Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Waltham, MA – Fire in Costco Wholesale tire center held at bay by sprinkler system April 7, 2019 viking210 The Costco on 2nd Avenue had to be evacuated after a car caught on fire in the garage, last Tuesday afternoon. Fire officials said there were no injuries, and crews were able to make quick work of the fire. By 3 p.m. the Costco was open for business again. Around noon a man pulled a car into the Costco garage, got out and it started smoking and ended up catching on fire, according to fire officials. “They believe it originated in the engine compartment,” said Lt. Scott Perry of the Waltham Fire Department. Employees evacuated the garage and the shopping center building for precautionary reasons, while firefighters dealt with the fire, which generated smoke that billowed out into the parking lot. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading outside the garage. “The sprinkler did what it needed to do and kept it at bay enough to let the firefighters do their work,” said Perry. “And now there’s a little bit of clean up.”
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Tucson, AZ – Sprinkler system activates to help keep fire at supermarket from growing March 5, 2019 viking210 A midtown Safeway was open again Monday after a fire broke out late Friday, March 1. The store in the 1900 block of East Broadway was partially open, according to a customer service representative. The employee said they don’t have hot water yet as they are waiting for their gas to be turned back on. The grocery and produce sections are open, as is the pharmacy. Barrett Baker, spokesman for the Tucson Fire Department, said they were called out to the fire around 8 p.m. Friday and had it under control by 8:30 p.m. Baker said the sprinkler system worked, which also kept the fire from growing. As of 10 a.m., the deli, meat market, bakery and Starbucks were still closed. Everything was expected to be open again by noon. The store is popular hub for Wildcats, due to its proximity to the University of Arizona. Baker said no one was injured inside the store, which is near Broadway and Kino Parkway. “Initial reports were that an employee noticed the fire and another employee tried to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher,” Baker said. “This slowed the growth of the fire dramatically.” Baker said the sprinkler system worked, which also kept the fire from growing. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but a Safeway worker said it began when a bag of potato chips went up in flames. Inspectors were at the store Saturday to clean up and check food for smoke damage.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Mount Vernon, VA – Sprinkler system extinguished fire at Mega Mart before fire crews arrived February 26, 2019 viking210 The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is asking for the public’s help identifying a person of interest in a fire that occurred on Wednesday, Jan. 30. At 1:13 p.m., Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units responded for reports of a fire in a bathroom at the Mega Mart located at 8228 Richmond Highway. The fire was extinguished by a fire sprinkler system prior to fire and rescue department arrival. The fire is under investigation. The person of interest is described as African American and was last seen wearing a blue knit hat, light blue jacket, dark pants, and black backpack. Fire investigators would like to speak with this individual regarding their investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Lieutenant S. Khan at 703- 246-4738 or [email protected].
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Jackson, MO – Fire in freezer at grocery store contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported December 18, 2018 viking210 Jackson Fire Department responded to a small fire in Jackson, Missouri on Tuesday, Dec. 11. Around 11 p.m., crew responded to a fire at Country Mart on Jackson Blvd. When crews arrived there was moderate smoke in the building. The fire started in a freezer in the kitchen area and was quickly contained by the sprinkler system. Crews took about 10 minutes to put out the fire. No one was injured and the fire was contained entirely in the freezer.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Milford, CT – Fire in Wal-Mart garden center is kept from spreading by sprinkler system November 25, 2018 viking210 A fire at the Wal-Mart store on Boston Post Road on Tuesday forced the store to shut down temporarily while fire crews extinguished the blaze. Shortly after 5 p.m., fire units raced to the store at 1365 Boston Post Road after an employee reported a fire, according to Battalion Chief Anthony Fabrizi. “Firefighting units arrived on scene to find a large volume of smoke visible from the fenced area of the garden center where pallets of store stock are kept,” he said. “The building’s fire sprinkler system had activated, which prevented the blaze from spreading.” Firefighters quickly extinguished the remainder of the fire and safely got the burned items out of the area. The store was evacuated and closed while crews worked to put out the fire. “When a structure fire occurs, it is imperative to evacuate the building and call 911 from a safe area outside of the structure,” Fabrizi said. “As a reminder, proper functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save lives. Please check yours today.” Fabrizi said the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Milford Fire Marshal.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Chelmsford, MA – Oven fire at grocery store contained by sprinkler system until fire crews arrive November 16, 2018 viking210 The Drum Hill Hannaford grocery store shut down for several hours Monday, following an oven fire in the store’s deli area, Fire Chief Gary Ryan said. No injuries were reported. The store reopened just after 2:30 p.m., Ryan said. Ryan said the Chelmsford Fire Department responded with an engine company at 7:04 a.m. Nov. 12 for a fire alarm activation. When they arrived, the engine company encountered smoke by the deli. They also found an oven fire being contained by an activated sprinkler head, Ryan said. The damage was limited to the deli area and the store was shut down for cleaning and sprinkler restoration, Ryan said.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Anderson, SC – Walmart arson fire contained by sprinkler system October 21, 2018 viking210 A stuffed animal was set on fire, presumably as a distraction so someone could steal a robotic vacuum, said Anderson Police Chief Jim Stewart. Three days after what authorities believe to be an arson, the Walmart on State 28 Bypass reopened this morning. The store was evacuated Monday, with no injuries, after a fire that began near the photography department. The small fire was quickly contained by the sprinkler system, but that caused water damage and there was a lot of smoke. Stewart said a man has been arrested and charged. Michael Travis Robinson, 43, is charged with second degree arson. According to a warrant, he set fire to an item in the store causing “extendive damage to the location with numerous people present.” These areas will be open, according to the store’s Facebook page: “produce, bakery, deli, meat, dairy, grocery, pets, paper goods, and chemicals.” The investigation into the fire is ongoing and is being conducted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division along with the Anderson Police Department and the Anderson Fire Department.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Marrero, LA – Fire at Walmart store controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported September 21, 2018 viking210 Firefighters responded to a fire at the Walmart in Marrero this morning. Chief Don Robertson of the Marrero Harvey Fire Department said his firefighters were on the scene within one minute of the alarm going out. The store’s sprinkler system was already engaged, Robertson said, and the blaze was fully contained within four minutes. Firefighters evacuated the building as a precaution. The fire broke out in the “seasonal” section amid Halloween decorations. No injuries have been reported. The Walmart will be closed until further notice as the cleanup continues, Robertson said.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Peoria, IL – Oven fire at Sam’s Club prompts sprinkler system to activate; No injuries reported September 13, 2018 viking210 A kitchen fire temporarily closed Sam’s Club on Monday afternoon and caused a damage estimate of $1 million in products on the store’s shelves. At about 3:30 p.m., Peoria firefighters responded to a fire in the deli area at 4100 W. Willow Knolls Road. Once inside, they found a small fire in a rotisserie oven, which was put out with a water extinguisher, Acting Battalion Chief Robert Lundholm said in a news release. One sprinkler head was activated and kept the fire in check before they arrived, he said. Firefighters remained on scene after the fire was out to shut down the sprinklers and ventilate the building. No injuries were reported. All employees and customers were evacuated and accounted for, and the store was closed.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail Yuma, AZ – Fire in trash compactor room at Target store suppressed by sprinkler system September 11, 2018 viking210 The Yuma Fire Department said a local store had to be evacuated Monday morning due to a fire. YFD the fire was reported at about 9:40 a.m. at the rear of the Target store, located at 1450 South Yuma Palms Parkway. Arriving Yuma Fire Department personnel found there had been a fire in the store’s commercial trash compactor. That fire activated a fire suppression sprinkler head in the compactor room, containing and extinguishing the fire. Firefighters were able to shut down the water flow and ensure the fire was out. The store was evacuated due to the initial alarm on site. There was no damage to the store itself and the store was able to soon resume normal operations. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. YFD said 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 damage to property 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. Sprinkler systems save lives and protect property.
