Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Hoboken, NJ – Residential high-rise fire suppressed by sprinkler system

One person was injured when a three-alarm fire broken out in a Hoboken apartment building Wednesday, police said.  It’s not clear what caused the blaze at 2 Marine View Plaza, but two apartments were heavily damaged, according to police. The sprinkler system helped quickly knock down the fire.  No one was in the apartments but at least two other residents were complaining of smoke inhalation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Medford, OR – Apartment fire knocked down by sprinkler system

At around 4:40 P.M. Wednesday, Medford Fire-Rescue responded to a fire alarm in the 2600 block of West Main in Medford.  Within a minute the fire was upgraded to a structure fire.  Multiple smoke alarms and a sprinkler system were activated inside one of the first floor apartments within the complex.  Neighbors were seeing smoke, but no active flames as they began self-evacuating due to the sounding alarms.  Within five minutes, the first arriving engine was able to quickly confirm that the fire was knocked down by the sprinkler system. Since all of the apartments are protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system, it also limited the damage and danger to the residents in the entire complex.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.  This incident serves as a reminder to check your smoke alarms and their batteries. Have a plan for your family, and what you’ll do if the alarm ever goes off.

Apartment Building, Residential

Wichita, KS – Sprinkler system holds apartment fire in check until crews arrive

A fire damaged some apartments in downtown Wichita Tuesday. It happened around 8:30 a.m. near 3rd and St. Francis.  Authorities said the fire was contained to one apartment. Fire caused damage to the kitchen area. “We had on sprinkler head go off, and it kept the fire in check. We had the smoke alarm going off notifying the people that could hear it as well,” said Fire Marshal Stuart Bevis, Wichita Fire Department.  The cause of the fire is under investigation. It is believed to be accidental.  Water and smoke caused some damage to nearby apartments.

Apartment Building, Residential

Stamford, CT – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries to occupants

A late morning fire in downtown damaged an apartment on Clinton Avenue, according to fire officials.  A post on the Stamford Fire Department web site stated that, at 11:40 a.m., the city’s 9-1-1 center received an automatic fire alarm for 40 Clinton Ave., a downtown high rise apartment building.  The post said that arriving firefighters were advised that water was coming from an apartment on the fifth floor. When firefighters arrived on the floor they reportedly encountered lots of smoke and found an activated sprinkler in an apartment.

Other fire companies were called to the scene while firefighters stretched a hose from the standpipe to the fire apartment, the post read.  Fire officials said investigators discovered that cooking oil had ignited and, when the occupant attempted to extinguish the fire with water, the fire flared up and activated a sprinkler overhead and fire was extinguished. The fire was declared under control at 11:52 a.m. The occupant of the apartment had evacuated prior to fire department arrival and suffered no injuries.

The two occupants of the apartment were displaced and will be staying with friends and family. A total of four engine companies, one truck company, the heavy rescue company, and the duty deputy chief responded with a total of 27 firefighters. Stamford Police responded as well to provide traffic control. The city fire marshal’s office responded for cause and origin determination. The final fire department unit left the scene at 1 p.m.

The National Fire Protection Association reports that cooking fires are the top cause of home fires and injuries, and the leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fargo, ND – Fire in fourth floor apartment extinguished by sprinkler system; No firefighter or civilian injuries reported

Fargo firefighters responded to a report of an activated fire alarm in an apartment building at 2:55 p.m. at 123 Roberts Street North. The building contains 62 apartments. On arrival, they found a fire in an apartment on the fourth floor.  The fire was contained to a couch in an apartment by the building’s fire sprinkler system. The fire created heavy smoke on the fourth floor; moderate smoke on the third and fifth floors; and, light smoke on the second floor. Because of the couch’s placement in the apartment, the fire caused two sprinkler heads to activate. The fire was extinguished by the sprinkler heads as the crew arrived at the apartment. There was water that needed to be cleaned up on the fourth, third, and second floors.  The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage is estimated to be approximately $1500.00. There was minor fire damage in one unit, which was limited to the immediate area around a couch. There were no firefighter or civilian injuries. The one tenant in the apartment will not be able to stay in the apartment until it is cleaned.

Apartment Building, Residential

Frederick, MD – Laundry fire at apartment building put out with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Three people were displaced last Wednesday evening after a clothes dryer caught fire in an apartment in the Francis Scott Key apartment building, officials said.  Just after 6 p.m., multiple fire departments responded to the apartment at 31 W. Patrick St. in downtown Frederick, and the fire was quickly put out with the help of the building’s sprinkler system.  No injuries were reported, according to Deputy Chief Jerry Dorsey with United Fire Co.  The fourth-floor apartment sustained significant water damage, as well as the two apartments directly below it on the third and second floors, Dorsey said.  The American Red Cross was called to assist the three displaced residents. Dorsey said two of the residents went to stay with family.  Independent Hose Co., Westview Fire Station, Junior Fire Co., Fort Detrick Fire Department and Spring Ridge Fire Station also assisted in putting out the blaze.

Apartment Building, Residential

Amarillo, TX – Sprinkler system activates in apartment dryer fire helping to contain it to laundry area

The Amarillo Fire Department battled a structure fire early Thursday morning at the Cypress Creek Apartments that was caused by a lint trap and vent in a dryer.  According to AFD, at about 6:45 a.m., Amarillo Fire Dispatch received a report of a possible structure fire at the apartments at 527 Jason Avenue. Units arrived on scene in under 10 minutes to find smoke coming from a first-floor apartment. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the flames that were confined to a dryer. The fire was ruled under control just before 7 a.m.  The sprinkler system activated.  The Amarillo Fire Marshall’s Office was called to the scene and ruled the fire accidental and determined it originated in the dryer.  AFD reminds citizens of the importance of maintaining and cleaning the lint trap and vent of dryers in the home. Not maintaining them results in a fire hazard.  The complex had properly maintained and working smoke detectors. Once residents were alerted to the fire, they were able to escape the apartment without injury. There were no other injuries in this incident.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chilliwack, BC, Canada – Kitchen fire in first-floor apartment extinguished by sprinkler system

The Chilliwack Fire Department are reminding residents to “stand by your pan” after a kitchen fire on Saturday. It was that day at approximately 5:30 p.m. when firefighters were dispatched to a reported apartment structure fire in the 45000 block of Wellington Avenue.  Firefighters discovered a stovetop fire in the kitchen of a first floor apartment unit. The fire had been extinguished by the building’s automatic fire sprinkler system prior to the arrival of fire crews  Without a working sprinkler system in place, this fire had the potential of causing extensive fire damage to the home and adjacent units in the apartment building, according to the department.  “The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Please make sure to stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food and always turn off the burner if you leave the kitchen for any reason.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Tolland, CT – Stove top fire at apartment complex extinguished by sprinkler system

Officials in Tolland responded to a stove top fire at an apartment complex Saturday morning.

Crews responded to 86 Buffcap Road after receiving a report of a fire alarm going off in an apartment complex.

Officials say the fire was put out with a sprinkler. Two units are uninhabitable while crews continue to asses the water damage. 

The Tolland Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

There are no reports of any injuries. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Toms River, NJ – Sprinkler system keeps apartment fire from spreading

Residents who were forced from a Toms River apartment building amid a Thanksgiving morning fire are expected to be able to go home on Monday, Toms River officials said Saturday.  The fire at Highland Plaza that forced 100 residents to evacuate was caused by careless smoking, said Kevin Esposito, chief inspector with the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention. The resident of the apartment was treated at Community Medical Center, Toms River, for smoke inhalation, he said.   The fire started before 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving and authorities were alerted by an automated alarm; fire personnel arriving at the complex at 91 Highland Parkway saw smoke coming from an apartment window.

Esposito said firefighters under the command of Chief Mike Muttie from Toms River Fire Company 1 entered Tower C through a stairwell and were able to extinguish the fire without incident and extension to any other apartment. A sprinkler head outside the burning apartment activated and kept the fire from extending into the hallway, he said.  The residents initially were taken to Toms River High School South with assistance from the Toms River school district, which provided buses for the evacation amid the frigid temperatures, said Jillian Messina of the Toms River Police Department. Some residents were picked up by family and others were placed in temporary housing by the building owner, she said.  Paul Daley, Toms River emergency management coordinator, said it was expected most residents would be able to return to the building on Monday.