in an unoccupied apartment unit on Sunday afternoon. The fire, which is still under investigation, was contained to that unit by the apartment’s fire sprinkler system. The three-story apartment building’s other residents were able to safely evacuate.

“The sprinklers did an excellent job of keeping the fire in check and not allowing [it] to spread,” Orange County Fire Authority Captain Steve Concialdi. “If there were no sprinklers, this fire would have gone into the attic and a number of apartments.”

Fire at apartment unit put out by sprinkler system (San Diego, CA)

An overnight fire that began in a third story apartment unit began when an oven in that unit burst into flames. The fire sprinkler in the unit activated and eliminated the flames; no injuries were reported.

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by reporter ABC 10 News, which focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system**

Sprinklers extinguish fire at two-story multi-family residence (Riverside, CA)

A fire which broke out at a two-story apartment building was put out by the residence’s fire sprinkler system on November 30. The afternoon fire began in a second-floor unit, and firefighters who responded to the scene found the sprinkler system had activated and extinguished the blaze. No one was reported injured in the incident.

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by reporter Martin Henderson and the Palm Desert Patch, who focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system**

Fire sprinklers again prove their worth in fire at assisted living center (South Bend, IN)

A microwave caught fire Friday morning, sending smoke billowing out of Wood Ridge Assisted Living. Fire officials are thanking a working sprinkler system for saving lives. “Without a sprinkler system a fire doubles in size every thirty seconds, so without a sprinkler system it could have been a lot worse,” Battalion Chief Robert Wood said. All of the residents living there were safely evacuated Friday morning without any major issues.

Sprinkler holds fire at bay at apartment complex (Annapolis, MD)

A sprinkler contained a fire inside an apartment complex laundry room preventing anyone from being injured or displaced Monday night, a city fire department spokeswoman said. Firefighters responded to the Admiral Oaks apartment complex shortly after 9 p.m. for reports of smoke coming from a laundry room, fire department spokeswoman Capt. Janet Kiefler said. The sprinkler contained the fire until firefighters could arrive and quickly extinguish it, Kiefler said. The fire was determined to be caused by a malfunctioning dryer.

Residential complex fire put out with help from fire sprinkler system (Winooski, VT)

Fire contained in apartment building thanks to fire sprinklers (Waterloo, IA)

The fire sprinkler system kept a fire from spreading further than the second floor unit in which the fire began on Sunday afternoon. The fire began on a couch in the apartment, and no one was occupying the residence at the time of ignition. The rest of the apartment building safely evacuated the premises.

Battalion Chief Michael Moore said of the incident, “The sprinkler did its job. If the sprinkler system wasn’t in there, it would have been a ripping and roaring fire.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

Fire at apartment complex controlled by sprinkler system (Murfreesboro, TN)

Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department’s District 9 responded to a kitchen fire at Victory Station Apartments just before 7:30 Tuesday evening.  When crews arrived to the apartment complex, the fire was already extinguished by the sprinkler system. Two families were displaced due to water damage, but did not require assistance from the Red Cross.

According to Captain/Shift Inspector Mark McCluskey, the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen area. “The sprinkler system kept fire damage to a minimum,” McCluskey said.
No one was injured during this incident.