The call came in at 7:46 p.m.
The first unit arrived on scene seven minutes later to find the small kitchen fire being controlled by the sprinkler system.
Firefighters quickly initiated an attack and made sure that the building was clear. The fire was completely extinguished at 8:09 p.m.
No one was hurt, and the residents are being assisted with lodging arrangement.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Fire crews responded to the call Sunday at 11:46 a.m. at 1119 Matteo Drive, building three.
Assistant Chief of Operations Thomas Robinson says Wilmington and New Hanover Crews arrived to find a sprinkler controlled balcony fire on the third floor. Units left the scene of the fire by 1 p.m.
Investigators determined the cause was discarded “smoking material” in a flower pot. The home’s vinyl siding was damaged as well as some outdoor furnitues, but the damage was minor.
There were no injuries reported to the family or fire crews.
According to Sgt. Steve Splan, of the Bloomfield Hills Public Safety Department, an alarm at the retreat’s main house, 1390 Quarton Road, was activated at 5:44 a.m. July 31. Upon arrival, first responders said they could smell smoke, and they circled the unoccupied building to find the source.
“We repositioned to the north side of the building and we could see smoke coming from what appeared to be the attic area,” Splan said.
The attic of the facility had been undergoing renovations and reportedly hadn’t been used in some time. With the help of firefighters from Bloomfield Township and Troy, the flames were extinguished from the attic — a space Splan said is notoriously tough for firefighters — and the damage was contained to an about 20-by-20-foot space.
“The sprinkler system did a fantastic job. It did exactly what it was supposed to do and hold the fire back until our crews were able to fully extinguish it,” he said. “It was lucky for the sprinklers — actually, probably not lucky: good preparation.”
Splan said that the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but as of now there is “zero suspicion of foul play.” There were no injuries.
The Eagle could not reach anyone at Manresa for comment before press time. The phone lines were disconnected, likely due to the department cutting off power to one of the buildings as a precaution, Splan said.
Just a little over three months ago, public safety personnel responded to another fire at the facility, on April 10, when a fire broke out in a large historical barn on the property. While the barn, one of three, was burned down completely, there were no injuries, and at that time, Steve Raymond, the associate director of Manresa, said the incident wouldn’t affect daily activities.
The cause of that fire has yet to be released by investigators.
At around 2:30 a.m., firefighters responded to a resident’s report of a fire at home in the 9800 block of Avenida Ricardo.
Responding fire crews entered the structure as the home’s built-in sprinkler system was active and putting out much of the flames.
However, crews saw that the water from the system had soaked two guinea pigs and flooded their cage.
Crews rescued the two guinea pigs and helped safely remove two dogs from the home. The pets’ owners were not home at the time of the blaze.
Fire officials believe a lamp fell near the guinea pigs’ enclosure and ignited some hay next to it.
No animals or humans were injured in the fire, but the home suffered extensive water damage from the sprinkler system.
Thankfully the damage was minimal but Visalia Rescue Mission (VRM) will be in the market for a new dryer and possibly a fresh coat of paint.
At 1:07 a.m., firefighters responded to a reported fire at the rescue mission, located at 322 Northeast First Avenue. The fire was reported in a laundry room toward the back of the men’s facility.
VRM offers meals and laundry services to many Visalia families and residents.
When the first crew arrived, they didn’t see smoke coming from the building. Eventually, fire crews found the fire coming from a dryer in the laundry room, according to Battalion Chief Darrin Hughes.
The fire was contained to the laundry room. The fire caused a sprinkler to activate which stop the spread of flames, Hughes said.
Mission staff and Visalia police helped evacuate those who were in the building. It’s unknown how many people were inside the building when the fire was reported.
No injuries were reported, firefighters said.
Utilities to the facility were left on so the mission could operate normally, Hughes said.
The cause was “undetermined,” Hughes added. The fire caused more than $5,000 in damage to the dryer. Water damage was minimal.
The property is worth approximately $350,000.
Finance Director Shon Baldwin encouraged anyone looking to support the mission in light of Tuesday morning’s fire to donate through the nonprofit’s website.
Here are some helpful reminders from the NFPA:
•If you smoke, smoke outside. Most deaths result from fires that started in living rooms, family rooms, and dens or bedrooms.
•Keep cigarettes, lighters, matches, and other smoking materials up high out of the reach of children, in a locked cabinet
•Use a deep, sturdy ashtray. Place it away from anything that can burn
•Do not discard cigarettes in vegetation such as mulch, potted plants or landscaping, peat moss, dried grasses, leaves or other things that could ignite easily
•Before you throw away butts and ashes, make sure they are out, and dousing in water or sand is the best way to do that
•Follow this link from the NFPA https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/SmokingSafety.pdf for more information
