Category Archives: Residential

Residential, Single Family Home

American Canyon, CA – Residential fire sprinkler system instrumental in containing fire so residents could get out

Eight people escaped from a house fire Wednesday night, aided by a fire sprinkler system that helped with early suppression, the American Canyon Fire Protection District reported.

Firefighters responded at 2:05 a.m. to a reported structure fire in the 800 block of Spring Mountain Lane. Engine 11 and Engine 311 arrived to heavy black smoke coming from the residence and reports of a trapped resident, the district said in a news release.

After a complete search by firefighters and assisting agencies, all residents were accounted for.

Mutual aid was provided by Vallejo Fire Department, Napa County Fire Department and Napa City Fire Department.

Eight victims were transported to area hospitals for minor smoke inhalation, the district said.

A residential fire sprinkler system was instrumental in providing early suppression and egress for the residents, the district said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant, Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Ocean City, NJ – fire sprinkler systems put out sixth floor fire at hotel and later that day extinguish fire at a condo

The Ocean City Fire Department had a busy day on Sunday with a fire at a downtown hotel in the afternoon and another at a residence later that evening.

Around 2:30 p.m. last Sunday, the Ocean City Fire Department (OCFD) responded to a fire alarm activation at the Stowaway Grand Hotel on 22nd Street. First-arriving firefighters located the hotel’s alarm panel and determined the source of the activation was on the fifth floor. Four OCFD firefighters operating in groups of two made their way to the fifth floor from inside the building and found a smoke and fire condition in an electrical closet.

OCFD spokesman Ryan Whittington said crews were able to put out that fire with dry chemical extinguishers and that firefighters wouldn’t use water in a fire of that type because it was electrical in nature. With that situation well in hand, Whittington said while on the fifth floor, firefighters were alerted to another potential fire on the sixth floor above.

The crews made their way to the sixth floor and found an active fire and smoke conditions. As firefighters were preparing to tackle that blaze, the hotel’s sprinkler system activated and put out the fire.

The entire situation was brought under control around 3:40 p.m. on Sunday, or a little over an hour after the first alarm activation. Whittington said the protocol for the fire department in that case was to send the high-rise package, which includes larger apparatus and equipment.

“Because the Stowaway Grand is considered a high-rise in terms of the number of floors, there are certain things we have to do,” he said. “We actually deployed our high-rise package, which includes the ladder trucks and larger apparatus equipped with a larger amount of hose and larger caliber hoses.”

Hundreds of hotel guests were evacuated during the incident, resulting in some quick thinking by the command staff.

“Battalion Chief David Peterson had command and he requested a city bus,” said Whittington. “There were hundreds of guests milling around and waiting to get back in, and having the bus there provided a place for them to sit down and relax in the air conditioning.”

Whittington said the fire department’s protocols and training prevented what could have been a much more serious situation.

“Everything worked like it should have,” he said. “To our guys’ credit, they really saved the building from much more damage.”

Hours later, the OCFD responded to another residential fire at a condominium on Trimper Avenue, according to Whittington.

“We arrived and found a heavy smoke condition on the first floor,” he said. “Crews made their way to the third floor and found a basket of blankets and other materials in a storage closet too close to a heat source and it combusted. We believe a light bulb might have started the fire, but it is still under investigation. In that incident, the condo’s sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Burlington, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes third-floor apartment fire

An early Thursday afternoon apartment fire displaced residents at the Fox Crossing Apartments on Bridge Street along the city’s riverfront.

All occupants were safely evacuated from the multi-unit apartment complex at 180 Bridge St., with one resident sustaining burns and being transported to Aurora Burlington Medical Center, the City of Burlington Fire Department confirmed Friday. 

City Fire Chief Alan Babe reported that the fire was contained to one third-floor apartment, where sprinklers extinguished the blaze.

“We got a general (automatic) fire alarm at 12:33 hours,” Babe said. “Prior to us going en route, we got a call back from Racine County Communications Center that a proper pass code was given to clear the alarm, so I had the cancel tones set off. What ended up eventually happening is we were re-toned for smoke in the building.

“We were on scene at 12:40 and first crews in realized we did have an active fire at one point in Unit Number 306. Sprinklers were activated, with some water damage. Evacuation was already in progress upon our arrival,” Babe said.

A press release from Babe on Friday morning said the activation of the fire sprinkler system stopped the fire from engulfing the third-floor unit within minutes and expanding quickly to the other apartments.

“Without the fire sprinkler system in place, the aftermath would have been devastating, resulting in serious risk to life or even total property damage,” Babe said.

Burlington Police Department Lt. Brian Zmudzinski reported that 180 Bridge St. has 32 apartments with approximately 65 to 70 occupants.

Babe reported that displaced residents from the four-story complex were initially gathered together in the community room at the neighboring Fox Crossing Apartments building at 120 Bridge St.

“We do have EMS personnel with all the residents at this time,” Babe said at the scene, adding that COVID precautions were being taken and that pharmaceutical medication, food and hydration needs of residents were “being taken care of.”

Red Cross called

Babe said that some residents would be allowed to return to the apartment building in certain areas deemed safe to do so. But he added there “are going to be some permanent displacements” in an unknown number of units due to water damage.

The chief said he had been in contact with the American Red Cross regarding “proper accommodations” for any possible permanent displacements in connection with the incident, noting it was likely that some displaced residents might find accommodations with friends or family.

“We’re looking long-term if we have to put people up for a period of time … to make sure that they’re taken care of. We have those plans in place,” Babe said.

Firefighters continued helping displaced residents collect belongings and pets well into Thursday evening. Damage estimates were not available and the incident remained under investigation as of Friday.

As part of the incident response, Babe said the City of Burlington Fire Department set up a unified command system with the Burlington Police Department and responding fire departments. Multiple emergency units were on scene, including units from the Town of Burlington, Rochester, Lake Geneva, Salem Lakes and the Racine Fire Bells Emergency Services Support and Rehab unit. Babe said city staff, including the mayor, city administrator and public works crews were also on scene.

“We had good representation,” he said. “Everybody’s working together.”

The Racine County Sheriff’s Office and We Energies crews also assisted at the scene.

Babe said the cause of the fire is under investigation. There was no estimate on the dollar amount of damage to the apartment building as of Wednesday afternoon.

Apartment Building, Residential

Austell, GA – Fire sprinklers extinguish apartment fire after woman sets boyfriends closet

A Cobb County woman is charged with arson after authorities said she set fire to a bedroom closet during a fight with her boyfriend over the weekend.

Nioyca Nicole Lusega, 40, was arrested Saturday morning, less than three hours after firefighters responded to a blaze at the couple’s Austell apartment, investigators said.

Crews were called to the Lake Crossing Apartments along Riverside Parkway about 6 a.m. after the fire began during a domestic dispute, Cobb fire’s chief investigator Brian Beaty told AJC.com.

“The fire suppression system extinguished the fire, fortunately. But that did not negate the intent or the endangerment part,” Beaty said. “It was a multi-family dwelling, and that’s where it gets a little more complicated than just setting your boyfriend’s stuff on fire.”

Though the apartment’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire before crews arrived, several of Lusega’s neighbors suffered water damage in their units, authorities said.

Lusega, who faces one count of first-degree arson, remains held in the Cobb County Jail on a $27,720 bond, online records show.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Brevard, NC – Assisted living facility laundry room fire contained thanks to fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

Fire crews spent their early morning tackling a fire that broke out in a Brevard assisted living facility’s laundry room early Sunday morning.

A press release posted by Connestee Fire Rescue to Facebook on Saturday said crews responded to The Cedar Mountain House facility on Sherwood Ridge Road at 4:20 a.m., responding to a reported structure fire. Within minutes, CFR says they were on scene, with facility staff already in the process of evacuating residents. CFR said the working fire was within the laundry wing of the facility, and that crew members did additional searches of the facility to ensure all residents and staff were out safely.

Just before 4:30 a.m., fire suppression efforts began, and the sprinkler system activated. CFR notes this kept the fire contained to a commercial gas dryer in the room, and helped CFR personnel in putting out the flames.

35 residents were evacuated with help from other departments. Those departments also helped with salvage and overhaul operations. Fire, Rescue, EMS, and Emergency Management personnel aided with patient care and resident assistance throughout the incident.

While the residents were going to be moved to a different facility, fire personnel and building maintenance removed a large amount of water from the facility, along with removing smoke from the first floor of the structure. The sprinkler system was back online, and residents were able to be moved back in.

CFR and the Transylvania County Fire Marshal’s Office investigated, and believe an unknown issue with the dryer caused the fire. For now, The Cedar Mountain House will not be able to use the laundry wing until repairs are made. 

No injuries were reported. 

Agencies that provided mutual aid included City of Brevard Fire Department, Cedar Mountain Fire Rescue, Rosman Fire Rescue, Little River Fire Department, North Transylvania Fire Department, Transylvania County Rescue Squad, Transylvania County EMS, Transylvania County Emergency Management, Transylvania County Fire Marshals Office, Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Transylvania County Code Enforcement and Transylvania County Department of Public Health. Asheville Fire Rescue and Prisma Health EMS were on standby with multi-patient transport ambulance busses if residents needed to be taken to another facility.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chapel Hill, NC – Sprinkler system contains apartment grease fire

The Chapel Hill Fire Department responded at 5:22 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, to an automatic fire alarm at 201 S. Elliott Road, the Berkshire Chapel Hill Apartments.

A resident was cooking when grease in a pot on the stove ignited. The fire triggered the sprinkler system and automatic fire alarm. The resident was treated at the scene by Orange County EMS.

The response consisted of 11 fire personnel from Chapel Hill on two Engines, one Ladder, and two Battalion Chiefs. Chapel Hill Police assisted with scene safety and security.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Dayton, OH – Sprinkler system at senior apartment contains fire on 14th floor

One person was injured in a fire that broke out Monday afternoon in a unit on the 14th floor of the historic Biltmore Towers senior apartment building.

The sprinkler system in the building at 210 N. Main St. in Dayton helped contain the fire reported at 3:50 p.m. Monday, which shut down a portion of North Main Street.

One person was taken to a local hospital for possible smoke inhalation injuries and one floor sustained smoke damage.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Fire sprinklers extinguish overnight apartment fire

A Madison apartment resident was injured after a fire broke out in their unit overnight, says the Madison Fire Department.

Firefighters arrived at the apartment building on the 1000 block of North High Point Road around 12:45 a.m. Monday. They said several people were already leaving the 24-unit building when they arrived.

The fire had been extinguished by the automatic sprinkler system in the building, according to the Madison Fire Department.

They said a resident in the unit where the fire originated was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Minor damage was limited to the unit and the unit below it, says MFD. Three people displaced from the lower unit are being helped by the American Red Cross.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Rock Springs, WY – Apartment fire stopped by fire sprinkler system

The Rock Springs Fire Department responded to two apartment fires in the Village at Silver Ridge on Saturday, according to Fire Chief Jim Wamsley.

Wamsley said crews responded to the first fire just after 3 pm when initial reports indicated that a sprinkler system had been activated from a report by the alarm monitoring company.

Upon arrival, responding crews gained access to apartment 205, noting that the fire had been extinguished by the sprinkler activation system. Crews stopped the water flow at the head and checked for any remaining hot spots and possible extension to adjacent apartment units and the apartment immediately above the fire floor.

No damage or fire extension was found. The cause of the fire was determined to be an unattended grill on the balcony. The fire suppression system was tagged out of service and the management of the apartment facility was given instructions to maintain a fire watch until such time as the fire suppression system could be repaired and brought back into normal operation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Addison, TX (no media coverage) – Single sprinkler head contains apartment fire; No injuries reported

We had another save over the weekend. Our crews responded to a reported automatic alarm and after investigation found water and smoke in an individual apartment. The occupant was asleep and not responsive and did not awake to either the smoke alarms or water activation of the one sprinkler head. He woke up after crews made entry into his apartment and he was escorted down stairs with no injury. The building value is around 45 Million. That is the 4th sprinkler save we have had in the last six months in Addison.