Category Archives: Retail

Department Store, Retail

St. Charles, MO – Fire in Walmart put out by fire sprinklers, likely set by child; No injuries reported

A small fire set to a clothing rack at a Walmart in St. Charles on Saturday was likely started by a child, police said Sunday. 

The fire about 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Walmart at 2897 Veterans Memorial Parkway created a lot of smoke but injured no one. 

When firefighters arrived, they found that the conflagration was confined to a rack of clothes in the men’s department, said Mike Grzyb, the St. Charles deputy fire chief. The flames were quickly extinguished by a combination of the sprinkler system and firefighters, he said. 

Surveillance footage from the inside of the store showed a child, a boy less than 10 years old, hiding inside the circular clothing rack shortly before it caught fire, St. Charles Police Lt. Tom Wilkison said Sunday. 

The child left the store with his mother shortly after the fire began, Wilkison said. Police had not yet identified or located the child, he said.

The investigation will be referred to St. Charles County juvenile services once complete, Wilkison said. 

The store sustained extensive smoke damage and moderate water damage from the sprinklers, Grzyb said. Firefighters removed skylights to help clear out the smoke.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Missoula, MT – Electric car in mall parking lot ignited, fire conatined by sprinklers; No injuries reported

The Missoula City Fire Department issued the following press release regarding the fire that occurred at Southgate Mall on Sunday morning.

‘The Missoula Fire Department was dispatched to an activated fire sprinkler system with smoke inside the Southgate Mall.

Arriving crews found heavy smoke just inside the East main entrance and approximately 4 ceiling mounted fire sprinklers activated just above the involved vehicle at the central clock court. Firefighters entered with a hose line and portable fire extinguishers, and quickly gained control of the fire however, the vehicle would re-ignite randomly. Crews soon discovered that the vehicle involved was electric and still plugged in to a floor outlet. Once de-energized the fire was completely extinguished.

Southgate Mall management and security assisted with accessing and shutting down the fire sprinkler system, MPD controlled access to the Mall.

MFD set up smoke fans and de-energized floor outlets. Once atmosphere was tenable Mall maintenance was allowed in to start clean up and assist with pushing the electric vehicle outside.’

Three engines and 12 firefighters responded to the incident, with no injuries reported.

Southgate Mall Manager Tim Winger told KGVO News on Sunday afternoon that a slight incident set off one of the sprinkler heads near Clock Court early in the morning causing minor damage.

Due to the incident and the cleanup that is currently underway, the Western Montana Car Club Expo was cancelled for the day.

Winger said regular mall operations will resume on Monday, September 28 with their normal operations from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Department Store, Retail

Fairfield, CA – Arson fire at JC Penney store controlled thanks to fire sprinkler system

A suspect was detained Monday night in connection with an arson fire that did an estimated $100,000 in damage at the J.C. Penney store at the Solano Town Center in Fairfield.

The Fairfield Fire Department responded shortly before midnight and found multiple fires inside the store.

Crews were able to quickly stem the fire with the help of the store’s automatic sprinkler system, officials said, but there was “major smoke, water and heat damage” to the inventory.

Firefighters determined that the cause was arson based on evidence in the store.

Fairfield police worked with store personnel and learned of a possible suspect. Rafael Munguia, 54, of Fairfield was arrested Tuesday and booked into Solano County Jail for arson.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Sandy, UT – Fire sprinklers help put out fire after tractor-trailer full of fireworks caught on fire;No injuries reported

A tractor-trailer, parked at a loading dock at a Smith’s in Sandy and filled with fireworks, caught fire Thursday morning.

Crews responded to the fire near 2000 East and 9400 South just after one a.m.

Investigators said the cause of the fire is suspicious.

“Concerning, definitely, there are some things that are suspicious about it,” said Ryan McConaghie, Deputy Chief of the Sandy City Fire Department.

Firefighters said the fire didn’t start in the trailer. It appears it started underneath and they could see several wood pallets stacked under the trailer when they arrived.

“That fire spread into the tractor-trailer box that they found out was full of fireworks,” McConaghie said. “Started the fireworks and started burning in the interior that opened up through the aluminum roof of that tractor-trailer and then it spread into the Smith’s building loading dock area and that actuated the fire sprinklers that helped put out the fire on the inside.”

FOX 13 viewer, Ben Perry, captured the fire just moments after it began with his cell phone. Perry said he was driving home from work when he noticed the huge cloud of smoke and called 911. He said he stayed on scene until firefighters arrived.

“There were fireworks that were exploding and you could hear it in the radio traffic coming out the top of that trailer and I’m sure into the loading dock into the Smith’s area,” McConaghie said. “So probably kind of exciting for the first ten minutes or so.”

A handful of employees were inside Smith’s and they evacuated. There were no injuries.

Investigators will comb through the evidence and check security cameras and other evidence in order to determine the cause of the fire.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Hackensack, NJ – Garbage fire put out by fire sprinkler system at mall; No injuries reported

A garbage fire cleared The Shops at Riverside mall in Hackensack on Tuesday afternoon, though the flames were quickly extinguished by the mall’s sprinkler system, said Capt. Justin Derevyanik of the Hackensack Fire Department.

Heavy smoke still lingered an hour and a half after the fire was put out, and shoppers remained outside the mall waiting to go back in.

The flames broke out just before 1:45 p.m. when cardboard and other trash ignited inside the compactor, which is under the parking garage in the rear of the building.

Derevyanik said the fire was contained to the compactor but some smoke seeped into the shopping mall.

There were no injuries, and Derevyanik expected crews to finish resetting the alarm system in time to allow customers back inside by about 4 p.m.

The fire remained under investigation.

Other - Retail, Retail

Vancouver, WA – Car on top of auto shop lift caught fire, kept in check by fire sprinklers

A fire sprinkler system helped check the spread of a vehicle fire at a Vancouver-area auto repair shop on Monday, according to the Vancouver Fire Department.

The blaze was reported as a commercial structure fire shortly after 4 p.m. at 7105 N.E. 40th Ave. after a car on top of an auto lift caught fire, the fire department said. Workers tried to put the fire out themselves but were pushed out by smoke.

The shop’s fire sprinkler system activated, keeping the fire in check until it could be extinguished by arriving firefighters. the department said.

No firefighters were injured, but one occupant of the business suffered minor burns to one of his hands. He declined medical treatment.

The fire is under investigation by the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Chesterfield County, VA – Sprinkler system contains bathroom fire at local Kroger; No injuries reported

Chesterfield Fire officials tell 8News a Midlothian-area Kroger was evacuated Wednesday evening after a bathroom fire activated the store’s water sprinkler system.

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Fire crews were called to the 3000 block of Polo Parkway, inside The Shoppes at Bellgrade, for a public service call just before 7 p.m. Chesterfield Fire officials tell 8News that while details remain limited, the grocery store did suffer an unspecified amount of water damage.

An employee told 8News at the scene that the fire was discovered inside the family bathroom.

Other - Retail, Retail

Battle Creek, MI – Fire sprinkler system contained building fire at tile & carpet shop; No injuries reported

Around 1 p.m. today, the Battle Creek Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at Michigan Tile & Carpet at 99 E. Columbia Avenue.

While the building was partially occupied on arrival, occupants were able to exit the building, resulting in no injuries of fatalities.

Upon arrival, one of the rescue cars extended a handline to extinguish the contained fire in the warehouse area. The fire suppression system worked by containing the fire for crews to finish extinguishing.

Loss was minimized due to the multitude of units who arrived on scene. It is estimated by BCPD that Michigan Tile & Carpet experienced a loss of around $45,000 in property and contents damage combined.

Other - Retail, Retail

La Crosee, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at ACE Hardware; No injuries reported

The cause of a fire at the ACE Hardware Distribution Center on French Island is under investigation.

The La Crosse Fire Department was called to the center at 500 Fanta Reed Place shortly before 2 p.m.

Light smoke was showing when crews arrived. Given the size of the building, a total of eight trucks with crews were eventually called to the scene.

According to Captain Lance Tryggestad, three crews went inside to find the location of the fire. No employees were on the scene when the fire occurred.

The fire was tracked down in the warehouse. It was being actively suppressed by a fire sprinkler system. Fire crews were able to get control of the fire and ultimately extinguish it and turn off the sprinkler system.

No injuries were reported.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Calgary, Alberta, CA – Fire at strip mall contained thanks to sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A fire has damaged a strip mall in the Airways industrial area in northeast Calgary.

Fire crews were called to the area on 30 Ave. NE around 4:20 Monday morning.

When they arrived, crews found broken glass from windows that were shattered along with water flowing from sprinklers.

A small fire was eventually found and confined to the rear of the strip mall.

Damage to nearby shops was minor and mainly resulting from water and smoke.

Right now, there are no reports of any injuries.

Calgary police say fire investigators are now trying to determine the cause of the blaze.