Category Archives: Residential

Other - Residential, Residential

New Berlin, WI – Sprinkler system controls fire in residential garage; No injuries reported

A vehicle fire early Wednesday morning was brought under control by a garage’s sprinkler system, authorities say.

According to a release from the New Berlin Fire Department, crews responded at 2:13 a.m. for reports of a vehicle fire at 12560 West Mac Alister Way after a neighbor said they saw smoke coming from a garage.

Once on scene, officials say a large multi-family residential complex had its sprinkler system activated, controlling the vehicle fire in the garage and allowing firefighters to quickly extinguish the rest of the fire.

No one was hurt in the incident, and damages were limited, with residents being allowed to reenter their homes within an hour.

There is no information on what caused the fire, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Springfield, MO – Fire at university extinguished by sprinkler system

A small fire broke out in Craig Hall on Sunday evening, prompting the Springfield Fire Department, University Safety, Facilities Management and Planning, Design and Construction to respond. 

According to a Missouri State University blog post, the fire was small enough to be extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system, limiting the extent of the damage. Fortunately for the school, the sprinklers only activated in the area that the fire was located, saving thousands of dollars in electronics such as computers and projectors.

The fire reportedly was sparked by a fan coil motor that burned up in the ceiling of the building — the same reason for the fire in Carrington Hall on May 23.

A university spokesperson told The Standard that the university is assessing the damage to the area of the fire and whether it will impact classes for the fall semester, but that it did not impact the ongoing Asbestos abatement.

According to the blog post, Missouri State is working with FM Global, the school’s insurance company, on filing a claim for the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Mount Pleasant, SC – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building

Crews in Mount Pleasant are responding to a reported fire Sunday.

Firefighters are at the Bridgeside Apartments at Patriots Point this morning, according to the Mount Pleasant Fire Department.

The department said crews were working a fire on the fifth floor. People were asked to avoid the area while emergency personnel respond to the situation.

“The building’s sprinkler system held the fire at bay, giving crews time to search for victims and stretch hose lines to fully extinguish the flames,” department officials said. “Our Fire Marshal Division is currently investigating the cause of the fire. Crews were also able to restore the sprinkler system before clearing the scene.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Fort Collins, CO – Sprinkler system extinguishes apartment fire; No injuries reported

A potentially serious apartment fire was stopped in its tracks on the afternoon of June 4 thanks to the rapid activation of a fire sprinkler system in a Fort Collins complex.

Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) responded to a second alarm call just before 3 p.m. in the 5000 block of Fossil Blvd. Upon arrival, crews found that a fire in a fourth-floor unit had already been extinguished by the building’s automatic fire sprinkler system.

As a precaution, the building had been evacuated. Firefighters conducted a thorough search to ensure there were no remaining hot spots or individuals in need of assistance. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Residential, Residential High Rise

New Orleans, LA – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire in high-rise apartment; No injuries reported

A fire sparked by unattended cooking forced more than 130 people out of their downtown high-rise apartment early Thursday morning, according to the New Orleans Fire Department.

Fire crews responded around 12:34 a.m. to a 14-story residential building at 837 Gravier Street, where a kitchen fire broke out on the 7th floor.

Officials said the fire started after food was left on the stove and ignited. The building’s automatic sprinkler system kicked in quickly, keeping the fire from spreading beyond the apartment where it started. However, while the system stopped the fire from spreading, it caused significant water damage to multiple floors.

As a precaution, 135 residents were evacuated while fire crews secured the building and worked to prevent further damage.

NOFD said no injuries were reported.

The building has since been turned over to property management and restoration teams, a release said. Officials confirmed the fire was caused by unattended cooking and issued a reminder that kitchen fires remain one of the leading causes of residential fires, NOFD said.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Madison, WI – Fire at senior living facility extinguished by sprinkler system

One person was taken to a hospital after a small fire at a senior living facility Wednesday night, a Madison Fire Department spokesperson said.

Crews were called to the building along Jupiter Drive, just north of Cottage Grove Road near I-39/90, at around 10:22 p.m. Multiple people called 911 to report smoke and water coming from a third-floor apartment.

First-arriving firefighters found that the sprinkler system had already put out the fire, which had originated in the apartment’s kitchen area. Other crews shut off the sprinkler system and ventilated the unit.

The person living in the apartment was taken to a hospital in stable condition for further evaluation. The Red Cross was contacted to assist them.

Damage to the apartment was minor, however nearby apartments also sustained minor water damage. On-site staff organized overnight lodging for residents of those units.

A damage estimate from the fire was unknown as of Thursday morning, however a fire department spokesperson said the sprinkler system minimized damage to both life and property.

Other - Residential, Residential

Eugene, OR – Cooking fire contained by sprinkler system

Eugene Springfield Fire responded Thursday to 3648 N. Delta Highway for a cooking fire that was controlled with a residential sprinkler system.

Officials say the resident was cooking and had a stovetop fire that spread up to the kitchen cabinets before being controlled by the sprinklers.

Fire crews on scene assured extinguishment, searched, salvaged belongings, and overhauled the scene to assure no spread.

“Ladder 11 from the Santa Clara station, Truck 1, Battalion 1 and the Fire Investigator are on scene,” the fire department said Thursday afternoon.

Apartment Building, Residential

Alameda, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

A small fire triggered the sprinkler system inside an apartment complex in Alameda, forcing people – many of them elderly – to find somewhere else to stay. 

The fire was reported just after midnight on Tuesday on West Atlantic Avenue.

Firefighters found smoke on the first floor and immediately evacuated everyone.

The fire activated the sprinkler system, which put out the fire, but left behind enough water to displace the residents.

It was a scary alarm to wake up to.

“This is shocking,” Sharon Kidd said. “We have a lot of seniors here that have a lot of water damage and won’t be able to sleep in their apartments tonight. I hope I can sleep in mine tonight.”

Resident Salvador Villegas said the fire started on the third floor, one floor above his.

“That’s kind of a close call for us,” he said.

The Red Cross came out to help make arrangements. The fire department said no one was injured.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Chesapeake Beach, MD – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire at townhouse; No injuries reported

A fire suppression system is being credited with halting a kitchen fire before it could spread through a Chesapeake Beach townhouse Sunday afternoon, May 18, 2025.

Crews responded to the scene following a report of smoke coming from a residence in the 2600 block of Deerfield Lane. Units from multiple jurisdictions, including North Beach, Dunkirk, Huntingtown, Prince Frederick, and Anne Arundel County, responded to the scene.

Units first to arrive reported visible smoke from a two-story townhouse.

Firefighters quickly located a kitchen fire that had already been contained by a single sprinkler head from the home’s automatic fire suppression system. Crews confirmed the fire was extinguished, shut off the sprinkler system, and ventilated the residual smoke.

Officials said the fire damage was limited to the kitchen. No injuries were reported, and the occupants were not home at the time of the fire.