Category Archives: Nursing Home/Senior Living

Assisted living facility fire contained by sprinkler system (Oak Ridge, TN)

According to Tennessee fire officials, the residents of Park Ridge Assisted Living are grateful for the sprinkler system in their building after a fire began on Friday, January 31. Thanks to the fire sprinkler system, residents were able to safely evacuate the building, and the damage to the building was contained to one room.

“The damage to the building was minimal, and no residents were displaced,” Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said. “Without the sprinkler system, we believe the outcome would be very different.”

Since 2003 the state of Tennessee mandated that fire sprinkler systems be installed in all nursing homes. 

“The adoption of sprinkler system legislation has no doubt saved countless lives,” said Assistant Commissioner for Fire Prevention Gary West. “The lifesaving capabilities of these systems can be the difference during a fire.”

Christmas Eve fire at assisted living center snuffed out by sprinklers (Bloomington, IL)

A fire sprinkler system is being credited with extinguishing a Christmas Eve fire even before firefighters arrived.  Bloomington Fire Department Public Information Officer Brad McCollum said that at 7:43 p.m. Tuesday, firefighters responded to the third floor of The Downtowner, a 36-unit, eight-story, assisted-living apartment building and found the apartment’s resident in a hallway that was filled with light smoke. “Upon entering the apartment, they found an overstuffed chair and end table that had sustained damage from a fire that had been completely extinguished by the sprinkler system,” .McCollum said the outcome could have been tragic for the resident if not for the effectiveness of the sprinkler system.

Sprinklers save lives and property in assisted living facility fire (Rochester, NY)

Residents of the Madonna Meadows Assisted Living Facility were able to remain “protected in place” after a small fire began and was extinguished at about 1 a.m. on Tuesday, December 16. Residents did not have to be evacuated into the cold outdoors thanks to the facility’s fire sprinkler system, which eliminated the fire and limited smoke exposure. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Sprinkler system controls arson fire at senior apartment building (Lancaster, PA)

City firefighters responded to the three-alarm fire, which was reported at 10:25 a.m. in the three-story Apartments at Mulberry Corners building. When firefighters arrived, the door to the woman’s third-floor apartment felt hot, said Chief Tim Gregg. The woman, whose identity was not available, was alone in the apartment, Gregg said. Firefighters helped her to exit and she was taken to the hospital, to be checked for injuries. The marshal ruled the fire was “incendiary” in nature, Gregg said. The fire was contained by the sprinkler system in the apartment building, he said. The apartment did not have extensive damage.Gregg praised the sprinkler system, saying it’s the “best fire safety device there is.” One sprinkler head was able to contain the entire fire, he noted. The Apartments at Mulberry Corners is a Housing Development Corporation building that contains 25 apartments for seniors ages 62 and older.

Senior assisted living center saved with help from fire sprinklers (New Orleans, LA)

A small heating unit may be to blame for a fire that broke out Wednesday afternoon at an assisted living complex in Marrero. Jefferson Parish firefighters responded, and the sprinkler system helped to quickly put out the fire at the Wynhoven Apartments. The 50 elderly residents who live in the building were evacuated. They have since been allowed to return to their apartments. No one was hurt.

Fire at senior apartment building contained by sprinkler system (Portsmouth, VA)

The sprinkler system kept a blaze in check inside a residential building for senior citizens until firefighters could arrive on Tuesday night. No injuries were reported in the fire, said Deputy Fire Chief Jim Hoffler. Over the years, though, the facility has had at least two fatal fires that have caused major damage, Hoffler said. The sprinkler system may have saved lives, he added.

The blaze was reported shortly after 10 p.m. on the top floor of the four-story building. The fire was contained by the sprinklers in one room of the apartment where it began. Hoffler said he did not yet know the cause.

Sprinkler system puts out fire at senior apartment complex (Des Moines, IA)

The Des Moines Fire Department says a sprinkler system helped keep a fire from spreading at an apartment complex for seniors. Fire crews were called to South View Senior Living Apartments at 1900 SE 6th Street around 1:30 Thursday. When they arrived they found a fire on a stove in one of the apartments. The sprinkler system in the apartment quickly put out the fire. No one was injured and damage was contained to one apartment.

Sprinklers control fire at assisted living facility (Mystic, CT)

An early morning fire on October 7 brought the Mystic Fire Department to an assisted living facility. According to reports, a malfunctioning heating pad caused a mattress to catch fire, and the building’s fire sprinkler contained the fire to that room until fire crews extinguished the remaining flames. All of the residents were able to evacuate safely and without injury.

Sprinkler system aids firefighters in assisted living facility fire (Seattle, WA)

Fire sprinklers are being credited for the safe evacuation of residents of an assisted living facility during a fire which began in the basement the morning of October 7. Firefighters arrived and were able to put out the remaining flames, which were centered around a clothes dryer, within four minutes of arriving to the scene. There were no injuries reported.