Category Archives: Residential High Rise

Residential, Residential High Rise

Santa Monica, CA – Sprinkler system keeps high rise building fire from spreading

A Santa Monica high rise by the beach caught fire last Monday night before Santa Monica and Los Angeles firefighters put out the blaze, according to the Santa Monia Fire Department (SMFD).

On Monday, February 11, at 7:15 p.m. SMFD Engine 2 responded to the Shores Apartments at 2800 Neilson Way to investigate a fire alarm activation. Upon their arrival firefighters discovered smoke billowing from an apartment balcony on the 10th floor of the 17-story high rise building. Additional resources were immediately requested, bringing in all SMFD resources as well as aid from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, which were kept from spreading to the common hallway of the building thanks to an activated fire sprinkler head, according to the SMFD.

“A challenging component to this high-rise fire incident was keeping the dozens of impacted residents safe and out of harm’s way. Firefighters used a combination of sheltering occupants in place until the fire was brought under control, as well as systematically evacuating those who could be, safely out of the building,” SMFD Captain and Public Information Officer Patrick Nulty said in a press release. “Thanks to a functioning fire alarm and fire sprinkler system, residents were alerted to begin evacuating immediately and the fire was kept from spreading.”

According to the department, it took 33 firefighters approximately 19 minutes to suppress the flames, which were confined to the kitchen and living room area. There was extensive water damage to several units below the fire from the fire sprinkler. No injuries to residents or first responders were reported. The resident of the apartment where the fire occurred was not home at the time of the fire, and was displaced as a result of the damage. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Tysons, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in 19-story high-rise building; No injuries reported

There was a fire earlier this week at the 8200 block of Crestwood Heights Drive in Tysons, but even before Fairfax Fire & Rescue arrived it was doused by the building’s sprinkler system.

The fire started just after midnight in an upper-floor apartment of a 19-story high-rise building. There were no injuries and $200 in damages.

Bill Delaney, a public affairs officer for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, said fires being taken out by sprinklers before firefighters arrive is uncommon, given that sprinklers are only typical in newer high rise buildings.

“Sprinklers are mostly located in high-rise buildings, condos, apartments,” said Delaney. “Also a variety of commercial type buildings and businesses. Older types of those buildings do not have fire sprinklers as it was not a requirement at the time they were built.”

Delaney said the fire was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials. Delaney noted that this was the sixth fire in 2019 caused by discarded cigarettes or other smoking devices. One last week caused significant damage to a home after cigarettes were thrown into the trash.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue offered a few suggestions for safely disposing of cigarettes.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Fargo, ND – Fire on 14th floor of residential high-rise contained with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

An automatic sprinkler helped contain a fire in an apartment on the 14th floor of the 22-story Fargo Lashkowitz High Rise. Firefighters were called to the fire at 101 2nd St. S. at around 6:15 a.m. Saturday. A man inside the apartment was removed to safety and evaluated by FM Ambulance. No one was injured. The Fargo Housing Authority had crews on scene to take over clean up before fire crews had cleared. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

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, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential, Residential High Rise

Pittsburgh, PA – Fire chief credits sprinkler system in preventing worse situation in high rise senior apartment building fire

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The Pittsburgh fire chief credited a sprinkler system with likely preventing a worse situation for seniors evacuated by a fire Saturday at their high-rise apartment building in Hill District.

“Thankfully, this 10-story building had a working sprinkler system,” Chief Darryl Jones said in a news release.  The residents of Ebenezer Towers on Dinwiddie Street were evacuated from the 99-unit apartment building after the two-alarm blaze broke out shortly after 5 p.m. The fire was quickly contained to two units.  Two people were transported to the hospital — an 85-year-old woman who was burned on her foot and a man who needed evaluation for a pre-existing condition. The man since has been released; the woman was in stable condition.

One resident was rescued from a second-floor balcony, according to the release. During the fire, police took several elderly people and families to the Zone 2 station for shelter. The city said residents on the upper floors were allowed to return to their apartments. The 24 residents of the first two floors were displaced due to smoke and water damage.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Waikiki, HI – Sprinkler system contained fire to one unit in 38-story high rise fire; No injuries reported

The Honolulu Fire Department says an automated fire sprinkler system stopped the flames from spreading in a blaze at a high-rise in Waikiki late Friday night.

Firefighters responded to a blaze around 10:50 p.m. and no injuries were reported.

Some 22 personnel responded to the 38-story Waikiki Baynan complex on Ohua Avenue.

HFD credits an automated fire sprinkler system with containing the flames to the original unit on the 30th floor of the building.

Hundreds were evacuated after the fire broke out.

“It was pretty orderly. We just went to the fire exit and opened the door and joined the crowd and walked down the stairs,” resident Sheila Palmer said.

It took firefighters less than 40 minutes to completely extinguish the flames.

“One adult male and female were alerted to the fire by an audible pop and the activation of a smoke alarm. They safely escaped the unit without injuries,” HFD officials said. “Another adult male was not in the unit at the time of the fire.”

Meanwhile, fire officials spoke to condo owners and building managers Saturday about the city’s new fire safety ordinance, which passed this May.

It’s a measure intended to avoid deadly fires like the one that broke out in the Marco Polo building in July of 2017.

“The ordinance is very important,” said Kevin Mokulehua, who works for HFD. “We want everyone to remain focused on the intent of having sprinklers: it’s going to save lives; they’re going to save property; and they’re going to allow occupants to get out of a building if there is a fire.”

There are exceptions to the ordinance, but most high-rise residential buildings would need to be retro-fitted with automatic sprinkler systems.

“One of our buildings is below the high-rise standard and one of our buildings is above the high-rise standard so it needs to have those laws applied,” said Thomas Ebner, manager for the Ka Hale Moi condominiums.

He knows just how costly adding sprinklers can be, but agrees with the ordinance.

“The association will have to cover that I am sure, it’s all for the better,” Ebner said. “You need to make sure that everybody is very happy and very safe.”

Fire investigators say Friday’s fire was accidental, sparked by an electrical electrical failure in the microwave.

Total damages to the building and its contents were estimated at $320,000.

“HFD would like to encourage our visitors and residents to discuss and practice their fire evacuation plans. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere,” officials added.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Honolulu, HI – Fire on 28th floor lanai at residential high-rise extinguished by sprinkler system

A sprinkler on a lanai extinguished a small fire at a Kakaako high-rise today, Honolulu firefighters said.  Forty-seven firefighters responded to the two-alarm fire at 5:07 p.m. in building B of 801 South St. near the intersection of Kapiolani Boulevard and Alapai Street, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Scot Seguirant.  By the time firefighters got to the 28th floor unit about 10 minutes later, the fire already had been extinguished by the sprinkler system, Seguirant said.

“Bar none, sprinklers are the safest way to manage a fire,” he said. “It was there before firefighters were even able to get there.”  He said a properly designed building can minimize property loss.  The cause of the fire was undetermined, but damage was estimated at $2,500 for the structure and its contents.  A large group of firefighters responded to the alarm because a second-alarm was called when smoke was seen coming from the building. The second wave of firefighters were returned after they arrived at the building.  Authorities closed Kapiolani Boulevard between South and Cooke streets during the incident.

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Meriden, CT – Fire at high rise apartment complex extinguished by sprinkler system

The fire department responded to a call after a smoke alarm was tripped at at a high-rise complex Tuesday afternoon. This was related stove fire that activated a sprinkler system at the 55 Willow St. complex. The fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system. Crews remained on scene for about one hour evacuating residents, removing water from apartments on floors 1-4 and checking for associated hazards.

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Belle Haven, VA – Fire sprinkler system saves residents at high rise apartment building

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue determined a fire sprinkler saved residents and minimized damages at a Belle Haven apartment fire on Tuesday, July 31.  Fairfax County and Alexandria firefighters responded to the 5900 block of Richmond Highway around 10:02 a.m. at the 13-story high rise. By the time they arrived, the sprinkler system had already extinguished a fire in a fifth floor unit. There were no injuries.  The unit’s residents were not home at the time of the fire. Building residents were alerted by the fire alarm system.  Fire investigators determined unattended cooking on the stove started the fire. Initial damage estimates are $500. The two residents were displaced and declined Red Cross assistance.  The fire department reminds residents that sprinklers can save lives and their properties.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Massena, NY – Kitchen fire in high-rise apartment complex suppressed by sprinkler system

Building sprinkler system douses kitchen fire at Massena high-rise apartment complex.  The building’s sprinkler system was able to douse a kitchen fire late Saturday night on the eighth floor of the Laurel Terrace high-rise apartment complex.  Massena volunteer and permanent firefighters were called out to an alarm activation at 10:47 p.m. at Laurel Terrace. First Assistant Chief Paul Brownell said that when they arrived on the scene, they found smoke and water on the eighth floor.

“The sprinkler above the stove had gone off and extinguished it. We had a lot of water with that,” he said.  Firefighters spent the next few hours halting the water flow from the sprinkler system, evacuating residents from apartments that were damaged by water, checking on residents that had sheltered in place, securing the building’s utilities and assisting the Massena Rescue Squad with patient triage for smoke inhalation. The Massena Police Department was also on the scene.

“We were trying to get the residents to stay in place. A lot of them like to move around,” Mr. Brownell said.

He said they advised residents who remained in the building to stay in place and not move around so they could be contacted.

Firefighters initially used the building’s interior staircase to get up to the eighth floor and back to ground level again. They used a high-rise kit with hoses specifically designed for those types of emergencies.

“We try not to use the elevator,” Mr. Brownell said.

Once they determined there was no danger, the elevator was put back into service again to get residents back to their rooms.

Tenants were able to return to their apartments, and no temporary housing was required despite any water damage their apartment may have suffered.

“Nobody had a problem with that,” he said.