Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

Aurora, CO – Sprinkler system activated for morning fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

A Thursday morning apartment fire in southwest Aurora left two adults and two children without a home, according to the city’s fire department.

Firefighters responded to a fire alarm in the 1300 block of Florence Street at about 11:00 a.m. Thursday, according to a news release from Aurora Fire Rescue.

Several people called 911 to report smoke coming from inside the three-story apartment building, fire officials said.

As firefighters searched the building, they rescued a dog hiding in one of the rooms and returned the uninjured animal to its owner, according to the agency.

The fire sparked in the kitchen of an apartment and was mostly extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system, Aurora fire officials said. Crews got the remaining flames under control in about 10 minutes.

The flames did not spread into the neighboring units, according to Aurora Fire Rescue.

No one was injured, but two adults, two children and a dog were displaced by the fire, agency officials said. The cause remains under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Hillsboro, OR – Sprinkler system activated for cooking fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

A cooking fire sent smoke seeping through a Hillsboro apartment building and displaced four residents from two units Monday, Sept. 15, according to local fire officials.

At 1:51 p.m., multiple people called 911 after spotting smoke coming from a second-story unit in the 2000 block of Northeast John Olsen Avenue. Smoke alarms inside the unit and throughout the building rang out as residents funneled into the parking lot.

Hillsboro Fire & Rescue personnel said they received reports that the building’s fire sprinkler system had activated, prompting them to upgrade the incident to a first-alarm response to bring in additional resources.

When crews arrived, they discovered an extinguished blaze in a kitchen but heavy smoke filling the apartment and shared hallway. The sprinklers had also triggered water damage, flooding the unit directly below.

Firefighters searched all three floors of the building to ensure everyone was evacuated before working to clear smoke and remove excess water.

A Hillsboro fire investigator responded to the scene and determined the fire was unintentionally started while cooking.

No injuries were reported, though two residents were evaluated at the scene.

Two adults were displaced from the unit where the fire began, and two others were impacted from the apartment below due to water damage. A dog was also temporarily displaced.

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, AMR Ambulance, Hillsboro’s public works department and the Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplains assisted at the scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kansas City, MO – Sprinkler system activated for overnight fire at apartment complex

One woman was taken to the hospital for moderate smoke inhalation after an overnight fire, according to the Overland Park Fire Department.

Firefighters were called just after 1 a.m. Tuesday to the Corbin Greens Apartments at 140th and Russell Street.

Crews said a kitchen fire on the second floor of the three-story apartment building had been held in check by a working sprinkler system.

The blaze was quickly extinguished in about 10 minutes.

Firefighters carried an adult female from the second-floor landing.

She was taken to the hospital with moderate smoke inhalation as a precaution.

The fire was contained to one apartment, and residents were allowed to reoccupy the remaining units.

While the fire is believed to have been a cooking fire, the exact cause is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

St. Cloud, MN – Sprinkler system controls kitchen fire at apartment building

Unattended cooking appears to be the cause of a fire Sunday morning in St. Cloud.

According to a critical incident report from the fire department, they responded to an alarm at 9:20 at an apartment on the 4000 block of 12th Street North. They arrived to find a sprinkler controlled fire in a kitchen. Firefighters put out the rest of the flames and helped the person evacuate.

The Red Cross also responded to assist the resident.

Apartment Building, Residential

Nashua, NH – Sprinkler system contains blaze at apartment building; No injuries reported

A fire sprinkler system helped contain a fire at an apartment building Sunday afternoon in Nashua, limiting damage and preventing injuries, city fire officials said.

Nashua Fire Rescue responded to Arel Manor at 165 Pine St. just after 2 p.m. after receiving an automatic alarm from the building’s fire detection system, according to Deputy Chief Kevin Kerrigan, who was incident commander.

Engine 2 crews arriving from the Lake Street station found signs of sprinkler activation on the third floor. Engine 4 crews from Crown Hill station located the fire in a third-floor apartment. The fire was being suppressed by the building’s sprinkler system, officials said.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the remaining flames using hose lines. Fire crews remained on scene for more than an hour conducting salvage operations and clearing smoke from the building, according to a news release.

Two residents were displaced by the fire. The affected section sustained smoke and water damage, while apartments on lower floors received water damage from the sprinkler system, officials said.

The American Red Cross responded to assist displaced residents. No injuries were reported.

The Nashua Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire. In all, 30 Nashua Fire Rescue personnel responded with four engines, two ladder trucks and support vehicles. Merrimack Fire provided station coverage during the response.

Apartment Building, Residential

Virginia Beach, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

Power was cut to 101 apartments Saturday evening after a fire and subsequent electrical failure triggered the sprinkler system at a Virginia Beach apartment complex.

The Virginia Beach Fire Department said crews were dispatched around 6:16 p.m. to the 5600 block of Infinity Lane. When firefighters arrived, they found light smoke coming from an electrical box outside the four-story building.

While crews worked to mitigate the issue, officials said a catastrophic failure occurred inside the electrical room, activating the sprinkler system. Dominion Energy immediately secured power to the affected units due to the dangerous combination of water and electricity.

The number of residents displaced remains unclear. Property management is working to help tenants find temporary housing if needed.

No injuries to residents, firefighters, or pets were reported, and there was no fire damage to the building.

The incident is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Steelton, PA – Sprinkler system activated for early morning apartment fire; No injuries reported

An apartment fire broke out in Dauphin County early this morning.

Fire crews say the fire broke out at Steel Works Apartments on August 9 at around 4:30 a.m. in Steelton, Dauphin County.

“When we arrived on the scene, the smoke was coming from the third-floor apartment,” said Kyle Sultzaberger, Steelton’s battalion fire chief.

Crews investigating overnight fire in Adams County

George Drees, part of the Dauphin County fire investigation team, classified the fire as accidental.

“The origin of the fire was stove top unattended cooking,” Drees said.

While no one was hurt, there is some damage to the building which holds 42 apartments.

“There was seven people displaced, one child and six apartments affected,” Sultzaberger added.

Officials on scene say the situation could have been much worse if it wasn’t for the new construction, specifically the new sprinkler system.

“They’re quick acting sprinkler heads. So, when that sprinkler gets that right temperature and lets loose, it puts the water exactly across the room to put the fire out,” Drees said. “The heat sets off the sprinkler system fast. Works great.”

Other Dauphin County fire and emergency crews assisted in their response.

While some displaced residents are staying with family – the American Red Cross has assisted others with hotels while the scene gets cleaned up.

Apartment Building, Residential

Yuma, AZ – Sprinkler system activated for patio fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) is investigating two fires that happened over the weekend.

One of the fires started late Saturday afternoon at La Mirada Apartments near Cibola High School close to Avenue C and 20th Street.

The fire started on the patio of the first floor of the apartment complex.

“Yuma Engine 4 arrived on scene and found a first-story patio apartment that was fully involved. They quickly deployed a bumper line and started an aggressive transitional attack limiting damage to the fire just to the exterior,” said Fire Captain Francisco Leon, Public Information Officer for YFD.

While the patio was damaged, YFD says the interior only suffered water damage.

The sprinkler system inside the building was able to help prevent further damage.

“Sprinkler saves happen a couple of times a year. They do limit the damage of the fire to the confined area, [and] they confine it to the room that the fire started in. It’s very important to keep those sprinkler systems maintained by a professional company,” says Capt. Leon.

Apartment Building, Residential

Champaign, IL – Sprinkler system controls fire at multi-family apartment building; No injuries reported

The Champaign Fire Department responded to a fire in a multi-family apartment building in the 3700 block of Colleen Dr., Friday, August 1, 2025, at 8:58 p.m. Fire crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire.

Firefighters responded to a report from an occupant of a fire in this two-story apartment building. Once on the scene, crews reported smoke coming from a second-story apartment. Firefighters extended a single hose line to extinguish this sprinkler-controlled fire.

The cause of this fire has not been determined as fire investigators remain on scene conducting their investigation. There were no firefighter or occupant injuries reported. The occupants of two units will be displaced because of this fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Meridian, ID – Sprinkler system contains fire at apartment complex

A fire at a Meridian apartment complex was swiftly contained early Wednesday morning, thanks to the building’s automatic fire sprinkler system. The Meridian Fire Department responded to a fire sprinkler waterflow alarm at approximately 12:18 a.m. on July 23, 2025.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered that the sprinkler system had activated, containing a small fire in an area within the affected unit. An investigation found that the cause of the fire was malfunction or overcharging of a wireless charging bank, and it has been ruled accidental.

The quick response of the sprinkler system limited damage to items in the immediate vicinity and prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the building. The Meridian Fire Department emphasized the importance of sprinkler systems in early fire suppression, noting that they are one of the most effective methods in multi-unit dwellings.

“Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute—even small fires can pose serious risks to people and property,” said a department spokesperson. “Contrary to what is often portrayed in movies and TV, sprinkler systems do not all activate at once. Only the sprinkler head closest to the heat source will discharge, targeting the fire directly at its origin.”

The department urged residents to exercise caution with electronic devices and avoid leaving items charging unattended for extended periods. “This incident is a strong example of how sprinkler systems save lives, prevent injuries, and protect property,” the spokesperson added.