Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

Racine, WI – Sprinkler system extinguised wastebasket fire at apartment; No injuries reported

An automatic sprinkler, triggered by a wastebasket fire, caused extensive water damage to an apartment unit at 134 Main Street Wednesday evening.

The Racine Fire Department was called to the residence at 10:18 p.m.by an automatic sprinkler system water flow alarm. The sprinkler head had extinguished an accidental wastebasket fire in Apartment 210. There were no injuries.

However, the sprinkler caused an estimated $30,000 in damage to the ceiling, walls and contents of the downstairs unit, Apartment 110. Firefighters used tarps and other equipment to protect belongings in the apartment. Apartment 210, where the fire originated, sustained approximately $5,000 in minimal water damage and moderate smoke damage. The fire was determined to have been caused by discarding hot smoking materials in a wastebasket filled with tissue paper.

Apartment Building, Residential

Whiteville, NC – Fire sprinklers contain fire started by electric wheelchair

A lifesaving rescue was carried out by firefighters Saturday night. The Whiteville Fire Department was called out to the Covey Reserve Apartments and were able to save a man from dying.

Captain Kyle McDaniel was one of the firemen on the call.

“We searched each room and JD made contact with him and roused him up,” said McDaniel. “That’s when we realized we had a victim in the room.”

McDaniel said they weren’t able to see their hands in front of their face; that’s how much smoke had filled the apartment.

However, it could’ve been a lot worse if the sprinkler system didn’t go off.

“95-percent of the fire was out when we made entry,” said McDaniel.

The cause of the fire was an electric wheelchair. It belonged to Stacey Todd, who was asleep in the next room.

“Oh man, I tell you what. It’s a scary thing; it’s scary,” said Todd. “But things happen in life, sometimes you can’t help it.”

Todd says he lost everything in the fire, losses that come particularly hard this time of year with the holidays just around the corner.

But he is keeping his spirits up.

“I thank God; that’s all I know,” said Todd. “Because I didn’t know anything. I want to thank the fire department because if they wouldn’t have come, I wouldn’t be here.”

For Captain McDaniel, he says being able to save a life just gives him more reason to do what he loves.

And as for Stacey Todd he’s staying in a motel until he can find some place else to stay or his apartment gets restored.

Apartment Building, Residential

Woodland, WA – Fire sprinklers kept fire in check at apartment building; No injuries reported

Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue team members, as well as some Woodland residents, were very thankful for fire sprinklers Thursday morning.   

Just after midnight on Thanksgiving morning, a fire broke out in an occupied apartment building in the 1300 Block of Glenwood Street in Woodland. The fire started when an appliance was accidentally left on and overheated, causing a fire that spread to the cabinets below.  

Fire crews were notified of the fire by an automatic fire alarm tied to the fire sprinkler system.  A single fire sprinkler, ensuring minimal damage and no injuries or loss of life, quickly and automatically controlled the fire.  

This fire sprinkler kept the two occupants of the apartment where the fire occurred safe along with all of their neighbors in other units throughout the building.  There was very minor fire damage to a cabinet along with some minimal water damage that was limited to the first floor.   

Division Chief Mike Jackson of Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue said, “This situation would have been much worse had the building not been protected with fire sprinklers.  There likely would have been significantly more damage along with a greater risk of injury to the building occupants.”   

Jackson further stated that, “We are also reminded in times like this of how thankful we are for our crews that respond quickly 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, and 365 days-a-year, especially on holidays like today when they are at work, serving the community away from their families.’’

Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue encourages home owners and building owners to consider protecting their property and family members with fire sprinklers.  Fire sprinklers offer the most effective way to protect structures and people from building fires.  

Visit Clark Cowlitz Fire Rescue at www.clarkfr.org for more information about fire sprinklers.

 

Apartment Building, Residential

Conroe, TX – Sprinkler system keeps fire in check at apartment complex; No injuries reported

This morning at 11:15am The Woodlands Fire Department responded to the Berkshire Woodlands Apartments at 1488 and Carriage Hills to assist Conroe Fire Department on a reported structure fire.

First arriving units reported a vehicle fire inside the first floor garage of building 7. The building’s sprinkler system had held the fire in check and firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire. Fire damage was confined to the garage with light smoke damage to the adjacent apartment. There were no reported injuries and Conroe Fire Investigators are working on the cause. Also assisting Needham Fire & Rescue Magnolia Fire and Montgomery County Hospital District

Apartment Building, Residential

Beaver Dam, WI – Sprinkler system stops spread of fire at apartment complex

A sprinkler system saved a Beaver Dam apartment building from widespread damage on Friday.

Just after 3pm, the Beaver Dam Fire Department was dispatched to Mary Ann Road for a report of a garage fire which was located directly below the apartments. Crews arrived on scene to find smoke visible from the garage. Fire Chief Alan Mannel says the new apartments were equipped with sprinklers that extinguished the fire prior to the arrival of first responders. He says without the sprinklers installed, the fire may have been (quote) “catastrophic.” Mannel adds examples like these are why fire departments around the state stress the importance of sprinklers in multi-family structures and apartment complexes.

Apartment Building, Residential

Spokane, WA – Kitchen fire extinguished by apartment sprinkler system

A kitchen fire was extinguished early Sunday by the Spokane County Fire Department. 

The fire was reported on E 55 Ave. as residents could see smoke coming out of the second floor of the building. The fire department said that the situation could have been much worse, as a sprinkler system installed in the building was able to control the fire until the authorities arrived. 

Apartment Building, Residential

New London, CT – Kitchen fire in high-rise apartment put out by sprinkler system

A small kitchen fire in the high-rise at 202 Colman St. on Friday night activated the sprinkler units in the building, flooding some apartments.

City firefighters received the call at 7:36 p.m. for a stove fire in a unit on the second floor. The sprinkler system put out the fire but flooded units on the first and second floors, the fire department said. Responding firefighters evacuated eight apartments, ventilated the building and assisted with water removal.

The resident of the apartment where the fire occurred had to be relocated and was being assisted by Red Cross.

Apartment Building, Residential

Falmouth, MA – Sprinkler system puts out apartment fire before fire crews arrive; No injuries reported

A small fire in an apartment displaced one person Wednesday morning, according to Falmouth fire Acting Deputy Chief Chad Absten. 

Fire crews were dispatched to 138 Teaticket Highway at 10:35 a.m., Absten said. The sprinkler system had extinguished the fire by the time they arrived, he said. 

Crews checked for any fire extension, but there was none, Absten said. There was damage from the fire and water damage from the sprinkler system, he said.

There were no injuries, Absten said. 

The Falmouth Housing Authority is seeking a place for the displaced resident to stay, Absten said. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, he said.