Category Archives: Residential

Apartment Building, Residential

Petaluma, CA – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system; Elderly couple and daughter escape without injury

A small kitchen fire Friday displaced a Petaluma couple from their apartment at a senior living complex, fire officials said. An oiled pan heating on the stovetop was left unattended and caught fire about 12:15 p.m. at the Vintage Chateau Senior Apartments on North McDowell Boulevard, Petaluma Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Schach said.  The fire triggered the sprinkler system in the second-floor apartment. The water extinguished the fire and caused some flooding in the unit and ceiling damage to the first-floor apartment below.   Three people were home at the time of the fire, an elderly couple and their daughter, but no one was injured, Schach said. The unit sustained water damage and the residents would be displaced for several days, Schach said.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Belleview, FL – Single sprinkler controls attic fire at assisted living center; Lightning strike identified as cause

The fire that forced the evacuation of residents and staff at an assistant living facility in Belleview was apparently caused by Mother Nature. According to a spokesperson from the State Fire Marshal’s Office, it appears the fire was caused by a lightning strike. Damage to the attic area is approximately $30,000. The exact cause of the fire won’t be determined until the investigation is complete.

Marion County Fire Rescue officials said Friday there were reports of heavy weather with lightning in the area prior to the fire. Fire officials said the blaze started in the attic above the electric panels and moved along the trusses. Firefighters, sheriff’s deputies and others placed 56 residents from Hampton Manor Assisted Living, 10590 SE 62nd Avenue Road, onto buses that transported them to another Hampton Manor facility.

Fire officials said they received the call about 5:05 p.m. and arrived on scene at 5:11 p.m. The fire was under control at 5:29 p.m. Beatrice Kelty, community director at Hampton Manor, told the Star-Banner that Donna Clifford was in the kitchen when she heard a pop sound in the breaker and then saw fire in the ceiling. Clifford, the dietary supervisor, immediately pulled the alarm. There were seven staff members on duty at the time of the fire.

Kelty said she quickly went to the kitchen and doused the blaze with a fire extinguisher. Kelty said she and the other team members, including Dawn Crossley, a resident care manager, went to get the residents and evacuate them. None of the residents were in the kitchen at the time of the fire. When the fire started, Kelty said, they were in the middle of dinner.

“My team was excellent and the residents cooperated,” Kelty said. According to a fire report, as the fire made its way through the attic, a single fire sprinkler was activated and it contained the fire to the general area until firefighters arrived. The report also said that as soon as flames were seen in the attic, a staff member pulled the kitchen pull station that activated the hood. Though no fire was present in the hood, fire officials said it prevented the gas from going into the kitchen.

“The early actions by the staff to activate the fire alarm and notify MCFR along with the operation of the sprinkler system allowed for a quick response and to contain the damage,” according to the report. Cindy Campbell, director of operations, told the Star-Banner that all the residents remain at the Hampton Manor at 1500 SE 24th Road because the Belleview building sustained significant damage in the kitchen area.

Campbell said its unknown when the repairs will begin or end or when residents will be able to return to the Belleview building. For now, she said, they’re looking for an alternate location, and the residents at the Southeast 24th Road facility are adjusting well.

Apartment Building, Residential

Hagerstown, MD – Sprinkler system activates in overnight apartment fire giving residents opportunity to escape

A Monday morning fire that displaced 46 residents at Cortland Apartments in the North End of Hagerstown started on the balcony of one of the apartments, according to Hagerstown Fire Marshal Doug DeHaven. DeHaven said in a news release Tuesday afternoon that the fire traveled up the exterior of the the building and into an attic area.  Although fire walls in the attic and between the apartments contained most of the damage to one corner of the building, the blaze caused significant damage to apartments Nos. 2, 6 and 10, he said.

An investigation determined that the building had functional sprinkler, fire-alarm and smoke-alarm systems, the release said. The sprinkler system was activated when balcony windows cracked from the heat, allowing the fire to extend into the apartments, DeHaven said.  But the activation of the sprinkler system, along with the fire alarm, gave residents enough time to escape, he said.

Bob Rhodes, the complex’s manager, said that three of the 12 units in the building sustained heavy damage. It is too early to determine whether the structure will be razed or rebuilt because fire and insurance inspectors were still assessing the damage, he said.  All 61 of the residents and pets who were displaced by the fire at the apartments at 12911 Little Elliott Drive have been given places to stay until they find more permanent accommodations.  Korri Faria, disaster program manager for the Red Cross of Western Maryland, said the 46 residents who were displaced by the fire are staying in hotels, or with family or friends.  “We were on scene to make sure everyone has a place to stay for a few days,” she said.

Faria said all of the hotel rooms are being paid for by the Red Cross, which also provided the victims with cards to buy food, clothing and other essentials they might need. The Red Cross also helped to replace medications that were destroyed in the fire, which was reported shortly after 5 a.m.  In addition to the residents, the two-alarm blaze displaced 15 pets.  Crystal Mowery, field service director for the Humane Society of Washington County, said a majority of the pets stayed with their owners, but one cat and one dog were taken to the humane society shortly after the fire.  Another dog was taken there later that day.  “We are housing the animals at no charge until (the victims) find a place for them,” she said.  To her knowledge, Mowery said none of the pets perished in the fire. A single cat escaped, but it has not been accounted found.

Apartment Building, Residential

St. George, UT – Nighttime fire at apartment complex put out by sprinkler system; No injuries

Residents of an apartment complex in St. George were evacuated after a fire ignited in a single unoccupied unit Sunday night. St. George Fire Department responded to the fire just before 11 p.m. when an alarm system sounded in an apartment complex at Red Rock Ridge, 344 S. 1990 East.  Officers from St. George Police Department who arrived initially found the smoke coming from the unit and its sprinkler system activated, Fire Battalion Chief Ken Guard said.

“Sprinkler system put the fire out,” Guard said. The unit is unrented and no one was occupying it at the time of the fire.  Residents were evacuated from surrounding units as a precaution. No one was injured.  Gold Cross Ambulance also responded as a precaution.

“At this time we’re investigating the cause of the fire,” Guard said. Several police officers were on hand helping with the investigation and taking statements from residents.  Though surrounding units were temporarily evacuated, Guard said he expects none would be displaced.  Water permeated the unit where the fire started, with some of it reaching two other surrounding units.  Firefighters shut off and reset the sprinkler system then performed some minor cleanup of the water damage.

Guard estimated that the damage would run approximately $2,000 at the time this report was taken, noting that it could be higher depending on how quickly the damage is addressed. “We vacated as much as the water as we possibly could, and it’s just a matter of how quickly they get a restoration company on top of it,” Guard said. “As far as I see right now, a couple thousand dollars.”  This report is based on preliminary information provided by emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Jersey Shore, PA – Early morning fire at nursing home kept from spreading by sprinkler system

Third-floor residents of Manorcare Health Services in Jersey Shore were briefly evacuated after a small electrical fire broke out in a bathroom early Tuesday morning, according to Citizen’s Hose Co. Fire Chief Matthew Fausey.

The fire at Manorcare occurred in the ceiling of a resident’s bathroom on the third floor just before 5 a.m., Fausey said.

The fire activated the building’s sprinkler system, which helped prevent the fire from spreading, Fausey said, adding that firefighters had the fire extinguished in a matter of minutes.

Once the fire was out and the water cleaned up, residents were moved back into their rooms, he added.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Baxter, MN – Balcony fire at senior apartment complex controlled with help from sprinkler system

Passing motorists on Excelsior Road saw flames on a third-floor deck of a senior apartment complex Friday morning, alerting emergency responders to the Autumn Glenn complex in Baxter. The fire was reported about 7:20 a.m.  At the scene, Baxter Police Chief Jim Exsted said residents on the third floor were evacuated as a precaution. Many had multiple questions as they were temporarily relocated. The 50-unit apartment building has about 16 units on each floor.

Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said the fire was contained to the deck but flames were climbing the wall and around the glass deck door, as well as a window when he arrived on scene. Holmes got the call when he just blocks away from the building. He said deck sprinkler played an important role in keeping the fire contained. The woman living in the apartment was also working to put the fire using a container or bowl filled with water when firefighters arrived. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

The deck remained secure to walk on, Holmes said. Siding was removed around the deck. The torn aqua-colored barrier wrap, formerly underneath the siding, flapped in the morning breeze. The area around the deck doors was charred black and holes were cut above the deck to access the attic. Holiday decorations hung from the deck rail, trailing down to lower floors.

The second floor resident’s deck just below the fire, complete with chairs and potted plant, appeared undisturbed. No injuries were reported. Karen Struthers, community manager for Autumn Glenn, said all the residents were fine. She said the apartment occupant was with family and the complex residents would now have conversation fodder for the weekend. It was too early to determine the extent of the damage in terms of a dollar amount, Struthers said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Farmers Branch, TX (No Media Coverage) – Sprinkler system tackles apartment fire caused by unattended candle

***FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED – NO MEDIA COVERAGE***  The Farmers Branch Fire Department responded to a residential apartment fire on June 3, 2017 at 4030 Valley View, Building 10, Apt #245 at 3:55 pm. The fire started in a bedroom while the occupant stepped out for a few minutes. . A candle was left unattended and ignited some tapestries hanging from the ceiling. The tapestries burned along the ceiling. The sprinkler system activated (1 head) and suppressed the fire. The other roommate was in another bedroom sleeping and was awakened by the smoke alarm and waterflow alarm. When he stepped out of his bedroom, he noticed the sprinkler system spraying water on the burning tapestries. He exited without incident. Other roommate returned 10 minutes later when fire department was already on scene and realized he left the candle burning.

Apartment Building, Residential

Maryville, TN – Grease fire in sixth floor apartment put out by sprinkler system

Residents of Maryville Towers said they were able to return to their apartments Friday night after being evacuated earlier in the evening because of a grease fire on the top floor.  The apartment complex, located at 220 McGhee St., Maryville, was partially evacuated around 6 p.m. after a grease fire started on the sixth floor.

Firefighters said they responded to the building at 5:46 p.m. While the sprinkler system extinguished the fire, the water continued to run until authorities were able to locate a valve to turn it off. That was done around 6:25 p.m.

Maryville Fire Capt. Mike Davis said about 63 apartments were evacuated. No injuries were reported.  Residents told The Daily Times on Saturday they were allowed back into their apartments Friday between 10:30 and 11 p.m. They said a Maryville Housing Authority maintenance crew had to clean up several flooded apartments.  Davis said apartments all the way to the ground floor sustained water damage.

Dianna McCullough was one of the ground floor residents who had flooding in her apartment. She said workers did a good job cleaning up. “It was flooded all the way to the bathroom,” McCullough said. “… They did a really good job coming in and helping.”

McCullough said there were at least four people mopping up her apartment.

Firefighters said the fire started in apartment 618. Residents said everyone, including the male occupant of 618, was able to return to their apartments.

Davis said 15 firefighters and seven trucks from the Maryville and Alcoa fire departments responded. The Maryville Police Department, American Medical Response ambulance service and Blount County Rescue Squad also responded.

Davis said firefighters remained on scene until around 8 p.m.

Residential, Single Family Home

Asheville, NC – Fire in duplex extinguished by residential sprinkler system

A sprinkler system extinguished a structure fire Wednesday and helped the occupants escape safely, according to an Asheville Fire Department spokeswoman.  The Asheville Fire Department responded to a possible structure fire off Old Chunns Cove Road around 7 a.m. Wednesday, said department spokeswoman Kelley Klope. The duplex is east of downtown Asheville near Tunnel Road.

Light smoke was visible from one of the units in a duplex complex with four separate homes when firefighters arrived on scene, she said.  “When firefighters entered the building, they observed that the residential sprinkler system had activated and had extinguished the fire, minimizing fire damage and possibly saving lives,” she said.

Klope called this incident a success story. “Oftentimes stories like these, where there is no fire damage or injury, have little to report and therefore go unnoticed,” she said. “We cannot stress enough the importance of installing residential sprinkler systems in order to prevent death or injury and to minimize fire damage to personal belongings.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Orange, TX – Sprinkler system helps extinguish apartment fire after resident falls asleep while cooking

On Tuesday night, May 23, 2017 shortly after 9 p.m., the City of Orange Fire Department responded to 1010 State Highway 87 for a report of a apartment fire. Upon fire fighters arrival the fire was out in the single apartment. It appears the lady in the apartment was cooking and fell asleep. She managed to get the fire out along with the sprinkler system that was activated due to the smoke. The victim was treated at the scene by Acadian Ambulance Personnel and suffered minor injuries.