Category Archives: Nursing Home/Senior Living

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.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Mt. Juliet, TN – No injuries in assisted living facility fire contained with help from sprinkler system

An assisted living facility in Mt. Juliet caught fire Friday, forcing residents to evacuate the building. Mt. Juliet Fire Department was called to Mt. Juliet Health Care in the 1600 block of N. Mt.Juliet Rd. around 9 p.m. Friday evening. Firefighters went in and found a room on fire. The firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. After the fire was put out, all residents at the facility were accounted for and no injuries were reported. Fire officials said the sprinkler system in the building was activated and that aided in containing the fire. The fire department said that no residents will be displaced. An investigation into what started the fire is ongoing.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Port Washington, NY – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in extinguishing fire at assisted living facility

A blaring fire alarm on Nov. 13 caused the evacuation of a number of residents from The Amsterdam at Harborside, a retirement community which has approximately 280 residents. According to a statement from Harborside, the alarm, which sounded at the Continuing Care Retirement Community, was activated by smoke in a resident’s apartment.

Harborside said that in addition to the alarm, an internal sprinkler system was activated and the staff responded to the scene, temporarily evacuating residents on two floors of the facility. The statement went on to say that affected residents were taken to an area hospital for evaluation and were subsequently released.

“No one was injured and no one else was taken to the hospital during this incident. As of 7 p.m., Amsterdam at Harborside residents are at dinner and have resumed their normal activities,” the facility said in its statement. “The leadership, staff and residents of the Amsterdam at Harborside are grateful for the rapid and professional response of local first responders.”

But in Harborside’s statement that the Nassau County Fire Marshall is “investigating the cause of the smoke,” Port Washington Fire Department (PWFD) Chief Brain Vogeley feels the retirement community’s officials are not telling the whole truth.

“I understand that the only information that was given to you was from the Amsterdam,” said Vogeley in an emailed statement to the Port Washington News. “We do not understand why they refuse to give the actual truth, but I feel it would be unjust to not give the facts. If you refer to the Facebook page of the Port Washington [Fire Department] you will see the actual account. There was an actual fire on the sixth floor in an apartment. Eleven fire departments along with many other agencies responded to the fire to help the PWFD. The fire was extinguished by fire department personnel while evacuating the entire sixth floor and part of the fifth.

As chief of the PWFD, I feel I would not be doing my job if I did not provide the entire story as these volunteers put their lives on the line to protect this great community and deserve the recognition.”

Following is the Port Washington Fire Department’s full account from Facebook of what occurred at Harborside on Nov. 13:

A fire broke out in a sixth floor apartment at the Amsterdam building at 300 East Overlook.  The Port Washington Fire Department was notified for an automatic waterflow alarm at 4:19 p.m.

Assistant Chief Thomas Golden and Fire Prevention Officer Patrick Saccoccia were the first units on scene. They were met by building maintenance personnel who stated there was smoke condition and possible fire on the sixth floor. Units made their way to the sixth floor and found fire in one apartment. Residents were evacuated from the sixth floor of the complex. The fire was extinguished and one person was transported to a local hospital.

Multiple Port Washington units responded along with mutual aid units from Roslyn Highlands Volunteer Fire Co., Glenwood H and L, E and H, Co., Inc., Manhasset-Lakeville Volunteer Fire Department, Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company, Williston Park Fire Department, Sea Cliff F.D. Engine & Hose Company, Garden City Park Fire Department, Port Washington Police, Nassau County Police, Nassau County Emergency Ambulance Bureau and Nassau County OEM responded to the scene. Mutual aid from Plandome Fire Department, Albertson Fire Company, New Hyde Park Fire Department and East Norwich Fire Department covered the district during the fire and responded to two calls.

The fire is currently under the investigation by the Nassau County Fire Marshals office. All operations were under the direction of Bryan Vogeley, chief of the Port Washington Fire Department.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Granbury, TX – Laundry fire at senior living facility doused by sprinkler system

Automatic fire alarms began going off at around 9:30 p.m. last Sunday at the Lakestone Senior Living facility on Highway 377 in Granbury, according to city of Granbury Public Information Officer Bethany Warner.  The fire started in a dryer in the main laundry, Warner said. The building’s sprinkler system limited the fire to the dryer and there was minimal damage to the laundry room, she said. Residents were let back into the building about 15 to 20 minutes after evacuations began, she said.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Augusta, GA – Sprinkler system keeps grass fire from spreading indoors at assisted living facility

A fire forced the Homestead Assisted Living Center in Augusta to be evacuated. It happened around noon Monday. 

The Augusta Department of  Public Safety told KSN News they determined that the fire began as a grass fire outside the facility.  A sprinkler went off and contained the fire inside the building.

Thirty residents were evacuated by staff for about an hour before they were allowed to return to the facility. No injuries were reported.