Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

Boise, ID – Sprinkler system extinguished apartment fire caused by cigarette

A man went to the hospital with minor injuries and 12 people were displaced after an apartment fire Monday afternoon, the Boise Fire Department said.

The fire began in a plastic trash can, after someone threw away a cigarette, and spread to a recliner, the department said in a Facebook post. It occurred at Capitol Plaza, a public housing building for seniors at 700 W. Cunningham Place in the North End.

Firefighters responded at 2:45 p.m. after a woman in an apartment near the unit where the fire began smelled smoke and called 911, according to the department. When crews arrived, they found the recliner on fire and a man on the floor in a fifth floor apartment. An ambulance took the man to the hospital with minor injuries, the department said, but a sprinkler extinguished the fire and stopped its spread.

“Working fire sprinklers saved at least one life and prevented significant structural damage,” the Facebook post said.

Boise Fire spokesperson Lynsey Amundson told the Idaho Statesman in an email that residents were displaced by water damage to the fourth and third floor apartments.

Apartment Building, Residential

The Woodlands, TX – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at apartment complex

Around 9 AM, Tuesday morning, residents at the Timbermill Apartments on Sawdust Road were alerted to a fire in their three story building when fire sprinklers activated over two separate fires in a 3rd floor apartment. The sprinkler activations triggered a water flow alarm and fire crews from The Woodlands and South Montgomery County Fire Departments soon arrived to find residents evacuating and smoke coming from the building.

Firefighters made their way up to the smoke filled apartment and began searching for the source of the fire and any remaining occupants. They quickly discovered that two of the building’s fire sprinklers had activated, one over a fire in the living room and one over a fire in a walk-in closet. Firefighters also observed evidence that the fire was intentionally set and immediately secured the area as the first of several fire investigators arrived on scene.

After insuring that the fire was out, firefighters shut down the fire sprinkler system and turned their attention to salvaging resident’s belongings on the floors below the fire. MCFMO Investigators spent several hours examining the scene and interviewing witnesses before placing the resident of the apartment, 28 yr old Jasmine Johnson, under arrest for setting the fires.

The investigation continues into the circumstances and motive behind the fire, but there is no further danger to the public at this time. MCFMO Investigators are currently booking Ms. Johnson into the Montgomery County Jail on 1st degree felony arson charges, where she will be held on a $250,000 bond.

MCFMO Inspection personnel worked with apartment management to insure that the building’s fire sprinkler system was restored to service and that the remaining residents would be protected once they are able to return to their apartments.

Montgomery County first enacted a County Fire Code in 2008 when Commissioner’s Court issued an order adopting the International Fire Code, a consensus safety standard that requires all new and remodeled apartment buildings be equipped with fire sprinkler and alarm systems.

Without these modern safety systems, a fire like this could easily have led to injuries and even deaths, as well as significant property damage. National fire sprinkler statistics reveal that approximately 90% of fires in sprinklered buildings are controlled by the first sprinkler head that activates.

Apartment Building, Residential

Seattle, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire in apartment complex; No injuries reported

The 911 dispatch call came in at 8:41 a.m. to the complex, located at 10670 14th AVE SW (map below).

Multiple crews were able to extinguish the flames and isolate the hallway sprinkler system.

At this time, there are no reports of injuries, but some residents will be temporarily displaced due to smoke, fire, and water damage. Red Cross was requested, and the King County Regional Housing Authority was on scene to coordinate assistance efforts for tenants.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chapmanville, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire on apartment building eighth floor; No injuries reported

Nearly 100 residents of the Chapmanville Towers were displaced Monday after a fire broke out on the building’s top floor.

According to the Chapmanville Volunteer Fire Department, the fire began in an apartment on the building’s eighth floor. No injuries were reported, but water damage was caused to several apartments by the complex’s automatic sprinkler system going off, which caused water to seep throughout the building.

Crews quickly extinguished the fire and evacuated the building. Initial social media posts also rumored of a roof collapse; however, there were no official reports that indicated such damage.

Most of the 88 residents who were evacuated were transported to Chapmanville Regional High School, but some residents did choose to go to the Tracy Vickers Community Center instead, according to a press release from the Logan County Office of Emergency Management.

The Red Cross responded to the shelter location at the high school to assist the displaced residents. FEMA is also assisting with the displaced, according to the Chapmanville Volunteer Fire Department.

Property restoration crews were called to the scene as well. There is no word yet on when residents may safely return to the building.

Multiple agencies responded to assist including the Chapmanville Volunteer Fire Department, the City of Logan Fire Department, Henlawson Fire Department, Danville Fire Department, the Logan Emergency Ambulance Service Authority (LEASA), the Logan County Office of Emergency Management and the Boone County Office of Emergency Management.

Apartment Building, Residential

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

Puget Sound firefighters put out a fire on Saturday that destroyed the entire front entrance of an apartment.

The fire happened in SeaTac in the 3700 block of 209th Place, according to Puget Sound Fire.

Neighbors used fire extinguishers to put out the fire. The sprinkler system also went off which helped diminish the flames.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Brick, NJ – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

An apartment fire at the Chambers Bridge Residence was quickly contained Wednesday afternoon thanks to working fire sprinklers and the quick response of firefighters, Brick Township fire officials said Thursday.

There were no injuries in the fire at the 184-unit five-story building, a statement from Kevin C. Batzel, chief of the Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety said.

Brick Township emergency dispatch received an alert about a waterflow activation at the apartment complex at 3:47 p.m. and first responders found an active fire in a second-floor apartment, Batzel said.

The fire happened in a hamper in a bedroom and the fire sprinkler head in the bedroom activated, dousing the flames, and firefighters confirmed the fire was under control within minutes of their arrival, then made quick work of smoke that lingered, he said.

The fire was contained to that room with some minor water and smoke damage to that apartment and apartments on either side and on the first floor, Batzel said.

Residents of all of the apartments except those that suffered damage were able to return to normal within hours, Batzel said.

“The bureau would like to thank the quick response of all the Brick Township fire departments, our mutual aid companies, Brick Township Police, Brick EMS and Townshipo Emergency Management for their quick response,” the statement said.

“It should be noted that the working fire sprinkler system and smoke alarms activation kept damage to a minimum in conjunction with the quick fire department response,” Batzel said. “Working alarms and the presence of fire sprinklers are imperative to fire and life safety and no doubt kept the fire small and controllable with minimal disruption to the building.”

Fire Chiefs Joe Licandro and Tom Bisbal of Fire District 1 were in control at the scene, and inspectors Joseph Sansone and Paul Matula from the fire bureau investigated.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kansas City, MO – Sprinkler system activated for fire on 21st floor of apartment building; No injuries reported

Kansas City, Missouri, firefighters are crediting a sprinkler system for quickly turning back a small fire in an apartment on the 21st floor of the One Light apartment building downtown.

Around 3:30 p.m., fire crews were called out to the residential high-rise at 50 E. 13th St.

A KCFD spokesperson said firefighters completed extinguishing the fire with assistance from the sprinkler system. Crews remained on the scene as of 4:15 p.m. to limit any water damage to units on floors below.

No injuries were reported from the fire. The KCFD spokesperson was not sure if the apartment was occupied at the time of the fire.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fitchburg, WI – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Fitchburg fire officials say an entire apartment would have likely gone up in flames Monday if it wasn’t for an automatic sprinkler system.

Division Chief of Prevention and Inspection Mark Mlekush said a fire was reported at an apartment complex on Traceway Drive off Fish Hatchery Road around 1:30 p.m.

Fire crews arrived to sounding alarms, but they couldn’t find an active fire. After a search of the building, crews found a single sprinkler had triggered and put out a kitchen fire before it spread.

Because the sprinkler activated quickly, fire damage was limited to the immediate area of the kitchen.

The complex’s residents were briefly evacuated, but were able to return home within an hour.

Mlekush said without the automatic sprinkler system, it was “highly likely” the entire building would have been compromised by the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fargo, ND – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

Sprinklers extinguished a fire in an apartment complex on Saturday morning.

According to officials, on Saturday, July 8 at 11:22 a.m., Fargo Firefighters were dispatched to a report of fire alarms sounding in an apartment building at 4462 30th Ave S.  When firefighters arrived, light smoke was observed in a first floor hallway.

Firefighters found water coming from under a doorway midway down the hallway.

When Fargo Firefighters opened the door, they were met by smoke banked down to the floor.

Officials say a search of the apartment found no one inside and a small bedroom fire that had activated a fire sprinkler; the sprinkler had fully extinguished the fire.  The resident of the apartment was found outside on her first floor patio.

Fire and smoke damage to the bedroom and its contents was minor due to the sprinkler activation.  Prior to the sprinkler being shut down by Fargo Firefighters, the water had migrated into several neighboring apartments.

A local water removal contractor was brought to the scene by property management.  Tenants were allowed back into the adjoining apartments and will not be displaced.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and a preliminary damage estimate is not yet available.

Apartment Building, Residential

North Attleboro, MA – Sprinkler system contains fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

The North Attleboro Fire Department extinguished a structure fire in an apartment building on Friday night.

Chief Christopher Coleman said that firefighters responded to an apartment building at 12 Moody St. around 11 p.m.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed coming from a second floor apartment, in which a small fire was being contained by the building’s sprinkler system.

Coleman said the department was able to extinguish the fire with mutual aid from fire departments from Attleboro, Plainville, Foxboro, Mansfield, Cumberland, Rhode Island, Mansfield MEMA and Providence Canteen.

The department said it searched and evacuated all 22 apartments in the building.

The chief added that no injuries were reported, and two people were displaced and are being assisted by the Red Cross.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the North Attleboro Fire Department Fire Investigation Unit.

Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers