Category Archives: Retail

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Waltham, MA – Fire in Costco Wholesale tire center held at bay by sprinkler system

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.”

Retail, Shopping Mall

Blasdell, NY – Fire in retail storage room at shopping mall is put out by sprinkler system

The McKinley Mall will not open until noon Thursday due to a fire in the storage room in the New York & Co. store. No one was hurt in the fire, according to Town of Hamburg Emergency Services Manager Sean Crotty. New York & Co. will be closed indefinitely; other nearby stores were affected, Crotty said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The call from mall security of smoke at New York & Co. came in at 8:24 a.m., Crotty said. He said crews located the fire in the storage room and “experienced heavy smoke conditions.“

Several fire companies responded to a fire in the New York & Co. store at the McKinley Mall. (Keith McShea/Buffalo News). Crotty said flames and “fire conditions” were extinguished by the sprinkler system. Crews were able to get everyone out of the mall safely, he said. “Initially we had some mallwalkers that were walking around and we had some challenge with getting them to evacuate the building,” he said, “but we did get everybody out of the mall safely.“

Retail

Toms River, NJ – Compactor fire at store is put out with help from sprinkler system

Crews worked to extinguisher a compactor fire at the Stop & Shop on Route 37 East on Friday. Toms River Fire Inspector Kevin Esposito told Jersey Shore Online a lingering smell of smoke remains in the store. No damage to the store and no injuries have been reported. The store had to be shut down for a time because a sprinkler head activated by the compactor. However, the store should be reopened shortly, Esposito said. He said fire companies from Toms River, Silverton and East Dover responded. No cause has been determined as of yet.

Retail

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Firefighters credit sprinkler system with saving Habitat for Humanity store after late night dumpster fire

Fire investigators are trying to figure out the cause of a fire that nearly destroyed a Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said the fire started in a dumpster and spread to a City Furniture trailer outside the store near Southwest Fifth Avenue and Broward Boulevard, around 12:12 a.m., Monday. Firefighters said the sprinkler system that was triggered by the fire may have saved the store from any damage.

Surveillance cameras captured a man surveying the area where the fire would later break out before knocking out the security camera, Sunday afternoon. However, officials have not yet confirmed a connection.

“When you have that much fire load, and then you have the flames now coming up the building as well as the smoke and everything else, it’s more than just a dumpster fire. It becomes a commercial structure fire,” said Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan. The store almost went up in smoke after the dumpster fire.

“They were smelling a lot of smoke. They had to open all the doors and put big fans to get the smoke out of here,” said manager Pana Geullier.

The store sells used, donated and refurbished furniture to finance charitable projects, such as homes that are built from scratch for people in need.

“My sister is a Habitat homeowner, so I know the feeling. I know what we do,” said Geullier.

Officials said there was no structural damage to the building and that merchandise was not affected.

“Fortunately, this was outside. It was in an overhang area where we had sprinkler heads, so the sprinkler system went off,” said general manager Casey Huber.

Fire investigators will now determine if the fire was an accident or otherwise.

Huber said the fire would have affected more than just one store if someone started it deliberately.

“Really shocked and flabbergasted that somebody would do this, particularly to an organization like ours,” said Huber.

A business across the street from the store said they have surveillance video that showed a man crawling under a dumpster shortly before it erupted in flames.

Other - Retail, Retail

Spring, TX – Overnight fire at Home Depot contained by sprinkler system

The Spring Fire Department was dispatched to the Home Depot in the 20100 block of Interstate 45, around 5:00 AM, Saturday morning.

When firefighters arrived they found several shelving units of merchandise on fire in the garden center.

HCFMO Investigators say that a fire sprinkler head was activated, containing the fire and preventing it from spreading to other parts of the building.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Restaurant, Retail, Shopping Mall

Huntington Station, NY – Restaurant fire in strip mall extinguished by sprinkler system

Multiple fire departments were on the scene of a fire at a strip mall in Huntington Station last Friday afternoon. Suffolk Police say a 911 call came in at 2:46 p.m. reporting a fire at 1760 New York Ave.

“Manor firefighters responded to a report of smoke from a building on New York Ave and West Hills Road on Friday afternoon. Chief Chuck Brady determined that heavy smoke was coming from the Don Juan Pupuseria and transmitted a working fire. Firefighters entered the building and searched for the seat of the fire. A fire was found to be burning in the kitchen. A majority of the fire was extinguished by a sprinkler system with a crew from Engine 3 hitting remaining hot spots. We were assisted by Huntington and Melville firefighters at the scene and Greenlawn firefighters stood by at Manors Headquarters. Huntington Community First Aid Squad provided an E.M S. standby at the scene. There were no reported injuries. All units were under the command of Chief Jon Hoffman.”

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Tucson, AZ – Sprinkler system activates to help keep fire at supermarket from growing

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.

Retail

Vancouver, WA – Attic fire at clothing store controlled by sprinkler system

A failed electric conduit in the attic of a small store in the Bagley Downs neighborhood was the cause of Sunday’s two-alarm fire, according to the Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office. Fire personnel responded about 5:10 a.m. to Novedades Lizy, a women’s clothing store located in a strip mall at 5904 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd., after a passer-by reported smoke coming from the building, Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said. The fire was contained within 30 minutes of firefighters entering the building with a hose and cutting a hole in the room to allow smoke to escape, according to a Sunday press release from the Vancouver Fire Department. No one was inside the building when the blaze started.

“Fortunately, the building was equipped with a fire sprinkler system, which quickly activated and controlled the fire in the attic until firefighters arrived to complete the extinguishment,” Scarpelli said. The fire was ruled accidental and damages are estimated at $66,000. No one was displaced, but two businesses will be closed until repairs are complete, Scarpelli said.

Other - Retail, Retail

Farmers Branch, TX – (no media coverage) – Sprinkler system activated for structure fire at auto repair shop

*** No Media Coverage – Fire Department Reported *** Occupancy is an auto repair shop.  Fire occurred at 7:37 pm on 2/19/2019.  Quint 133 was dispatched for an automatic fire alarm at the location.  Upon arrival, Quint 133 entered the facility, which was closed for the day, and observed light smoke.  Quint 133 Captain upgraded to a structure fire while they investigated.  Quint 133 crew heard the sound of a sprinkler head activation.  Upon further investigation, they observed a burned tool cart adjacent to a brand new F250 Ford Truck on a lift.  One sprinkler head activated above the tool cart.  Sprinkler system was shut off and an Investigator was requested.  Investigator examined the 2’x 3’ burned tool cart with a variety of tools and a damaged curb guard on the F250 Ford Truck.  No electricity was supplied to the cart.  The only source of ignition was energized lithium batteries for tools.  The  cause of the fire was accidental.  Total content loss was estimated at $800.  No structural damage.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Mount Vernon, VA – Sprinkler system extinguished fire at Mega Mart before fire crews arrived

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].