Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

Santa Rosa, CA – Electrical fire in sixth floor apartment doused by sprinkler system

Fire broke out early Wednesday in a top‑floor apartment of downtown Santa Rosa’s historic Rosenberg Building, trapping a female resident who was rescued by firefighters, displacing five and forcing the evacuation of the large building, according to Santa Rosa fire officials.

The woman, believed to be 35 years, was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation treatment.

The fire’s origin was traced to an electrical issue from a power strip extension cord — including one plug used for a pet lizard’s heat lamp, said Battalion Chief Matt Dahl.

Several people reported the fire just before 12:50 a.m., warning firefighters that one person appeared trapped. A Santa Rosa fire engine already was out on a call and the crew arrived within one minute, finding several residents spilling out into the street and sidewalk, some with wheelchairs and walkers.

The large Mendocino Avenue building, built in 1921 just off Old Courthouse Square, now is home to 77 subsidized low-rent apartments. There was no sign of fire from outside but firefighters found smoke on the sixth floor and a fire in an apartment there. The flames mostly had been doused by the apartment’s sprinkler system but the residence was smoky, hindering the woman’s ability to get out, Dahl said. Firefighters helped her down to an ambulance and evacuated others on the fifth and sixth floors.

The flames hadn’t spread to other apartments but there was water damage from sprinklers to four apartments and Dahl estimated the overall loss at $100,000.

The Red Cross and building property manager arranged temporary accommodations for residents of the five damaged apartments, Dahl said.

Three dozen Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Fire firefighters responded with seven engines and two ladder trucks — a show of force due to the size of the building and the need for evacuations. The effort wrapped up about 3 a.m.

The Rosenberg Building originally was the tallest structure north of San Francisco and has been a downtown Santa Rosa landmark for almost 100 years. About 30 years ago it was converted to apartments and sprinklers were added.

Santa Rosa Assistant Fire Marshal Ian Hardage said the sprinklers likely saved the building from a much larger fire and may have saved lives. It saved at least one, Hardage said — the lizard.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707‑521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kent, WA – Sprinkler system in bedroom of apartment keeps fire contained to one room

A fire alarm helped a family evacuate a burning Kent apartment Wednesday night, the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority reported.

The fire, reported at 7:07 p.m. started in the bathroom then burned through the door into the bedroom, causing the sprinkler head to activate along with the fire alarm at the Riverwood Apartments, 24600 block of Russell RoadSouth.

Hearing the alarm, family members were able to safely evacuate the apartment and call 911.

Puget Sound Fire units arrived with smoke coming from the front door. Entry into the home was quickly made, and the fire extinguished in the bathroom.

Thanks to the sprinkler in the bedroom, the fire did not get beyond the bathroom door, Puget Sound Fire said.

The apartment below the fire had damage from the water used to extinguish the fire above.

American Red Cross was called and arrived to help the two displaced families.

The cause of fire is still under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Salisbury, MD – Sprinkler system keeps overnight fire from spreading; No injuries reported

Crews battled an overnight blaze Tuesday at Mill Pond Village Apartments that displaced 35 people and caused $500,000 in damages, according to fire officials.

A Salisbury Fire Department Facebook post shows units from Salisbury, Delmar, Hebron and Parsonsburg responded to 312 Mill Pond Lane at 1:37 a.m., arriving to find a well-advanced two-alarm blaze.

Officials said the 42 firefighters on scene were able to bring the fire under control within 45 minutes, and all building occupants were safely evacuated. There were no injuries.

A news release from the Office of the State Fire Marshal applauded the building’s fire protection features and the quick response from local firefighters for preventing large-scale property loss and loss of life.

The release shows investigators discovered the blaze was accidental and had originated from a third-floor balcony as a result of discarded smoking material. 

The investigation also determined an automatic fire sprinkler kept the fire from spreading from the balcony to the living space, the release states, and the required fire separations stopped it from preventing further damage after it accessed the attic space.

The fire has displaced 35 residents, according to the release. In total, it  caused $500,000 in damage — $400,000 to the structure and $100,000 to the tenants’ personal items.

Apartment Building, Residential

Jackson Hole, WY – Sprinkler system works, contains apartment fire to only kitchen

An early morning fire at the Smith’s Plaza was doused by an operational sprinkler system.

Jackson Hole Fire/EMS was called to a structure fire in the apartments above the Smiths Liquor Store this morning at 8:40am. By the time they arrived, crews found that a sprinkler had completely extinguished a grease fire from an unattended cooking pan. The pan’s grease flamed up to the overhead kitchen hood and was suppressed when the sprinkler head became hot enough to trigger water onto the fire and quickly put it out.

Fire crews placed a stopper in the sprinkler head to help control the water flow once it was determined the fire was completely out. By 2pm this afternoon, it was reported the water had been cleaned up and the sprinkler system put back into service. All 40 employees will be able to return to their rooms tonight.

Fire Marshal Kathy Clay put the event in perspective and emphasized the importance of a fully functional sprinkler system.

“One fire sprinkler put out a fire that could have burned the entire building down,” Clay noted. “This single fire sprinkler kept the fire spread from going into the attic space. Housing is a significant issue in this valley, and today we can celebrate that this life safety fire sprinkler system functioned when needed, saved lives, and saved property.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Jackson, MS – Sprinkler system activated for fire on 10th floor of apartment building

People gathered on the sidewalk to watch smoke and water come out of a window in a downtown Jackson building Monday afternoon.

Jackson Fire Department District Chief Shunta Wilder told the Clarion Ledger a “small fire,” contained to one apartment unit, broke out at 308 E. Pearl St. It is currently under investigation, she said.

Signs on the building advertise luxury apartment units for rent as well as office and retail space.

Jeremy Cosby said he was napping in his ninth-floor apartment unit when alarms started going off around 2:35 p.m.

Cosby said as he left his unit, he grabbed his wallet so he would have identification on hand. Everything else, including family heirlooms, he left behind.

He could see and smell smoke as he headed down the stairs.

Cosby and his roommate looked worried as they stood on the sidewalk across the street to watch the firefighters at work.

“We don’t know what is what inside. We got to wait and see,” he said.

Fire breaks out on 10th floor of downtown Jackson building

At least five firetrucks rushed on scene. A firefighter could be seen opening three windows on the 10th floor of the building, letting the smoke out.

Summer Land lives on 10th floor of the building. She said she was doing homework when the alarm started blaring. Not long after that, the sprinkler system kicked in.

Tenants were told to evacuate and not use the elevators, Land said. 

“It was very clear what we should do. It was loud, too,” she said. 

Subway restaurant employees, who work on the ground floor of the same building, were also evacuated, as water continued to trickle down from above. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Savannah, GA – Apartment cooking fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries

Savannah Fire Rescue cut water and power to two units at the Montgomery Landings Apartments Sunday night after a cooking fire activated the fire sprinkler system and caused extensive flooding Savannah Fire Rescue was dispatched to the Montgomery Landings Apartments at 714 W. 57th Street, and arrived on scene within five minutes at 9:13 p.m., spokeswoman Jenel Few said. A cooking fire activated the fire sprinkler system in second floor apartment 409.

The sprinklers extinguished the fire. Savannah Fire Rescue Firefighters shut off water and power in the affected units and removed excess water. No one was injured, but 11 people were displaced. The Red Cross was called to provide assistance, Few said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Ithaca, NY – Overnight fire at off-campus apartment held in check by sprinkler system

A busy night for the Ithaca Fire Department on Saturday night into Sunday. According to the Ithaca Fire Department, crews responded to both a fire on the city’s South Hill and a water rescue on Six Mile Creek. Firefighters were first called to College Circle Apartments around 11:30 p.m. after an air conditioner caught fire. The buildings sprinkler system kept things at bay until crews could fully extinguish the flames. No one was injured.

Apartment Building, Residential

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in knocking down apartment fire

No one was hurt, but an apartment and three businesses have suffered some major damage after a fire Sunday morning near Abbott and Water Street in Gastown. A discarded cigarette lighter seems to have been what started it. Fire crews were called to the unit near Abbott and Water Street, when smoke was reported by neighbours. Dave Rosenlund, Assistant Chief with Vancouver Fire and Rescue says it took time to knock out the flames.

“Crews got there, the sprinkler system had been activated from the building, and combustibles from the suite were on fire at the time when crews entered the suite,” he says. There’s some structural damage to the apartment, as well as water damage to three businesses located below the suite. Rosenlund says it’s a reminder to be cautious if you smoke indoors. “When smoking in your room, just be careful of how you dispose of your matches or turn your lighter on and off,” he says.

Apartment Building, Residential

Wilmington, NC – Sprinkler system extinguished fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

The Wilmington Fire Department is responding to a fire at an apartment complex this morning.

Assistant Chief of Operations Tom Robinson said were dispatched to residential structure fire at 719 Indica Court, apt. 101 just before 7:00 a.m.

Robinson said crews arrived to find light smoke coming from front door. He said there was a fire on the stove due to cooking with extension to the over-stove microwave. He said the fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system. The fire was extinguished by 7:05 a.m.

There was no other damage to the apartment. Crews remain on scene to remove smoke from the apartment.

Robinson said there are no injuries to residents or fire personnel.

Apartment Building, Residential

Eugene, OR – Garage fire at apartment building is put out by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

An apartment garage fire ended with assistance from Cahoots on Monday. It happened around 10 o’clock Monday morning. That’s when fire officials say a small fire took place in the parking garage of an apartment complex off 18th and Mill street. They say a transient woman was sleeping in the garage and the fire started around her activity, but did not say what caused the fire. “It was really isolated, just a small area in the parking garage where it’s kind of tucked back in an area where people frequently sleep or use as a transient area,” said Austin Brushett, the Deputy Fire Marshall. Fire officials say the sprinkler system extinguished the fire. There were no injuries reported in connection to the fire.