Category Archives: Residential

Apartment Building, Residential

Crescent City, CA – Fourth floor apartment fire knocked down by fire sprinkler

On Thursday, March 26th at 12:47 PM a fire broke out in a fourth-floor apartment at the Surf Apartments located at 108 H Street, Crescent City. Originally dispatched as a fire alarm sounding at the location, the response was quickly upgraded to a structure fire when dispatch advised there was smoke in an apartment on the fourth floor, and occupants were beginning to evacuate. On fire department arrival light smoke was seen coming from an apartment on the Front Street side of the building and the fire alarm system was sounding. There were some occupants already on the street in front of the building.

Crews entered the building for fire attack and search and encountered a number of residents in the hallways and still inside their rooms. The ladder truck was positioned with the ladder to the fire apartment. The fire attack crew found the apartment full of smoke, but the fire had been extinguished by one sprinkler head that activated in the bedroom where the fire had burned a laundry basket of clothing and began to burn the mattress next to it. Search efforts continued as additional occupants were removed or sheltered in place on lower floors away from the fire location. The sprinkler system was shut down, smoke was removed from the building, and crews worked to protect property from water damage. The building electrical was also shutoff. Unfortunately, 12 occupants were displaced by the fire and subsequent water damage to apartments next to and below the fire apartment.

Del Norte County Office of Emergency Services assisted with Red Cross to temporarily house the 12 displaced occupants. Property management on scene was coordinating with an electrician to restore power to the undamaged apartments. Cleaning resources were also being brought in for water removal.

In addition to the three engines, one ladder truck, one rescue, and duty officer from Crescent City Fire and Rescue, Pelican Bay State Prison Fire Department and CALFIRE each were requested and responded with an engine. A total of 18 firefighters battled the fire. After investigation of the fire scene, the cause of the fire appears accidental from a dropped cigarette between the bed and laundry basket. Repairing the damage from the fire and sprinkler flow could be as much as $50,000.

“The sprinkler system did its job today at the Surf Apartments by quickly knocking down the fire. Without the fast response of a working automatic fire sprinkler system combined with the fire department response, this situation would have likely been tragic as the mostly elderly occupant population attempted to flee from what could have been a rapidly growing fire.” Bill Gillespie, Fire Chief

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Baton Rouge, LA – Sprinkler system at nursing home controls fire caused by air conditioning unit

The Baton Rouge Fire Department responded to a local nursing home early Saturday morning.

After arriving at the Sterling Place Nursing Home, BRFD says “they were directed to the second floor of the building where a window air condition unit was on fire.”

A sprinkler activated in the room where the air conditioner was on fire and prevented more damage from occurring.

Eight total units, four pumpers and two ladders were required to put the fire out.

The cause of this fire was most likely a bird nest caught in the AC unit.

At the time of the fire, there were 144 people and around 20 workers residing in the nursing home.

According to the Baton Rouge Fire Department, “the second floor where the fire was is vacant, with no one living on that floor.”

That floor did sustain smoke and heavy water damage.

BRPD and EMS assisted the Baton Rouge Fire Department at the scene.

Sterling Place Nursing Home is located at 3888 North Blvd.

Apartment Building, Residential

Savannah, GA – Fire sprinkler extinguishes apartment kitchen fire; No injuries reported

A Savannah resident was displaced after firefighters responded to a kitchen fire in the Sustainable Fellwood complex, according to a Savannah Fire Department press release issued Thursday, March 26.

At 1:31 p.m. on Thursday, the Savannah Fire Department was dispatched to a fire in the 1400 Block of Barnes Drive in the Sustainable Fellwood residential complex. Engine 4 was first on scene.

The firefighters discovered that a kitchen fire triggered the sprinkler system inside an apartment. The sprinklers extinguished the fire, but flooded the apartment.

No one was injured, but the resident was displaced due to water damage. Firefighters made sure the fire was completely out and removed excess water from the apartment.

Apartment Building, Residential

Wallingford, CT – Apartment fire controlled by fire sprinklers

More than two dozen people were displaced from their homes after a fire at an apartment complex Tuesday afternoon in Wallingford. The fire occurred at the Parker Place apartment complex at 53 Parker St., according to the Meriden Record-Journal.

The Record-Journal reports several apartments were water damaged when a fire broke out in a fourth-floor apartment, which activated several sprinklers. The sprinklers prevented the fire from spreading beyond the apartment unit where it originated, according to the Record-Journal.

The American Red Cross said Tuesday night that it is helping 14 families — 27 adults — after the fire. One resident suffered a burn injury, according to fire officials.

On arrival, the battalion chief “upgraded to a structure response bring all career and some units from the two volunteer stations as well as Meriden fire for mutual aid,” according to fire officials.

“Multiple sprinkler heads were activated holding the fire in check until companies could make their way in fully extinguish and ventilate building,” officials wrote in a post on Facebook.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Fire Marshal’s Office.

The Red Cross provided assistance to meet the families’ immediate needs. Responders included: Joyce Bullock; Elizabeth Webster; Susan Shaw; Evan Gailey; John Glendon; Patricia Breen.

“The Red Cross is also providing comfort kits containing personal care items such as toothbrushes, deodorant; shaving supplies and other items a resident might need when suddenly displaced from their home by a fire,” officials said in a news release. “In addition, a recovery envelope containing information helpful to families recovering from a fire, including tips on cleanup; notification of important contacts; dealing with damaged items and more was provided.

“Those affected will connect with Red Cross caseworkers in the coming days to work on a longer-term recovery plan. The Red Cross is able to provide assistance through the generosity of our donors and commitment of our volunteers.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Winston-Salem, NC – Sprinkler system keeps stove fire from spreading throughout apartment

Four adults and three children were displaced after an apartment fire on Wednesday night.

Firefighters arrived on the scene at 185 Willow Oaks Drive at 10:22 p.m. and had the fire under control by 10:26 p.m.

One minor injury was reported.

The Winston-Salem Fire Department said a cooking fire got out of control.

A sprinkler system and stovetop countermeasures kept the fire from spreading to other apartments.

Apartment Building, Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant, Residential

Kamloops, BC, Canada – Fire sprinklers keep fire under control at hotel; No injuries reported

A fire last night at the Sandman Inn and Suites left 65 people without a place to sleep.

Around 8:20 p.m., Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) was called to the hotel (which also has apartments), says Platoon Capt. Troy Grant.

“Arriving a couple of blocks away, we could see flames on the roof of the building,” he tells KamloopsMatters. “The fire was in the attic and going through the roof in a couple of spots.”

KFR was able to quickly knock the fire down, using hoses from the outside and a ladder truck. They did have to remove a six-foot-by-12-foot section of the roof to get to it.

No injuries were reported, but the building remained empty overnight.

“65 residents were displaced,” Grant says. “Those have been taken care of by emergency support services.”

He adds that some will likely be able to return to their homes tonight, but others won’t be so lucky. The fourth floor, where the fire took place, has apartments, he adds. Along with some smoke damage and the removed section of the roof, he says there’s extensive water damage in some units, and likely more below.

“The cause of fire was in the attic itself; it appears electrical in nature,” Grant says. “The fire was kept small by the sprinkler system — the sprinklers were on for some time.”

Because of that, the roof collapsed in one unit and is sagging in others.

While the fire was knocked down relatively quickly, Grant says KFR stayed on the scene for a couple of hours to help guests and residents move out of the building.

Apartment Building, Residential

McKinney, TX – Single sprinkler head saves apartment after cooking fire

The McKinney Fire Department responded to a fire alarm Monday at Greenhaven Apartments at 8690 Virginia Parkway where units determined that the fire was extinguished by one sprinkler head.

The resident told firefighters she had left food on the stove and it caught fire. Everyone was able to get out safely. Smoke and water damage was contained to one apartment unit. The action of this one sprinkler head saved lives and an extensive financial loss of property.

According to the NFPA, there are hundreds of fires reported every day in the U.S., but cooking fires are by far the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

“With the COVID-19 concerns people are staying home and cooking more,” MFP spokesperson Merit Ossian said. “The best way to protect your home and family is to stay alert and keep an eye on what you are cooking. Take it off the heat if you have to step away.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Honolulu, HI – Single sprinkler head in apartment bedroom closet extinguished fire; No injuries reported

A fire at an apartment building along Farrington Highway remains under investigation, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.

Officials say that on March 9, around 6:02 a.m. HFD responded to a building fire at 86-086 Farrington Highway with 4 units staffed with 11 personnel. The first unit arrived at 6:08 a.m. to find a water flow alarm activation in a seven-story residential apartment building.

Upon further investigation, crews found an extinguished closet fire in a two-bedroom apartment on the third floor.

A single sprinkler head, located in one of the bedroom closets was activated as designed, and extinguished the fire.

No fire suppression efforts were performed by HFD crews at this incident.

Six occupants (two adults, four children) were home at the time. All occupants exited the unit safely with no reported injuries.

Fire damages are estimated to be $550 to the structure and $250 to its contents.

Apartment Building, Residential

Evanston, IL – Fire sprinkler keeps fire from spreading in 11th-floor apartment; No injuries reported

Multiple people were displaced after a fire Saturday in a high-rise apartment building in north suburban Evanston.

Crews were called at 7:15 p.m. for reports of the blaze in the 1600 block of Chicago Avenue, according to a statement from the Evanston Fire Department.

The fire broke out in an 11th-floor unit, but a sprinkler system kept it from spreading, officials said. Firefighters put out the remaining flames when they arrived.

The unit where the fire started sustained “significant smoke and water damage,” according to the fire department. Multiple other apartments were also damaged by water and several residents were displaced.

No injuries were reported, fire officials said. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but no foul play is suspected.

Apartment Building, Residential

Seymour, CT – Apartment kitchen fire controlled thanks to fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

There were no injuries reported after a fire in an apartment building on Maple Street Sunday.

Firefighters received a report of a kitchen fire at about 1:15 p.m. in a first-floor unit at 29 Maple St., the former LoPresti School building, which was sold in 2015 and converted into 42 apartments.

A woman setting up an apartment for her mother to move into left cardboard material next to a stove top, which ignited, said Fire Marshal Timm Willis. The fire triggered the sprinkler system. The fire was an accident, Willis said.

“There were combustible items near the stove, and it appears the stove was accidentally turned on,” Willis said. “The occupant found that, immediately called 911, and shut the door behind them, which is important.”

Closing the door helped contain the fire.

“When we first made entry into the first floor we had a heavy smoke condition. Obviously we also had a heavy smoke condition on the second and third floor very quickly,” said Seymour Fire Department Chief Michael Lombardi.

Firefighters entered the apartment where the reported fire was, found a fire in the kitchen and stretched a hose into the building to put water on the flames.

“Once it got hot enough, it activated the sprinkler system, which helped with fire suppression,” the chief said.

Fire damage was limited to the apartment where the fire started. Two other apartments had water damage from the sprinkler system. The smell of smoke was still very much lingering in the building as firefighters packed up their gear about an hour after arriving on scene.

The residents in the 40 apartments evacuated the building as the fire alarm sounded. One woman was relieved to hear her cat was OK. The animal hid under a bed in all the commotion.

Seymour police also relayed info to firefighters about two people with medical needs in the apartment building. Those two tenants were immediately identified and helped from the building when firefighters arrived.

The two residents were evaluated by Seymour Ambulance EMS.

Members of the Oxford Fire Department were also called to the scene to assist. There were about 35 Seymour firefighters and about 10 Oxford firefighters on scene.

The Red Cross was also contacted in case people needed temporary housing. 

A firefighter was left on scene at about 3 p.m. to serve as “fire watch:” that means the firefighter walked the halls and kept an eye on the property as the sprinkler system was reset.
Willis said the building’s fire alarm and fire-suppression system worked properly.

“The fire department did a tremendous job. They were very aggressive, they went right in, they got those two occupants (with medical needs) out very quickly. It was a good job by all,” Lombardi said.