Category Archives: Other – Residential

Other - Residential, Residential

Saratoga Springs, NY – Fire at multi-family residential structure put out quickly by sprinkler system

Volunteers from the Northeastern New York chapter of the American Red Cross provided shelter assistance, food and clothing for three people who were temporarily displaced by a fire at 170 Lake Ave. in Saratoga Springs. That fire was called in at about 5 p.m. at a multifamily residence, according to Saratoga Springs Assistant Fire Chief Pete Shaw.  “The fire was extremely minor and was a stove-top cooking fire,” he said. “There was no structural damage and barely any discoloration on the wall or ceiling.”  Shaw added that the fire was out quickly because of a sprinkler system in the unit.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Other - Residential, Residential

Portland, ME – Sprinkler system helps contain fire at YMCA serving as temporary housing

Fire officials in Maine are investigating a fire at the Portland YMCA that temporarily affected 31 men living there as part of a housing support program.  The Portland Press Herald reports crews responded to the Portland YMCA around 4 p.m. Thursday. Assistant Fire Chief Keith Gautreau said a sprinkler system helped contain the small fire.  No injuries were reported.

According to a YMCA statement, the 31 residents are living in the dormitory through a housing support program called GROW. YMCA officials say the program provides temporary shelter for men moving into stable housing from homelessness.

YMCA of Southern Maine CEO Helen Brena said the Red Cross was quick to offer help for any residents who may have been displaced by the fire, but that after a cleanup effort Thursday night, the residents were able to return to stay there.

Other - Residential, Residential

Longview, WA – Laundry fire at homeless shelter contained by sprinkler system

All 80 residents of the Community House on Broadway emergency homeless shelter were evacuated Wednesday morning as a result of a dryer fire in the second-floor laundry room. One person went to St. John Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation, but otherwise no one was injured, said Longview Fire Chief Phil Jurmu.  The incident sparked an outpouring of assistance from the community. The Salvation Army, for example, provided blankets, 150 sandwiches, 130 bottles of water, fruit, snacks, diapers and baby bottles. It also was coordinating with the Commerce Avenue UBET Casino to serve a pizza dinner at the shelter Wednesday night, said Salvation Army Capt. Darryck Dwelle.

“The community came together so greatly in response to this. I’m amazed at everything. I figured we were going to be sitting out across the street by the chiropractor’s place all day,” shelter resident Crystal Moldenhauer said late in the morning. “It was amazing to see compassion and love and just care from the people that don’t even know us.”  Residents were expected to return to the shelter, located at 1107 Broadway, on Wednesday night.  A sprinkler system contained the fire to the second-floor laundry room, and firefighters finished dousing the fire within minutes of arriving shortly after 8 a.m., Jurmu said.

Water from the sprinklers and firefighting effort leaked down to the first floor into God’s Closet, a Community House ministry that gives clothing to low-income people. From there it poured into the basement and into a floor drain, Jurmu said. Firefighters and staff were working to limit water damage. Late in the morning, there was still a strong smell of smoke and burnt materials throughout the second floor and hallway leading to the laundry room. The smoke alarm, which was charred on the sides and damp from water, was still beeping faintly.

Jurmu termed the damage “minor to moderate.” Almost 80 people were staying at the shelter when the fire broke out, shelter staff reported. Shelter residents, which include dozens of children, were housed in the nearby Evangel Christian Fellowship Church in a large common area and were assisted by the Red Cross, Emergency Support Shelter, Salvation Army and other community members. The residents were brought food, blankets and other supplies.

Many of the residents were still in pajamas and had little of their belongings or knowledge of whether they would be salvageable Wednesday morning. Moldenhauer said the events of the morning were emotional for some people, and for her it caused a flashback to a fire that destroyed her father’s home when she was just 11.  “It put me back into a very sad place, like all I could do was get my family out of the (shelter),” she said. “My worry was getting my husband, getting my kids and getting out.”

Frank Morrison, director of Community House, said he was grateful for the help from the community. He said they had mental health staff available in the Evangel common area to help residents struggling with emotional or mental health responses to the fire. He said both staff and the residents were a big help in the morning and said several people stayed behind to help clean up some of the water in the shelter. “It was really cool. They just saw a need and jumped on it,” Morrison said. “We just deal with a large volume of people. We do the best we can with what we’ve got.”

Another shelter resident, James Jenne, is a former paramedic of 10 years. When he heard about the fire, he said he rushed inside and began helping evacuate the second floor. Jenne said he began making sure rooms were empty and doors were closed. “You get into that mindset and instinct just takes over,” he said. “Just making sure everybody was safe was my main concern. That’s all it ever is.”

Jenne said he hopes the community helps CHOB residents recover from the fire. He said many people were affected emotionally. He said he planned to continue walking around the common area soothing peoples’ worries and making sure they had the support and comfort they need. “I hope the community sees how much their help is needed now … to put things back to normal,” Jenne said. “Don’t look so down on these people because there’s some good people in there and we’re going to need some help redoing this.”

Other - Residential, Residential

Charleston, SC – Early morning fire at short-term rental property contained by sprinkler system

Firefighters with the City of Charleston Fire Department responded to a fire in downtown Charleston this morning just after 3:30 a.m., according to Fire Marshal Mike Julazadeh. The alarm company reported an automatic fire alarm at a residential short-term rental property on Spring Street.  Emergency responders from the Charleston Fire Department were dispatched to the alarm and arrived in less than three minutes, according to Julazadeh.

Additional information was provided by a 911 caller advising that a fire had occurred in the kitchen and the incident was upgraded to a structure fire, sending additional resources from Charleston, North Charleston, and Saint Andrews Fire Departments, Charleston County EMS, and the Charleston Police Department, he said. Emergency responders arrived to a four story building, that included retail sales on the first floor and a three story rental unit above, as the tenants were self-evacuating.  Responders searched the property, verified the fire was contained by the fire sprinkler system, controlled the water flow from the sprinkler, and ventilated the building. Investigators from the Fire Marshal Division Fire Investigation Team responded to the scene to review the incident.

The home was occupied at the time of the emergency and the residents woke to the sound of the activated fire alarm, he said. Occupants discovered the fire in the kitchen area and noted an activated fire sprinkler, called 911, and utilized a fire extinguisher to further suppress the fire. The occupants then proceeded out of the building as the fire department arrived on scene. Investigators determined the fire originated within the kitchen trashcan and was likely caused by discarded cooking items.

“A number of critical fire safety elements were instrumental in providing for the safety of the occupants and minimizing the damage to the building,” said Fire Marshal Mike Julazadeh. “First, fire inspections were previously completed as part of the approval process of the rental in order to verify code compliance and maintenance of the fire protection systems. Second, the fire alarm system detected the incident, alerted the occupants, and provided automatic notification to 911. Third, the fire sprinkler system contained the fire and prevented a significant loss to the property or the adjoining properties that are in close proximity. All of these components created a life safety system that prevented injury and minimized the potential loss.”

Other - Residential, Residential

Victoria, BC, Canada – Fire at homeless shelter extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries

Victoria Fire crews and police were on scene at the Central Care Home at 844 Johnson Street after a fire broke out late this afternoon.

The shelter, operated by the Portland Hotel Society, is home to many former residents of Victoria’s tent city.

Emergency crews responded to a report of smoke coming from a suite on the fourth floor just after 4 p.m.

Upon arrival, crews confirmed that the fire had been extinguished by the sprinkler system.

But there is extensive water damage in parts of the building.

Fire officials say no one should be displaced because there are empty units that can be used to house those affected.

There is no word yet on what caused the fire and there were no reports of any injuries.

Other - Residential, Residential

Hastings, NE – Early morning fire at homeless shelter controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries

Those living in a Hastings homeless shelter were displaced overnight following a fire early Wednesday morning. The Hastings Fire Department says they were called to the Crossroads Rescue Center just after midnight. Smoke could be seen in the building as fire crews arrived.

Staff said all 87 people were out and uninjured when fire crews arrived. The fire was found in the north basement of the building. Hastings Fire Chief Kent Gilbert says the sprinkler system was able to keep the fire from spreading much before firefighters arrived.

Hastings Rural and Juniata Rural firefighters also responded. While crews were working on extinguishing the fire in the basement, others assisted with searching the other floors and reducing smoke damage with ventilation. Part of 14th Street was closed for more than two hours because of the fire.

Adams County Emergency Management was called to the scene to assist with relocating the residents displaced by the fire. The fire department says most were relocated to 20 rooms in the C3 Hotel.

A state fire marshal determined the fire was started accidentally when bedding came in contact with a heater. Wednesday, the shelter was cleaning up after returning to the building around 8 a.m.

“We have great guests here at Crossroads. Everybody pitched in, especially the men, just pitched in. We took up flooring. We cleaned up soot. We took out burnt items. Probably by noon we were mainly cleaned up,” said Crossroads Program Director Daniel Buller.

Buller said the damage is mostly contained to the basement laundry room where the fire started, but work continues to help prevent mold. He said insurance should cover the damage, but the need for things like food and toiletries at the shelter is ongoing.

The estimated cost of the damage is not yet known.

Other - Residential, Residential

Durham, NC – Fire at family shelter extinguished by sprinkler system

A grease fire at a family shelter in Durham caused the shelter and staff offices to be evacuated and displaced two families Friday morning, the development director at Families Moving Forward said.

Fire crews were called to the shelter located in the 300 block of North Queen Street just after 8 a.m. in response to a structure fire. Crews arriving on scene reported a two-story residential structure fire with no flames or smoke visible, officials said.

According to Durham fire officials, the fire occurred in the kitchen was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. Two of the shelter’s rooms suffered water damage and the families in those rooms were moved to new rooms, Shana Carignan with FMF said.

Families in the shelter will not have access to the kitchen for the time being and the electricity is off on that side of the building.

At least 12 families no longer have power for their refrigerators and Carignan asked the community to consider making grocery store gift card donations for the families impacted.

The organization said that RISE Biscuits and Donuts, Domino’s Pizza and Urban Ministries of Durham have all donated food to the shelter.  Carignan said they’re still learning the full extent of the damage.

Other - Residential, Residential

Adams, MA – No injuries reported as sprinkler system puts out fire at homeless shelter

Twelve Louison House residents were displaced after a small attic fire that was largely extinguished by the house’s sprinkler system.

Assistant Fire Chief John Pansecchi said the electrical fire broke out in the attic around 11:45 Sunday morning but was quickly snuffed out by the family support center’s sprinkler system.

“There were no injuries and minimal fire damage, and I can’t stress enough how much the sprinkler system probably saved that building,” Pansecchi said. “The sprinklers put the fire out in the area so basically we just investigated and tried to determine the cause.”

He said the water damage was caused by the sprinkler system and two families and four individuals were put up at a nearby hotel. The Louison House and the Red Cross provided this support.

It is unknown at this point when residents can move back into the house; the building inspector must make a ruling first.

Pansecchi said the Adams Police and Ambulance were present and Cheshire Fire covered the Adams Station.

Pansecchi said the knockdown was a great success and went smoothly.

“It was a success,” he said. “It was an hour and a half for us there compared to the four hours we spent on Park Street.”

Other - Residential

Waterville, ME – Fire at assisted living home suppressed by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Five people were displaced from a residential assisted living home on Pleasant Street Sunday morning when a small fire broke out in a bedroom. The fire, reported at 7:56 a.m., was mostly extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system, according to a news release from the Waterville Fire Department.

The home is operated by Motivational Services Inc., an Augusta-based organization that provides services and programs for individuals with mental illnesses, according to their website. The five residents who were displaced have been moved to other area programs run by the organization, Executive Director Michael Provencher said.

Firefighters arrived at the scene at 8:01 a.m. and completely extinguished the fire by 8:06 a.m. Firefighters worked quickly to ensure that the fire had not spread, which they determined by 8:17 a.m., according to Captain Shawn Esler. Since the home is a licensed health care facility, it is protocol for the fire department to call the state fire marshal’s office.

Investigators from the fire marshal’s office cleared the scene around 1:30 p.m. Sunday after completing safety inspections in the home. Ken MacMaster, an investigator with the fire marshal’s office, said the investigation is ongoing and could not comment on the cause of the fire, though he said it had been determined. He also could not say whether it was believed to be of suspicious origin.

No additional information will be available from the fire marshal’s office until Monday, MacMaster said. Provencher could not comment in regards to the individuals who lived in the home, stating their conditions are “confidential.” He said that once minor repairs and alarm checks were completed the individuals would be able to return to the home.

Twenty-one firefighters from the Waterville Fire Department responded to the call. Mutual aide from the Winslow Fire Department and the Fairfield Fire Department were dispatched to the scene but were released once the fire was under control, the news release said.

Other - Residential, Other / Not Specified, Other Business, Residential

Mount Prospect, IL – Two recent fires highlight importance of automatic fire sprinklers

** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED **

October 24, 2015 at approximately 5:58 p.m., the Mount Prospect Fire Department responded to an activated fire alarm in the building at 1751 Linneman Road. As firefighters were investigating the activated fire alarm, they discovered an activated sprinkler was controlling a vehicle fire inside the building. Firefighters extinguished the fire, limiting fire damage to the vehicle.

On October 28, 2015 at approximately 3:43p.m., the Mount Prospect Fire Department responded to a report of an oven fire at 290 Westgate Road. As firefighters entered the dwelling unit they discovered that one activated fire sprinkler was controlling an oven fire. Firefighters extinguished the fire, limiting fire damage to the stove area.

No injuries were reported as a result of these fires. Without the automatic fire sprinkler systems and fire alarm systems, the loss to both of these buildings could have been much more significant. The estimated fire damage for both of these fires was $125,000 with a total property value saved in excess of five million dollars.

“The positive result of these fires represents the excellent work that our entire fire department does on a daily basis,” stated Interim Fire Chief Brian Lambel. “The fire suppression was extremely effective due to the training and professional operations of our firefighters. The automatic fire sprinkler systems performed as designed due to the inspections, code enforcement and the development review role our Fire Prevention Bureau performs. The outcome of these fires could have been much different if all of these components had not come together.”

Fire sprinklers work because they do not rely on human factors. Unlike the common myth that all sprinklers in the building activate at once, only the fire sprinkler above the actual fire activates. Automatic fire sprinklers operate in the area where a fire starts, preventing it from growing uncontrolled to a dangerous size while simultaneously sounding an alarm and notifying the fire department.

Because of the proven effectiveness of automatic fire sprinklers and the enhanced life safety features they provide, the Village of Mount Prospect requires all new construction be protected by automatic fire sprinklers. This requirement includes new townhomes and single-family residences. For more information regarding automatic fire sprinklers, or the requirements for testing and maintenance of sprinkler and fire alarm systems, please contact the Mount Prospect Fire Prevention Bureau at (847) 818-5253.