Category Archives: Residential

Residential, Residential High Rise

Fresno, CA – Sprinkler system controls high-rise building fire until fire crews arrive

Firefighters worked to contain a fire that broke out inside a historic high-rise building in downtown Fresno on Sunday.

Around 4:00 p.m., the Fresno Fire Department says a fire engine responded to the Pacific Southwest Building near Fulton and Mariposa avenues after receiving a report that a sprinkler system was going off on the 14th floor.

When firefighters arrived, they found an alarm sounding inside of the building as residents made their way safely outside.

Firefighters made their way up to the 14th floor, where they called for a 2nd-Alarm after finding smoke.

After a 2nd-Alarm was called, several more fire engines arrived and could be seen surrounding the 16-story building.

The sprinkler system was able to keep the fire under control until firefighters could arrive and put it out.

Fire officials say investigators are working to figure out what started the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Brookfield, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

Firefighters on Wednesday morning, June 2 responded to the scene of an apartment fire on Taywood Circle in Brookfield. The call came in around 1:15 a.m.

When crews arrived on the scene they found light smoke coming from a second-floor apartment window.

The fire was contained to the kitchen of a single upstairs apartment unit and was nearly extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system that had activated prior to fire department arrival.

Two families were displaced by the fire and were being assisted by the Red Cross.  No injuries were reported. 

There is no damage estimate at this time.

The fire is not deemed suspicious following an initial investigation by the City of Brookfield Fire Department.

Residential, Single Family Home

Fort Myers Beach, FL – Sprinkler system activated for house fire; No injuries reported

An electrical hazard caused a small home fire on Dundee Road in Fort Myers Beach on Wednesday, officials said.

Crews responded to the home at 10:30 a.m. to respond to the hazard, which ended up being a fire, according to the Fort Myers Beach Fire Department.

The home sustained minimal damage because of a Residential Fire Sprinkler System the owners installed during a home renovation a few years back, crews said.

No one was injured, and the homeowners’ pets were safely located.

Apartment Building, Residential

Springfield, MA – Sprinkler system quickly extinguishes arson fire in apartment building; No injuries reported

The fire Tuesday morning at the former Indian Motorcycle building on State Street in Springfield was intentionally set, fire officials report. 

According to Captain Drew Piemonte, with the Springfield Fire Department, the fire was called in at 10:45 a.m. 

Piemonte tells Western Mass News the sprinkler system in the building quickly extinguished the flames.

“Sprinklers kept the fire in check,” Piemonte explained.

No injuries have been reported.

Firefighters were on scene checking for any extension of the fire to make sure there were no flare ups.

Piemonte confirms damage was contained to the room of origin…” it was a bedroom,” he noted. 

The Springfield Arson And Bomb Squad has been investigating this fire.

“..(the) Squad has determined that there was two separate fires in the apartment that were intentionally set,” Piemonte told us. 

The building, which was once part of the Indian Motorcycle Company, now houses apartments. 

At this time no arrests have been made and the investigation continues.

Apartment Building, Residential

Poughkeepsie, NY – Suspected arson fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

City of Poughkeepsie firefighters responded to an early morning sprinkler alarm at 60 Carroll Street at 4:10 a.m. on Monday morning.  The first arriving firefighters immediately observed a heavy odor of gasoline when they entered the building less than four minutes after receiving the alarm.

When the firefighters reached the second-floor of the building, with the gasoline odor even more noticeable, they observed a charred trail where a fire had been burning, until the sprinkler system had extinguished it.

Fire officials said that most of the building’s occupants had evacuated the building when the alarm activated in the building.  As they continued their inspection, firefighters discovered that an entry door to a specific apartment had sustained fire damage prior to their arrival.

The initial investigation indicates that an accelerant, presumably gasoline, was poured in the second-floor hallway, and intentionally ignited.  The sprinkler system extinguished the fire.  The City of Poughkeepsie Police were called to the scene to investigate the possible criminal act.

No injuries were reported.  Officials noted that ceiling tiles on the first floor had sustained water damage from the sprinklers and fell to the floor.

Over the past several weeks, the fire department has responded to several calls at the address.  On one occasion, a gas can was placed in the building and evidence indicates that an attempt to ignite it had occurred.  On another date, firefighters responded to a similar call.

City of Poughkeepsie Police have responded to the building several times in recent weeks as well.  On one date, they responded to a call of gunfire that resulted in bullets entering an occupied apartment.  More recently, a drug raid was conducted at an apartment in the building, resulting in a seizure of guns, drugs, and cash.  Arrests were made during that incident.

Sources have told Mid Hudson News that the police are investigating the Monday morning fire as a possible arson.  Anyone with information is asked to call 845-451-7577.

Apartment Building, Residential

St. Cloud, MN – Apartment fire contained and extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

No one was injured but thousands of dollars in damage occurred in an apartment fire Sunday evening in St. Cloud.

The St. Cloud Fire Department responded to a call for a kitchen fire around 8 p.m. Sunday. When firefighters arrived at the apartment building in the 1100 block of 7th Street Southeast, they found that the building’s sprinkler system had contained and extinguished the fire.

There were no injuries reported, but the department says it is investigating the cause of the fire that left $14,000 in damage. It is not suspicious in nature. Two adults and three children were displaced from the apartment and are receiving help from the Red Cross.

Apartment Building, Residential

McKinney, TX – Fire at apartment complex extinguished by residential sprinkler system

The McKinney Fire Department (MFD) responded to the report of a water flow alarm at the Lakes of Eldorado apartments at 1400 Eldorado Pkwy. just after 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 18. Neighbors told 911 dispatchers that water was coming from one of the apartments. 

MFD firefighters arrived to find that the flames had been contained and extinguished by the residential fire sprinkler system. 

Nobody was home at the time of the fire. Fire investigators are looking into the cause. 

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Caldwells, NJ – Sprinkler system activated for fire at university residence hall

A fire was extinguished at a Caldwell University residence hall on Monday, authorities said.

According to the Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department, their peers in West Caldwell got a call about an active fire alarm at the Mother Joseph Residence Hall at 5:17 p.m. The Caldwell Fire Department was immediately dispatched to the scene.

On arrival, firefighters found the alarm sounding and the building evacuated. Firefighters soon found “heavy smoke” coming from the second floor and an activated sprinkler system. Arriving fire crews stretched a line to extinguish the fire in the second floor recycling area, officials said.

Caldwell firefighters got mutual aid from Essex Fells, West Caldwell, Cedar Grove, North Caldwell, Roseland and the West Essex First Aid Squad.

All units were clear of the scene at 7:07 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation, authorities said.

Officials said that fire damage was limited to the room of origin, but smoke and water damage was found throughout the building.

“The sprinklers and fire alarm system did their job and kept the fire in check until fire units arrived to completely extinguish the fire,” Chief Andrew Pollara said.

Caldwell University staff relocated students to other residence halls on campus, authorities said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Frisco, TX – Fire on 12th floor of apartment complex contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire investigators are investigating a fire that started in an apartment at the Twelve Cowboys Way Luxury Apartments. The fire was contained in the apartment due to the activation of the fire sprinkler system.

Dispatch was alerted by the alarm company of a “water flow” alarm at 12:13 p.m. Sunday. The first unit arrived four minutes later. Frisco Fire responded with one engine, one ladder truck, and one battalion chief on the initial assignment due to it being an alarm investigation.

During the investigation by the first arriving unit, smoke was found in the building.

Additional units were requested as a working fire was declared. The fire was found in an apartment on the 12th floor, was kept small, and was not allowed to grow as rapidly due to the fire sprinklers that had activated when the fire began. A total of 19 units and 43 personnel were used to help extinguish the fire.

The Frisco Fire Department announced 1:11 p.m. Sunday through social media that the fire was declared “out.”  Just after 2:30 p.m., the department announced that residents were being allowed back into the residences with restoration crews on scene.  

No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Twelve Cowboys Way is a 17 story luxury high-rise building with garage and offices on floors one through five and residential apartments on floors six through 17.

Apartment Building, Residential

Lancaster, PA – (no media coverage) Microwave fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Sprinklers save lives and buildings. Sprinklers turn potential really big fires into very small boring fires. A single automatic sprinkler head saved a 3 story wood frame occupied apartment house in Lancaster Township Fire Department this morning. The microwave oven caught fire even though it wasn’t in use. The occupants fled the building as the fire started spreading. The kitchen sprinkler head went off and PUT OUT the fire. We spent 30 minutes cleaning up instead of 3 hours in a water battle. 30 people have a home and a million dollar apartment building has some water damage instead of being bulldozed into a rubble pile. Sprinklers save lives and property.