Category Archives: Residential

Apartment Building, Residential

Dallas, TX – Early morning fire at high rise apartment sparked by wheelchair put out by fire sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Flames inside a high-rise apartment were caused by a wheelchair that caught fire, officials say. 

Dallas Fire-Rescue crews responded to a fire call around 6 a.m. Wednesday at the Cliff Manor Apartments near the 2400 block of Fort Worth Avenue. 

Investigators say the blaze was sparked by a wheelchair at the elderly housing community. 

Firefighters say when they arrived at the complex they could see light smoke coming from the top floor. When they reached the unit where the smoke was coming from, they say the sprinkler system had already extinguished the fire. 

Medics say an elderly man was in the unit when the fire sparked. He was transported to the hospital for a pre-existing medical condition, according to officials. 

Authorities say no one was injured during the incident. 

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

West Lafayette, IN – Fire sprinklers control fifth floor dorm room fire at Purdue University

When Hawkins residents were roused by the blaring fire alarms Jan. 23 at 2:43 a.m., most assumed it was a badly timed drill.

The residents on the east wing of the fifth floor saw the smoke.

A resident’s reverse osmosis water filter had caught fire. Its owner was not in the room at the time, and the sprinklers were able to contain the small fire. No residents were harmed, but the lasting flooding left many of their belongings damaged. The student declined to comment.

Hannah MacLean, a freshman in the College of Science, was one of the other residents on the east wing of the fifth floor, just five or six doors down from room where the fire started.

“I didn’t really take it that seriously (at first),” MacLean said. “I kind of took my time. … Then I open my door, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I see smoke,’ and then I kinda panicked.”

MacLean said most of the residents were out of the building by 2:45 a.m.

By the time the fire truck arrived, the fire had been contained, though there was still smoke present, according to Purdue Fire Chief Kevin Ply.

“(The fire) was completely accidental, and the sprinklers worked just as they were designed to work,” Ply said.

According to MacLean, there was water coming from the door across from the room where the fire started, but Ply explained that only the sprinkler in that room went off because of their design.

“(The sprinkler) reaches a predetermined temperature and then that sprinkler head pops, and so when that happens, water comes out of the sprinkler at roughly 30-35 gallons per minute,” Ply said.

When the fire department arrived, they had to turn off the sprinkler system, which is why there was so much flooding, Ply said.

Purdue spokesperson Tim Doty said via email because of the sprinkler system, some rooms will be offline for the rest of the semester and affected students have been offered temporary housing or new housing assignments within University Residences.

The residents were not allowed back into the building until around 4 a.m., according to MacLean. The fifth-floor residents were told they had to find a different place to stay for the night, but many other Hawkins residents offered to host them.

MacLean stayed with her friend, Maya Radjenovich, a freshman in the College of Health and Human Sciences.

“A lot of girls seemed to be really understanding and open to allowing people to spend the night with them,” Radjenovich said. “It was actually really sweet to see.”

The next night, fifth-floor residents still weren’t able to return to their rooms. Hawkins offered temporary housing to any residents who weren’t able to find a place to stay with another resident and escorted those who wanted to get any belongings from their rooms.

The fifth-floor residents weren’t allowed back into their rooms until Friday at 5 p.m., according to MacLean.

“As you can see, my books are all water-damaged,” she said, brandishing her wrinkled notebooks. “Luckily, my stuff didn’t get too damaged.”

MacLean said the maintenance workers worked hard to clean residents’ rugs, shoes and any other objects they could launder, but many girls’ belongings were too water-damaged to be reclaimed. When MacLean moved back in, there were still large fans running in an attempt to dry everything off.

“For the girls whose stuff that was damaged that needs to be replaced, I know they’re filing a report,” Mac Lean said.

Wednesday morning, residents received an email saying that Hawkins would not be reimbursing residents for any damages sustained due to the flooding.

“We are unable to assist with your request of reimbursement for damages to student owned clothing and furnishings,” the email read. They suggested reaching out to insurance companies and apologized for the unfortunate circumstances.

Apartment Building, Residential

Saskatoon, SK, Canada – Fire sparked by candle put out by fire sprinklers at 13-story apartment

A candle sparked a fire that forced the evacuation of a 13-storey apartment building in Saskatoon on Sunday.

The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) said it received a residential fire signal from the building at 530 25th St. E. at 3:23 p.m.

Nothing was showing from the exterior of the building when crews arrived, but a check found smoke on the third floor from a fire in a suite, SFD said.

The building was evacuated and residents were taken to the neighbouring YWCA building. Tenants with mobility issues were sheltered in their suites.

The fire department said the building’s sprinkler system put out the fire prior to their arrival, but heavy smoke remained throughout the third floor.

Higher carbon monoxide levels were reported on the third floor and above, SFD said, and positive pressure ventilation was used on each floor to remove smoke and toxic gasses.

Residents were allowed back to their apartments once carbon monoxide levels returned to zero.

A fire investigator determined a candle ignited stationary on a desk, starting the fire.

Damage is estimated at $100,000 due to the significant amount of water discharged from the sprinkler system.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Boone, NC – Fire sprinkler in dorm room keeps fire from spreading

A small fire from a cooking accident occurred at the Appalachian Heights on Bodenheimer Drive on Jan. 26 at 4:41 p.m.

Boone Fire Department Battalion Chief Kent Brown said the sprinkler system in the room where the fire occurred activated and kept the fire from spreading.

Housekeeping is on scene cleaning up the water from the sprinkler systems on the first and second floors.

Residents on the right side of the building are not allowed inside until further notice, while residents on the left side of the building have been permitted back in.

Marielle Tooley, a resident on the second floor said the situation happened fast.

“We all went outside and the firemen took care of it pretty quickly and now we’re just waiting on the mess to be cleaned up,” Tooley said.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Fargo, ND – Fire at nursing home contained thanks to fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

A fire burned through the roof of a Fargo nursing home on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of about 115 residents, authorities said. No injures were reported.

Some residents of a south side Fargo nursing home were moved to an adjoining chapel Thursday afternoon while fire crews battled a blaze that started in the attic area. Elim Campus Pastor David Juve told KFGO radio that state officials will coordinate the eventual move of the displaced residents to temporary facilities.

The fire at the Elim Rehab and Care Center was called in about 3:15 p.m.. Witnesses say flames were shooting from the roof and smoke could be seen from several blocks away.

Authorities say natural gas fed the flames until the gas was shut off. Fargo Fire Chief Steve Dirksen credited a sprinkler system and fire doors for helping to contain the fire.

The investigation into the fire could take some time, Dirksen said.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Oceanside, CA – Fire sprinklers put out cooking fire at senior living center

A cooking fire at an Oceanside senior community displaced eight to 10 residents, Saturday night.

The residents were displaced because of water damage from the sprinklers that put the fire out, officials said.

The fire broke out at the three-story Lil’ Jackson Senior Community on Lake Boulevard around 7:20 p.m.

A cooking fire in a unit on the second floor triggered the sprinkler system and put out the flames before they spread.

Crews shut off the sprinklers when they arrived, but it was too late. Water pooling in the unit began seeping through the ceiling into the units on the ground-floor.

The Red Cross was called in to help the eight to 10 residents who were displaced by the fire and water damage.

One resident was evaluated by paramedics, but didn’t need to go to the hospital, officials said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Liberty Lake, WA – Fire sprinklers extinguish second floor apartment fire started by cigarettes

The Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to a fire at the Bitterroot Apartments Wednesday night, which was extinguished by a functioning sprinkler system.

They received multiple calls of smoke and visible flames on the second floor of the apartments, with one caller speculating that it was a barbecue fire.

Upon arrival, firefighters saw light smoke on the second floor deck, but confirmed that the fire was extinguished.

Spokane Valley Fire Inspector Brett Anderson determined that residents were throwing out cigarettes into a cardboard box on the deck, which caught fire before an automatic sprinkler system put it out.

“Sprinklers work!” said Anderson, stressing the importance of having a working sprinkler system.

“Fire sprinklers are an effective method to mitigate fire damage,” said Spokane Valley Fire Marshal Greg Rogers. “They allow individuals the opportunity to escape a burning structure. You have about a 50% chance [to escape] compared to an 80% chance in a structure with a sprinkler system.”

The Fire Department has seen a rise in incorrect cigarette disposal over the past few months and recommends discarding cigarettes in clean metal paint cans.

Apartment Building, Residential

Maple Ridge, BC, Canada – Apartment sprinkler system stops second floor fire from spreading; No injuries reported

The call initially came in late Tuesday night as alarms sounding, but it turned out to be an actual fire in the kitchen of a second-storey apartment on 224th Street and 122nd Avenue in Maple Ridge.

“It originally came in as alarms ringing, but when the crews arrived on scene, they actually found there was a fire in a suite,” Maple Ridge Fire and Rescue chief Howard Exner said Wednesday.

Initially, two trucks arrived on scene when the call first came in just before 11 p.m., but that was soon upgraded to 10 trucks.

No one was home at the time, but there were two dogs and a cat in the suite, said Exner.

“And they’re doing fine.”

He added that the building is equipped with water sprinklers.

The sprinklers activated and stopped the progress of the fire, “and allowed us to put out the remaining parts of the stuff that was on fire,” Exner said.

In addition to the fire-damaged suite, there was also some water damage to units below.

There were no injuries.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

New Haven, CT – Fire sprinklers extinguish fire in Yale dorm room started by lit candle; No injuries reported

A small fire broke out in a student dorm room in Pauli Murray College Monday afternoon, with subsequent water damage affecting the buttery, the college’s student meeting room, the dining hall loading dock and two student suites. No students, faculty or staff members were injured.

The fire — which began from a lit candle — broke out in Entryway E around 2:50 p.m. Alarms sounded throughout the college as the sprinkler system put out the fire before firefighters entered the building. The water in the suite, which was on the second floor, leaked down into the suite below it and then into the elevator shaft, causing damage in the basement.

Head of College Tina Lu sent out an email to Pauli Murray students approximately two hours later, explaining that nobody was hurt and informing students about the damage. She also emphasized the rule against candles in undergraduate dorm rooms.

“Candles are dangerous,” Lu told the News. “And the takeaway is that the undergraduate regulations, that particular one, is there for a very good reason. We all grew up with candles, but in this communal living environment, they’re dangerous, and they caused a lot of damage.”

Lu did not specifically elaborate on how the fire started, citing that she wanted to protect the privacy of the student. However, she did mention the danger of having a candle lit with the window open on a windy day, as wind can carry the fire.

She said that while she was not on campus when the fire broke out, she returned when the firemen arrived and later did a walkthrough of the college with the fire marshal to survey the damage. Excluding the student’s suite, all of the damage to the college is water-related, and the facilities staff have already begun repairing the college’s property.

“All [the repairs] are taking place right now, but in a building that is this complicated, it’s a bunch of different moving parts,” Lu said. “We are working hard to make sure that it’s as fast as possible.”

Casey Ramsey ’20, who lives in the suite below the room in which the fire started, told the News that he and his suitemate have been temporarily relocated to a different entryway due to water damage. None of their items were damaged, but there is a crack in their ceiling that was leaking water, he explained. Firefighters discovered an inch of water in the walls of the hallway outside their room, according to Ramsey.

Ramsey was in his room at the time of the fire but said he did not think that the alarm was serious. He only left when his friend texted him that the fire was directly above him, he said. After the fire was extinguished, firemen and the fire marshal examined his suite and decided that he should move as a precaution so that adequate repairs could be made.

“It’s not an ideal situation, but it’s not unpleasant,” Ramsey said. “At least we got to stay in Murray, and we got to keep our own rooms and have our own space still, and it’s not too far.”

Shira Minsk ’23 lives in the same hallway as Ramsey, but her suite did not suffer any water damage. However, there was a small leak in the hallway outside her room, which had stopped by Tuesday morning.

Minsk, like Ramsey, was in her room at the time of the fire. She recalls at least two other times this year that the fire alarm has gone off in her entryway, both of which turned out to be false alarms or fire drills. So, when she heard the alarm this time, she said she put in her headphones and continued to study. She added that she only left the building when one of her friends who lives down the hall informed her that there were firefighters coming. Once outside, she saw smoke coming out of a second-floor window and then saw water from the sprinklers.

“I totally think it could have happened to anyone … Lots of people I know in Murray light candles,” Minsk said.

Pauli Murray College is located at 130 Prospect Street.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Sterling, VA – (no media coverage) Sprinkler system keeps townhome garage fire from spreading; No injuries reported

Automatic Sprinkler System in Sterling Townhouse Held Fire in Check as Firefighters Responded

Loudoun County Fire Official’s credit a Sterling townhome’s automatic fire sprinkler system with preventing a garage fire from spreading further before first responders arrived.

On Thursday, January 16, 2020, fire and rescue units from Cascades, Sterling Park, Kincora, Ashburn, and Fairfax County, along with various command staff officers, responded to a report of a car on fire in the garage of a home in the 46,000 block of Pryor Square in Sterling.

Firefighters arrived on scene to find a three-story, end-unit townhouse with a car on fire in the garage and the residents safely outside the home. Fire crews quickly extinguished the remaining fire that was being controlled by the automatic fire sprinkler system. Fortunately for the residents and neighbors, the fire and subsequent damages were contained to the vehicle and the garage with no fire extending to the remaining portions of the townhome. No other dwellings were affected and there were no reported injuries to citizens or first responders.

The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that it was an accidental fire, originating in the engine compartment of the vehicle. Damages to the vehicle and home are estimated at $20,000.
“If the sprinkler heads had not been in place and operated as designed, this fire could have been significantly more severe,” said System Chief Keith Johnson. “This incident is a prime example of the positive impact of automatic sprinkler systems in residential homes. The sprinkler activation kept the fire under control until firefighters could get on scene and damages to the home were directly minimized.” Loudoun County Fire and Rescue officials remain strong advocates of automatic fire sprinkler systems and their safety benefits. To learn more about fire prevention activities and education in Loudoun County, visit http://www.loudoun.gov/firemarshal or call 703-737-8600.

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