Category Archives: Residential

Residential, Single Family Home

Livermore, CA – Fire sprinkler system helps contain residential fire to bedroom; No injuries reported

 Firefighters quickly extinguished a residential fire in Livermore early Wednesday morning. The blaze was reported in the 100 block of E. Stanley Boulevard at 2:13 a.m.

Smoke was visible from the back of the residence, according to Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department officials.

“With the help of the sprinkler system, LPFD personnel were able to quickly contain the fire to the second story bedroom and exterior siding,” Deputy Chief Aaron Lacey told Patch.

Lacey said the home sustained “major water damage.”

“Large fencing, a narrow driveway, and a distant local fire hydrant made initial operations and access into the property difficult,” Lacey said.

No one was injured during the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Reno, NV – Mattress fire at apartment complex contained by fire sprinkler system

Reno Fire crews put out a mattress fire at an apartment complex on Sinclair Street in Reno around 2:00 a.m. Wednesday August 7th.

The fire activated the sprinkler system which caused water damage to several apartments.

The building was evacuated while crews put out the fire but most residents are back home now.

The cause is still under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

New Milford, CT – Apartment grease fire extinguished with the help of sprinkler system

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A kitchen fire drove four families out of their apartments on Monday.

The sprinkler system and homeowner extinguished the grease fire that started around 9:15 p.m. Monday in the kitchen of an apartment at Brookside Commons, said Kevin Reynolds, deputy fire marshal.

But the water from the sprinkler dripped down and damaged the three apartments below, Reynolds said. The apartment where the fire occurred also suffered water damage, he said.

“Sprinklers are great things, but boy they can do some damage,” Reynolds said. “One way or another, they are positive thing.”

Red Cross is helping the eight residents, which includes five adults and three children, by providing tips on how to recover and comfort kits with supplies the families lack, the organization said.

Water Witch Hose Co. 2 and New Milford Ambulance responded, Reynolds said.

There are 12 apartments in Brookside Commons, which is on Thomas Lane.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Lawrenceburg, IN – Fire sprinkler system keeps balcony fire to a minimum

A fire broke out at a Lawrenceburg condominium building Monday morning.

The fire was reported at 304 West Wind Lane at Riviera Condominiums at 5:05 a.m. Police arrived at the scene first and found fire visible on the second floor of an exterior balcony.

Lawrenceburg Fire Department Chief Johnnie Tremain said the fire’s spread was held at bay by an exterior sprinkler. Firefighters came and knocked down the remaining fire.

All residents of the complex were safely evacuated. Nobody was hurt, Tremain said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Lawrenceburg Fire Department was assisted at the scene by Lawrenceburg EMS, Lawrenceburg Police, and Greendale Fire Department.

Apartment Building, Residential

Davenport, IA – Sixth floor apartment fire contained by fire sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Davenport firefighters battled a small apartment fire at the Heritage high rise Thursday.

The fire started in a sixth floor apartment, but the sprinkler system held it in check.

There were no injuries, and no one had to be evacuated from the building. Asst. Fire Chief Robb MacDougall tells TV6 there are sprinklers throughout the building to protect residents.

The fire is under investigation.

Heritage is located at 501 W. Third St. in Davenport.

Other - Residential, Residential

Bloomfield Hills, MI – Fire sprinkler systems controls fire in attic until crews arrived; No injuries reported

For the second time in just a few months, a fire broke out at the historical Manresa Jesuit Retreat House early July 31, according to police.

According to Sgt. Steve Splan, of the Bloomfield Hills Public Safety Department, an alarm at the retreat’s main house, 1390 Quarton Road, was activated at 5:44 a.m. July 31. Upon arrival, first responders said they could smell smoke, and they circled the unoccupied building to find the source.

“We repositioned to the north side of the building and we could see smoke coming from what appeared to be the attic area,” Splan said. 

The attic of the facility had been undergoing renovations and reportedly hadn’t been used in some time. With the help of firefighters from Bloomfield Township and Troy, the flames were extinguished from the attic — a space Splan said is notoriously tough for firefighters — and the damage was contained to an about 20-by-20-foot space.

“The sprinkler system did a fantastic job. It did exactly what it was supposed to do and hold the fire back until our crews were able to fully extinguish it,” he said. “It was lucky for the sprinklers — actually, probably not lucky: good preparation.”

Splan said that the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but as of now there is “zero suspicion of foul play.” There were no injuries.

The Eagle could not reach anyone at Manresa for comment before press time. The phone lines were disconnected, likely due to the department cutting off power to one of the buildings as a precaution, Splan said. 

Just a little over three months ago, public safety personnel responded to another fire at the facility, on April 10, when a fire broke out in a large historical barn on the property. While the barn, one of three,  was burned down completely, there were no injuries, and at that time, Steve Raymond, the associate director of Manresa, said the incident wouldn’t affect daily activities. 

The cause of that fire has yet to be released by investigators. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Cedar Falls, IA – Sprinkler system extinguishes apartment kitchen fire; No injuries reported

A minor kitchen fire at 4430 Ashworth Drive was extinguished by sprinklers before firefighters arrived Saturday afternoon.

“The fire was 100 percent put out by the sprinkler system,” said Public Safety Director Jeff Olson.

At 2:21 p.m. Saturday Cedar Falls firefighters were dispatched to a kitchen fire. When they arrived they found the apartment complex’s sprinkler system had extinguished the fire.

Capt. Mike Buhrow radioed back that additional assistance wasn’t needed, Olson said.

The apartment complex residents were evacuated when firefighters arrived.

The fire was caused by a cardboard box left on top of stove, which was accidentally turned on, Olson said.

There were no injuries. The stove was damaged and may need to be replaced and cabinets above the stove were burned as well.

The resident was in the process of moving out.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Apartment sprinkler system controls fire started by charcoal grill on balcony

City of Madison firefighters were dispatched to an apartment fire when a passerby called 911 to report seeing flames on a balcony in the 1600 block of Waldorf Boulevard at the Mid Town Commons Apartments just after 9:00 pm on Wednesday.

The fire was reported to have started when a charcoal grill caught the third floor apartment’s balcony on fire. Before fire crews arrived, the apartment’s fire sprinkler system activated on the balcony.

A resident of the apartment told firefighters he was grilling bacon on the balcony. It was found that heat from the flare up caused the activation of the sprinkler system. No smoke or fire damage was found to the interior of the apartment.

City of Madison fire code prohibits the use of natural gas or charcoal grills on decks or balconies or within ten feet of combustible construction unless the balcony or deck is protected by automatic sprinklers. The automatic sprinkler system limited damage to the grill, and the residents of the complex were able to stay in their apartments.

Apartment Building, Residential

Whitman, MA – Grease fire at apartment contained to kitchen by fire sprinklers, avoiding widespread damage; No injuries reported

A grease fire inside an apartment building was minimized by a sprinkler system Wednesday night, averting possible widespread damage.

The Fire Department responded to the Bostonian Loft Apartments, at 7 Marble St., about 10:20 p.m. after receiving a sprinkler water flow alarm for a first-floor apartment.

Firefighters learned there was a grease fire on the stove inside an apartment and quickly extinguished the flames after arriving on scene.

Fire Chief Timothy Grenno said investigators later learned that a resident of the apartment had attempted to extinguish the grease fire with water, which caused the fire to “rapidly intensify” and extend to the kitchen cabinets.

That caused the sprinkler system inside the kitchen to activate, which helped keep the fire from spreading before firefighters arrived.

Firefighters used smoke ejectors to clear heavy smoke from the building and residents were allowed to return to their apartments about 11:30 p.m.

The family living in the apartment – a husband, wife and their two children – were displaced due to the fire, as well as water and smoke damage inside the apartment. The fire is estimated to have caused about $30,000 worth of damage, Grenno said.

No one was injured as a result of the fire and the Red Cross responded to assist the displaced family.

Hanson firefighters provided mutual aid by covering the station in town during the incident.

Grenno said it is important to never use water to attempt to extinguish a grease fire. The reaction causes the fire to intensify and spread faster, he said. Grease fires should be covered with a metal lid or smothered with baking soda or salt, Grenno said.

The fire chief also said that several of the building’s residents did not immediately evacuate when the alarms were sounding and said people should always leave a building when alarms sound.

“Thankfully the sprinkler system activated and was able to contain the fire to the kitchen area,” Grenno said. “I want to commend our firefighters for quickly putting out the flames. This is a very large building with several apartments and we were able to successfully contain it to the one unit.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison Twp, MI – Fire sprinkler system helps put out apartment kitchen fire; No injuries reported

The residents of four apartments in the Woodbury Estates apartment complex in Madison Township had to be relocated Tuesday as a result of water damage caused by a fire suppression sprinkler.

Emergency personnel were dispatched at 10:23 p.m. to a fire in a third floor apartment in one of the buildings.

“When we arrived, it appeared to be some food on a stove that had caught fire,” Madison Township Assistant Fire Chief Nick Wilson said.

Wilson said the apartment’s fire suppression sprinkler system was activated, helping put out the fire, but leading to other problems for the residents.

“A lot of water comes with that and we have some water damage to the apartments below on the second and first floor,” Wilson said.

Residents from the apartment in which the fire originated, as well as residents of three other apartment units had to be relocated, with the American Red Cross being called to provide temporary housing.

Wilson said there were no injuries due to the fire.

Assisting the Madison Township Fire Department at the scene was the Adrian Fire Department and Madison Township police.