Category Archives: Retail

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Rosemont, IL – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Target

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Charges have been filed in an arson at a Target store in northwest suburban Rosemont.

Flames broke out just before noon this past Thursday at the Target at 7000 Mannheim Rd. next to the Allstate Arena.

Store employees tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived, and multiple sprinkler heads started up.

The Rosemont Public Safety Department and several local fire departments responded to the scene, and found the fire near the diaper aisle. Everyone in the building left, and no one had to be hospitalized.

However, the store sustained major damage due to smoke, fire, and water used to put out the fire. Smoke damage extended beyond the area of the fire to include most of the store, police said.

Merchandise worth $1.5 million was lost, police said.

Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 20 Arson investigators, the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Rosemont police detectives launched an investigation right away. A suspect was quickly identified and tracked down in Elk Grove Village, police said.

Denny Ellis, 56, of Nevada, was charged on Saturday with aggravated arson. He made his first court appearance on Sunday, and was being held by the Cook County Sheriff’s office.

The Target remained closed as of Sunday due to damage inside and cleanup.

On Sept. 28, 2023, a fire was set inside the Target store at 1 S. State St. in the Loop. Sprinklers put out the fire at the downtown Target.

In that incident, Ronald Langley was charged with aggravated arson. According to court records, Langley was caught on video taking a can of WD-40 and lighting a blanket on fire on the second floor of the store.

Other - Retail, Retail

Mountain Home, AR – Sprinkler system activated for fire at hardware store

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A fire at Marchant Building Center on Wednesday night resulted in the complete destruction of a mini skid steer.

According to the Mountain Home Fire Department, the fire began Wednesday night at approximately 5:49 in the front warehouse of the facility attached to the main building. The fire caused the sprinkler system to activate, but water damage was kept to a minimum. Fire damage was confined to the skid steer, with little to no smoke damage affecting the surrounding structure.

Thirteen firefighters, including personnel from two engine companies, two ladder trucks, one rescue vehicle, and two support vehicles, responded to the scene. Crews worked for about two hours to extinguish the fire. The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation.

Marchant Building Center remains open for normal business hours.

Other - Retail, Retail

Moorhead, MN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Menards; No injuries reported

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Menards in Moorhead is open for business as usual despite a fire in the store early this morning.

According to Moorhead Fire Department, the fire started in the electrical section of the store.

Fire crews reported fire, smoke, and water damage to store displays and merchandise.

Crews could be seen cleaning up water from the store’s sprinkler system, which received the credit for extinguishing the fire.

“That ignition started about 4:30 and sprinkler heads activated at 4:45. So it just sort of sat there and kind of didn’t get the heat all the way yet until it became a bigger fire,” said James Garvey, Moorhead Fire Marshal.

No one was hurt in the fire. A damage estimate is not currently available.

Auto Dealership, Retail

Halton Hills, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system contains fire at car dealership

Georgetown Toyota is open for business today after a sprinkler system helped contain a fire in its service area last night.

Halton Hills firefighters responded to the call at the Guelph Street business around 10:30 p.m., with smoke showing upon arrival.

Initial reports indicate that a battery charger in the service area had caught fire.

The building’s sprinkler system helped keep the blaze and its associated damage isolated.

Other - Retail, Retail

Jersey City, NJ – Sprinkler system activated for fire at toy store; No injuries reported

A fire in a toy store in the Newport Centre mall in Jersey City on Tuesday caused a temporary evacuation, but no injuries, a city spokesperson said.

The fire occurred around 12:30 p.m. at the Toy Chest, said Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione, a city public safety spokesperson.

She said, “Upon arrival, JCFD observed a small working fire in the toy chest store. The fire caused moderate smoke conditions inside the mall.”

“The sprinkler system went off and helped contain the fire,” she added. “Additionally, the fire department’s quick response kept the fire under control without any fire extension to any other stores.”

No injuries were reported.

Officials on the scene reported the cause may have involved the hot water heater and duct work. The Fire Department is still investigating.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Salmon Arm, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Walmart

Police are investigating after a fire ignited Sunday afternoon inside the Salmon Arm Walmart.

The fire prompted the store’s evacuation around 4 p.m. on Aug. 4. Two employees outside the store said the blaze had allegedly been started by individuals who’d been using the changing rooms in the clothing area.

“The flames were shooting to the roof,” said one of the employees.

The Salmon Arm Fire Department and RCMP responded.

Salmon Arm RCMP spokesperson Const. Andrew Hodges confirmed police are investigating the suspected arson.

Salmon Arm Fire Chief Brad Shirley said the fire department received a report of a commercial structure fire just after 4 p.m. Firefighters from three fire halls were dispatched to the scene.

“Upon arrival, the fire involving hanging cloths had been mostly extinguished by staff and the sprinkler system,” said Shirley via email.

Shirley said damage from the fire was somewhat minor, though there was also smoke and water damage.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system contains arson fire at Walmart; No injuries reported

The Walmart near the Vancouver-Burnaby border is closed until further notice after a suspicious fire.

Brad Hesse, assistant chief of operations for Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, said an emergency call came in around 10 a.m. Saturday.

He said it’s too early to confirm the fire was arson, but it was “strange” that videos from customers’ phones showed it appeared to spark on a sofa in the store’s furniture department.

Hesse said the store was quickly evacuated and there are no reports anyone was injured.

Firefighters had trouble pinpointing the source of the blaze because of the thick black smoke emanating from the furniture department.

He said the sprinkler system helped keep the fire contained to that section and that crews were able to fully douse it after about 45 minutes.

However, the store in the 3500-block of Grandview Highway has extensive smoke and water damage. Hesse said it’s likely a lot of the product in the store is compromised by the thick smoke that circulated during the fire.

Hesse said about 40 firefighters and nine fire trucks were called in to the second-alarm blaze.

Vancouver police are also investigating to determine the cause of the blaze.

“We urge anyone who witnessed anything unusual in the store around the time of the fire to contact investigators immediately,” said Const. Tania Visintin, in a news release on Sunday afternoon.

The company released a statement to media that said the fire was set deliberately.

“This appears to be a criminal act of arson that will unfortunately and unfairly impact our customers, associates and the local community who rely on the store,” Walmart said.

“Setting a fire in a public setting is shocking, dangerous, and shameful.”

The store will re-open as soon as the necessary clean-up and repairs are complete.

“We will do everything we can to ensure the arsonist is identified and held accountable, including assessing our legal options to seek compensation from the arsonist for the damages caused by this act,” reads the statement.

Damages are estimated to be in the millions.

Though Walmart has over a dozen outlets around Metro Vancouver, the Grandview location is the only one in the city proper.

Other - Retail, Retail

Yuma, AZ – Sprinkler system activated for lithium-ion battery fire at furniture store; No injuries reported

Lithium-ion batteries were suspected to have sparked a fire at a Yuma furniture store Friday morning.

According to the Yuma Fire Department, at 5:30 a.m., crews were dispatched to a report of a “water flow alarm” in the 300 block of West 32nd Street. Upon arrival, crews found a large furniture store with heavy smoke and water exiting from the front door. Firefighters were able to enter the structure and extinguish the fire quickly.

It was discovered that a properly working fire sprinkler was able to prevent any further damage to the building and its contents, YFD said. No injuries were reported, and business operations were not disrupted.

“Fire sprinkler systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them. Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute. Even small fires can cause significant property damage and endanger those nearby. Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat activate, not those in the rest of the room, building, or complex,” YFD noted.

A YFD investigator discovered the fire’s area of origin was a shelf with lithium-ion batteries and a battery charging station, YFD said, noting “This is yet another call for service in which lithium-ion batteries have been involved.”

YFD offered the following battery charging tips:

Use the provided or approved charger for the battery

Do not use extension cords or overload surge protectors

Do not use damaged or deformed batteries

Keep batteries away from high temperatures, do not charge them if they are hot

Remove the battery from the unit when done charging and do not cover the battery

Do not keep batteries on a charger once the charging cycle is completed

Keep the battery away from other combustibles

Fire sprinkler systems save lives and property.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Union, NJ – Sprinkler system activated for fire at underground parking garage; No injuries reported

A Stop & Shop in Union is now closed after a fire in the underground parking garage on Sunday.
Authorities say a car fire caused heavy smoke at 1201 Stuyvesant Ave. and the building’s sprinkler system to go off. No one was injured.
Union Fire Department Chief Gregory Ricciardi said repairs need to be made to the sprinklers before the building is allowed to reopen.
There was no damage to the building and minor damage to an adjacent parked car, authorities said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Helena, AL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Publix grocery store; No injuries reported

A grocery store has some minor damage after a fire Monday afternoon.

According to the Helena Fire Department, crews were dispatched to the Publix on Highway 17 just after 12:45 p.m. Monday.

Fire officials confirmed smoke was coming from the restroom area of the store. They say the building’s fire sprinkler system helped put out the fire quickly. Damage was limited to the restroom area.

Store employees quickly evacuated the store, even before firefighters arrived. No one was hurt.

The cause of the fire has not been released.