Category Archives: Nursing Home/Senior Living

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Janesville, WI – Basement fire at residential care facility knocked down with help from sprinkler system

7 residents are displaced by a basement fire at Timber Trail CBRF in Janesville, Wisconsin. The Janesville Fire Department and Janesville Police were called to Timber Trail CBRF around 10:24 p.m. on February 22nd for a basement residential fire. JPD Units were the first to arrive and reported fire and smoke coming from the basement with a person trapped inside. JPD Units began an interior attack and quickly knocked the fire down. The automatic sprinkler system assisted in keeping the fire in-check. JPD Units started a swift primary and secondary search of the building and did not locate a resident. The search for the trapped resident was turned over to the Janesville Police Department.  7 people were displaced by the fire and damage is estimated at $15,000.  The fire is still under investigation.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Chilliwack, BC, Canada – Kitchen fire at assisted living facility extinguished by sprinkler system

There were some nervous moments last night as the Chilliwack Fire Department (CFD) responded to reports of a fire at an assisted living facility on McIntosh Drive.  Neighbours reported on social media on Feb. 21 after 8:30 p.m. some visible smoke at Cascade Manor Assisted Living.  When firefighters from Halls 1 and 4 arrived they found a stovetop fire in the kitchen of a residential unit that had been completely extinguished by the facility’s automatic sprinkler system.

The CFD said the sprinkler system significantly limited fire damage to a small area around the stove and the kitchen cabinets. “Without a working sprinkler system in place, this fire had the potential of causing extensive fire, smoke and water damage to the care facility,” the CFD said in a press release.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by fire officials and is believed to be accidental in nature.

“The Chilliwack Fire Department strongly promotes the installation of automatic fire sprinkler systems in homes. The presence of an automatic fire sprinkler system in conjunction with a working smoke alarm greatly reduces the risk of being injured or dying in a fire.”

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential High Rise

Topeka, KS – Sprinkler system keeps senior high rise fire under control until firefighters arrive

Residents of a west Topeka senior high-rise apartment building were awakened by the sound of smoke alarms early Wednesday after a trash fire inside their building, authorities said.  The residents either made it outside safely or sheltered in place as Topeka Fire Department crews extinguished the blaze.

Authorities said the fire was reported shortly after 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Plaza West Apartments, a seven-story building at 5620 S.W. 22nd.  Upon their arrival, firefighters found light smoke on the first-floor of the building.  Crews searched and found a small fire in a trash bin. Officials said the bin was located in the trash room of the complex.

Topeka Fire Department officials said the sprinkler system activated properly and kept the fire under control until firefighters could arrive.  Firefighters then removed the trash bin from the building and finished extinguishing the blaze.

Damage was confined to the trash bin and the surrounding trash-chute system. A Topeka Fire Department investigator responded to the scene to determine the origin and cause of the fire. A preliminary investigation indicated the cause of the fire was undetermined, pending further investigation.

The estimated dollar loss was $500 to the structure. There was no content loss. Three engine companies, two truck Companies, two battalion chiefs and an investigator responded to the incident. No injuries were reported.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Lee’s Summit, MO – Fire at assisted living center contained with help from sprinkler system

On Tuesday, February 13, 2018 at 3:44 p.m., the Lee’s Summit Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 3320 NE Wilshire Drive at Cross Creek at Lee’s Summit. Staff reported fire coming from a vent in the ceiling and attempted to extinguish it with a fire extinguisher.  When the fire department arrived, nothing was visible from the outside of a large single-story, assisted living and memory care facility. The eleven residents were accounted for and being evacuated by staff members. Staff also reported the fire may be out, but there was a lot of smoke and water was flowing from the sprinkler system near the fire.

Fire crews entered the building and found moderate smoke conditions in the dining room. Fire doors closed when the fire alarm activated, preventing the spread of smoke throughout the facility. Investigation confirmed the fire was out. The fire involved heating equipment on duct work located above the ceiling. Water from the sprinkler system extinguished the fire. Crews shut down the sprinkler system and assisted with smoke and water removal. The incident was under control by 4:03 p.m.

The fire was contained to the heating unit with minor smoke damage to the dining area, kitchen, and office area. The cause of the fire was determined to be a failure of the heating unit.  The evacuated residents were transported by bus to nearby Wilshire at Lakewood while staff found overnight accommodations at one of their other locations. There were no reported injuries.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Houston, TX (No Media Coverage) – Laundry room fire at senior living facility contained by sprinkler system

***NO MEDIA – FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED*** On 1/22 at approximately 9:00 p.m. a fire occurred at a senior living apartment complex. A fire occurred in the laundry room of a resident’s apartment (dryer fire). One sprinkler head activated, and contained the fire to the laundry room. Fire loss approximately $15,000. Total property valued at $250,000.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Antioch, CA – Laundry fire at assisted living facility contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A commercial dryer at an Antioch assisted living facility caught fire Tuesday, displacing dozens of elderly residents and Alzheimer’s patients. Firefighters responded at 1:15 p.m. to the one-alarm fire at Country Place Assisted Living, 1715 Olive Lane, said Contra Costa County Fire District Capt. George Laing.

The flames activated a sprinkler directly above the dryer, containing the fire that crews extinguished by 1:41 p.m. after ensuring that flames had not traveled from the dryer’s vent to the ceiling, he said. “This is what we call a good fire sprinkler save,” Laing said.

Although the damage was minor and there were no reports of injuries, the incident required authorities to shut off the building’s water supply and electricity so ConFire’s emergency medical services division had to find alternative temporary housing for the 49 residents, Laing said. Working with the county’s Local Emergency Medical Services Authority, the department had relocated them all to another facility in Antioch by mid-afternoon, he said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Prior Lake, MN – Sprinkler system stops fire at senior apartment building; No injuries reported

The Prior Lake Fire Department responded to a cooking fire at the Grainwood Apartments building Tuesday night. With temperatures dipping below zero degrees around 7:15 p.m., when firefighters responded to the scene, 5119 Gateway St. SE, Fire Chief Rick Steinhaus said he was happy that a sprinkler system within the building extinguished the fire almost immediately.

“It did what it was supposed to do,” he said.

The building was evacuated due to the fire and three units were displaced due to “extensive water damage” from the sprinkler system, Steinhaus said. There was very little fire damage, the chief said. Steinhaus said Tuesday night’s fire is a good example of why the state of Minnesota has been fighting for sprinkler systems in all commercial buildings. “It’s considered a sprinkler save,” he said of the fire.

The Grainwood Apartment complex held its grand opening in August. The building includes 168 living units plus community areas, which include a kitchen, craft room, salon, fitness area, theater and underground heated parking. The building is for adults age 55 and up.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Staunton, VA – Kitchen fire at assisted living center extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire at Brookdale Staunton caused a partial evacuation of the building Monday afternoon. The Christmas Day blaze came from a grease fire in the kitchen at the assisted living center, said Lt. Justin Siron, of Staunton Fire and Rescue. It occurred just after 2:30 p.m. Monday. There were no injuries from the incident. The fire was contained to just the pan, and the kitchen and dining area of the building were evacuated, per protocol, Siron said. The fire activated the building’s sprinkler system, which extinguished the fire.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Carmel, NY – Fire at multi-story senior living complex held in check by sprinkler system

A rapid response by area firefighters and the installation of sprinklers in a multi-story senior citizens complex in Carmel saved the day Saturday when a fire broke out in a third floor apartment.  Carmel firefighters arrived at the Hillcrest Commons off Route 52 adjacent to the Shop-Rite Plaza around 9 a.m. and found smoke and flames.

Chief Dave DiRienzo sounded a general alarm and requested mutual aid from the Lake Carmel, Brewster and Mahopac Fire Departments as well as the Carmel Volunteer Ambulance Corps and a paramedic from the EM STAR Ambulance Company.

The chief said the fire began when a woman residing in the apartment that caught fire extinguished a cigarette she had been smoking in an outside porch. “The butt was deposited into a wicker bin which went up in flames and ignited the side of the building. Thank God the sprinklers became activated which resulted in the sounding of an alarm.”

The chief said the sprinkler system kept the flames in check until firefighters who arrived attacked the blaze which was quickly extinguished without structural damage to the 30-unit building.

The resident in the apartment suffered smoke inhalation and was treated at the scene by EMS providers. Also assisting were Putnam Assistant Commissioner of Emergency Services Robert Lipton, Putnam Battalion 15 Coordinator Doug Casey, the Putnam Fire Investigation Team and Carmel Police. Fire crews returned to quarters two hours later.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Milford, CT – Early morning fire at senior apartment building controlled with help from sprinkler system

A firefighter suffered a minor injury but no tenants were injured in a fire early Tuesday morning at a senior housing apartment complex at 264 High Street. Firefighters said that at 4:23 a.m., Milford Fire Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a fire on the fifth floor of the 46-unit senior housing apartment complex. Milford firefighters arrived in three minutes and found active fire venting out of a fifth floor window.

“The structure is equipped with a fire sprinkler system, which had activated and slowed the fire’s progression,” said Battalion Chief Anthony Fabrizi. Firefighters deployed a hose line and made an aggressive interior attack, bringing the blaze under control very quickly. The fire was confined to the single fifth-floor unit, although smoke and water damage affected other units and floors within the structure. The occupants of the unit that burned managed to escape safely prior to the firefighters arrival. “Multiple tenants were evaluated on the scene by Milford Fire Paramedics but no injuries were reported,” Fabrizi said. “A Milford firefighter suffered a minor eye injury and was treated on the scene.”

The Milford Housing Authority was on the scene to assist any tenants affected or displaced by the fire. An investigation was conducted by the Milford Fire Marshal’s Division, and a cause has not been released at press time.