Category Archives: Apartment Building
Davis, CA – Sprinkler system controls fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported
Williston, ND – Apartment fire contained by sprinkler system; No injuries and dog saved
The Williston Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 5:17pm Wednesday to 4915 11th Ave W, or Renaissance Heights Apartments. Units arrived on scene at 5:23pm with smoke showing from the front of the building on the fifth floor. The fire was contained to a kitchen in one apartment and was controlled within about 5 minutes.
The fire sprinkler in the apartment contained the fire until the fire department arrived. Firefighters did rescue one dog from the apartment that was on fire. There were no injuries reported. Approximately 49 residents were temporarily displaced overnight with 16 apartments that suffered smoke and/or water damage. Thirty-five firefighters were on-scene as well as police and emergency management. The building was released to management at 10:10 p.m.
Manassas, VA – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in controlling apartment fire
Petersburg, VA – Laundry fire in loft apartment building extinguished by sprinkler system
Ty Wheless, a resident of the third floor, also stood in the parking lot with her wife and small dog. “I thought it was a drill,” said Wheless. “We didn’t smell any smoke or anything.”
Ferguson said the building management company worked to relocate one occupant as a result of the fire.
Property management representatives at the scene declined to comment for this article. The property management website for the apartments describes the historic building as the former Federal Cigar Company building renovated into one- and two-bedroom loft-style apartments.
It was “extremely hard to ventilate” smoke from the building because the historic building designation allows for the windows to remain closed, said Ferguson. He said the ventilation process took longer than usual as a result. Firemen set up fans to blow smoke up through a roof hatch in the stairwell of the Hinton Street entryway.
Residents were seen re-entering the building at 1:47 p.m.
Bethesda, MD – Sprinklers activate to fight vehicle fire in underground parking garage
Mankato, MN – Sprinkler extinguishes fire at off-campus apartment; No injuries
Kelowna, BC, Canada – Apartment balcony fire extinguished by sprinkler system
Grapevine, TX – (No media coverage) Apartment fire caused by unattended cooking doused by sprinkler system
***No media coverage – Fire Department reported*** On October 1st, 2017 at 03:32 the Grapevine Fire Department was dispatched to the Montelena Apartments at 501 Turner street #622 for an alarm activation. The first on-scene fire crews arrived to find audible fire alarms activating with nothing showing. Apartment #622 on the second level was investigated and fire crews found a single side wall sprinkler head had activated and extinguished a fire on the stove. The cause of the fire was from unattended cooking. There was fire damage to kitchen cabinets around the stove and smoke damage to the ceiling above the stove. The single sprinkler head contained, extinguished the fire; saving lives and property on the same floor and below. Even though the fire alarms had sounded, residences in the affected fire apartment were still in their bedroom. Fire damages were estimated around at $4000 saving and protecting a property valued $33,450,000.
The numbers are accurate for repairs and value of building. The contents of the apartment was estimated on renters insurance of $10,000
Bridgewater, MA – Sprinkler system limits fire damage in apartment blaze; No injuries reported
“The fire was contained to that one apartment, but we had smoke in the hallway and water damage on all five floors underneath where the fire occurred due to sprinkler activation,” Levy said. Investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire inside the dryer. The fire chief said neither the lint trap or lint buildup in the duct work are initially believed to be the cause.
“The investigation is pointing toward the interior of the dryer, which was pretty melted,” Levy said. “We’re not sure if it was a mechanical failure, if it was overloaded or there might have been something inside the clothing.”
The chief said cooperation from maintenance staff and management helped firefighters quickly get into the affected apartment. Levy said they will investigate the cause further and work with management to make sure other dryers aren’t in danger of catching fire. This fire comes after there were two dryer fires in the region about a week apart in late September – one in East Bridgewater and the other in Whitman.
“These residents were home, but we would never advise leaving a dryer or any electrical appliances unattended,” Levy said. The chief estimated the damage caused by the fire to be about $75,000. The unit where the fire occurred sustained heavy water damage and there were ceiling collapses on two upper floors due to the water.
“The sprinkler system activated the proper way, the fire alarm activated and the smoke detectors were working,” Levy said. “It’s unfortunate the water damage that was sustained, but that’s out of our control.”