Category Archives: Residential

Apartment Building, Residential

Chattanooga, TN – Fire caused by candle extinguished by sprinkler system

“Another fire caused by a candle!” 

The Chattanooga Fire Department is once again reminding residents about candle safety after a small fire at an apartment Sunday morning.

Crews responded around 11:19am to the Borough 33 Apartments on Bexley Square.

The sprinkler system extinguished the flames, but firefighters worked to remove water from the structure in an effort to minimize damage.

CFD said that you should extinguish all candles before leaving a room or going to sleep.

“To practice candle safety, keep flames at least 12 inches from flammable materials,” CFD said. “Always supervise burning candles and place them on a stable, heat-resistant, flat surface away from drafts and high-traffic areas.”

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Greenville, NC – Sprinkler system activated for lithium-ion battery fire at university; No injuries reported

Fifteen East Carolina University students had to be relocated after a skateboard battery started a fire in a dorm room in Scott Residence Hall on Friday, ECU Police reported.

Battery-powered skateboards and scooters are not permitted inside the residence halls, police said, but a fire alarm sounded at Scott Hall about 3:58 p.m.

ECU officers responded, arriving at the scene around 4:02 p.m., and saw heavy black smoke coming from Suite 206. Both the fire alarm and the sprinkler system activated properly, and residents evacuated the residence hall, police said.

Greenville Fire-Rescue arrived at 4:05 p.m. and extinguished the fire. Police said no one was injured during the fire or evacuation.

Greenville investigators determined the cause of the fire was the skateboard’s lithium-ion battery. The N.C. Office of the State Fire Marshal says lithium-ion batteries can pose serious fire risks if overcharged, damaged or mishandled.

Greenville Fire/Rescue released the building back to ECU after their investigation was complete and Scott Hall residents were allowed to re-enter the building at approximately 5:30 p.m., ECU police said.

Two suites sustained water damage, police said, and one room was damaged by fire and smoke. In total, eight rooms occupied by the 15 residents were impacted.

ECU Campus Living relocated the students to other rooms on campus. The damaged rooms will be unavailable for an indefinite period, ECU said. A disaster recovery team led by ECU Facility Services will begin recovery and restoration efforts today, police reported.

“The safety of our students remains our top priority,” Deputy Chief Chris Sutton said. “Together, the ECU Police Department and Greenville Fire-Rescue responded, extinguished the fire, investigated, identified its cause and safely returned students to their residence in about one-and-a-half hours.

“This achievement was only possible through the combined efforts of the ECU divisions: Campus Living, Facility Services and Environmental Health and Campus Safety.”

Lithium-ion batteries are common, according to the OSFM. They power items ranging from smartphones, laptops and power tools to e-cigarettes, toys and electric vehicles.

The batteries can experience thermal runaway — a rapid rise in temperature and pressure that may lead to fire or explosion. This can be triggered by:

  • Overcharging: Charging beyond recommended limits.
  • Internal short circuits: Structural damage causing overheating.
  • Mechanical damage: Impacts or punctures.
  • High temperatures: Exposure to extreme heat.
  • Manufacturing defects: Low-quality materials or assembly errors.

The office encourages consumers to buy batteries from reputable sources and ensure they are labeled by nationally recognized testing labs; stop charging once a battery is fully charged; use only chargers compatible with the device, preferably the one that came with it; and not to use devices if the battery shows damage: unusual odor, heat, popping sounds, swelling or discoloration.

Residential, Single Family Home

San Rafael, CA – Sprinkler system extinguishes residential fire caused by discarded smoking materials

A home in San Rafael narrowly escaped a potential blaze thanks to an installed fire sprinkler system that promptly doused the flames. According to a report by the San Rafael Fire Department, a residential fire sprinkler system was pivotal in stopping a garage fire at 224 Baypoint Drive yesterday. The fire, which ignited due to improperly discarded smoking materials, was swiftly extinguished by the sprinkler system before it could cause substantial damage or escalate to a life-threatening scenario.

Dispatched at 1:17 PM, firefighters arrived to find smoke emanating from the residence’s garage and discovered the source to be multiple trash bags that had caught fire. Fortunately, the activated sprinkler kept the fire within the garage, allowing the firefighters to address the situation before it became a more dangerous and destructive incident. One individual sustained minor injuries during the ordeal, was treated on the scene by firefighter-paramedics, and did not require transportation to a medical facility, demonstrating an instance where preventive measures made a significant difference.

Crews used ventilation fans to clear the light smoke that pervaded the home, ensuring that the occupants could re-enter their residence comfortably and safely. The fire department’s swift action also included shutting off the sprinkler system, removing burned debris, replacing the sprinkler head, and the fully restoring the system.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Hampton, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at assisted living facility

More than 70 residents and two staff members were evacuated from a Hampton assisted living facility early Saturday morning after a fire, according to the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue.

Crews were called to the Golden Years Assisted Living Facility on Hunt Club Boulevard around 4:30 a.m. for a fire alarm. When firefighters arrived, they found smoke inside the building. Residents and staff were moved to the nearby Northampton Community Center for safety.

Fire officials said two people were taken to Sentara CarePlex Hospital for injuries not related to the fire.

The fire was contained to a single room at the end of one residential wing and was extinguished by the facility’s automatic sprinkler system. Officials said half of the building has been deemed safe, but residents will not return until the fire alarm and suppression systems are fully restored.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Johnstown, CO – Sprinkler system contains fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

Early this morning, residents at the Ledge Rock Apartments were awakened by fire alarms and the smell of smoke — but thanks to a fast response and an effective sprinkler system, a potential disaster was quickly contained.

At approximately 1:46 a.m., Front Range Fire Rescue (FRFR) responded to reports of a commercial fire alarm at the Ledge Rock Apartments in Johnstown. Upon arrival, firefighters found alarms sounding, residents reporting smoke, and the building’s sprinkler system actively suppressing flames.

A comprehensive fire response was initiated, involving mutual aid from Mountain View Fire Rescue, Windsor Severance Fire Rescue, Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, UCHealth EMS, and the Johnstown Police Department. Crews discovered a small fire in a first-floor apartment that the sprinkler system had already controlled. Firefighters quickly extinguished the remaining flames and conducted overhaul and salvage operations to ensure the fire was completely out.

Damage was limited to the affected apartment and a few surrounding units, with minor water damage. No injuries were reported, and residents have since been allowed to return to their homes. Fire crews remained on scene through the morning to assist residents and continue the investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Oregon, WI – Sprinkler system contains apartment building fire; No injuries reported

No injuries were reported after Oregon Area Fire/EMS District (OAFED) personnel were dispatched during the night of Monday, Oct. 20 to a three-story apartment building after an alarm monitoring company reported a residential fire alarm.

According to a Tuesday, Oct. 21 OAFED news release, the swift activation of the building’s sprinkler system played a critical role in containing what could have been a much more severe incident. Upon arrival, the first-arriving engine company quickly identified the cause of the alarm: an unattended cooking fire within one of the apartment units.

The fire was suppressed by the immediate activation of a sprinkler head directly above the area of origin. This crucial response by the building’s fire suppression system effectively confined the fire damage to a small area within the affected apartment.

While the fire itself was quickly extinguished, the apartment of origin sustained fire, smoke, and water damage. Additionally, several adjacent apartments experienced varying degrees of water damage as a direct result of the sprinkler system’s activation. OAFED crews worked diligently to mitigate further damage by promptly stopping the flow of water from the sprinkler system. They then initiated extensive water removal efforts from all affected apartments, minimizing the impact on residents and property.

This incident serves as a powerful reminder of the vital importance of properly installed and maintained sprinkler systems in residential buildings. The quick action of this system undoubtedly prevented the fire from spreading, saving lives and significantly reducing property loss. We commend the alarm monitoring company for their prompt notification and our crews for their efficient response in both extinguishing the fire and mitigating water damage.

OAFED reminds all residents to exercise extreme caution when cooking and to never leave cooking unattended. Unattended cooking remains a leading cause of residential fires.

Other - Residential, Residential

New Haven, CT – Sprinkler system activated for fire in bedroom; No injuries reported

A bedroom fire was contained on Sunday morning in New Haven, according to the fire department.

Fire officials received a call for an odor of smoke around 10 a.m. at a home on Park Street.

Arriving crews encountered a fire in a bedroom that was being held in check by a sprinkler system.

Firefighters contained the fire and no injuries were reported.

The fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Peoria, IL – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

Fire crews were called to an apartment fire on NE Jefferson in downtown Peoria early Monday morning.

Fire Battalion Chief Mike Ralston says Peoria Fire received the call from the five-story New Hope Apartments just after 12:30 a.m., finding the fire mostly contained by the building’s sprinkler system, which had activated effectively.

Ralston says the fire started in a single apartment unit and it was determined to have been intentionally set. The fire was contained to the apartment, preventing any further spread through the building.

Damage is estimated at $200,000, with most of the damage due to water from the sprinkler system activation.

All of the residents were evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Hopkinsville, KY – Sprinkler system activated for early morning fire at nursing home; No injuries reported

Bradford Heights Nursing and Rehabilitation was damaged in a fire early Friday morning, but luckily no one was injured in the blaze. 

According to Hopkinsville Fire and EMS Captain Payton Rogers, the call came in around 4:45 a.m. of a fire inside a bedroom at the nursing home. Crews arrived to find the fire inside one of the residents’ bedrooms in the 300 hall and staff were actively evacuating everyone on that hall. Firefighters immediately began helping with the evacuation.

The fire was contained to the bedroom, but the whole wing sustained damage from the sprinkler system.

A total of 16 patients were evacuated, and one adult female was transported to Jennie Stuart Medical Center for chest pains. Several staff members were evaluated for smoke inhalation, but none required transport.

No injuries were reported that were related to the fire. The cause of the blaze is believed to have begun due to an issue with the room’s wall-mounted heating and cooling unit.

Apartment Building, Residential

Georgetown, DE – Sprinkler system activated for balcony fire caused by discarded smoking materials

A fire at the County Seat Apartments in Georgetown was caused by discarded smoking materials and contained quickly thanks to an automatic sprinkler system, according to the Delaware Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Fire crews responded to the 19000 block of Jury Way shortly after 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, and found a fire on a balcony of a multi-family residential building. The Georgetown Fire Company and several mutual aid departments responded to the scene.

All occupants were able to safely leave the building, and no major structural damage occurred. The fire was limited to the balcony area and suppressed by the sprinkler system before it could spread.

The fire marshal’s office confirmed that the fire was accidental and damage was estimated at $1,000. One firefighter was treated and released for a minor injury sustained while responding to the fire.

The incident highlights the effectiveness of sprinkler systems in reducing fire damage and injuries in multi-family housing.