Category Archives: Retail

Retail, Shopping Mall

Meridian, ID – Fire at nail salon in strip mall contained with help from sprinkler system

Firefighters converged on a Meridian strip mall Wednesday night after flames broke out inside a business there.  The fire was first reported at about 9:20 p.m. in a row of shops and businesses along South Meridian Road near the intersection with Gem Avenue.  Meridian Fire battalion chief Tyler Rountree said the fire appears to have started in a salon called The Nail Place, and that crews were able to knock the flames down quickly after arriving on the scene.  The fire was big enough to trip the building’s sprinkler system. Rountree said the fire started in the back of the nail salon. It did not spread to neighboring businesses, although crews did go into the businesses to make sure.  No injuries were reported.  A fire investigator was on scene late Wednesday night. At this point, there is no word what caused the fire.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Baton Rouge, LA – Mall fire extinguished with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Emergency officials responded to reports of the smell of smoke and a possible fire at the Mall of Louisiana around 7 p.m. Monday night.

An official with the St. George Fire Department says they discovered a small fire in the interior of a wall in Vivos, which set off a sprinkler, getting people’s attention. The fire department was able to put out the fire with a hand extinguisher and did not have to run a hose into the building. The fire reportedly started in the bathroom of the store.

A fire investigator is en route to determine the cause of the fire.

Sources report that areas of the mall were evacuated by mall security as a precaution. No injuries were reported. The all clear was given around 8 p.m. and patrons were allowed back inside.

Department Store, Retail

Chillicothe, OH – Suspicious fire at Hobby Lobby store knocked down by sprinkler system

A fire suppression system at Hobby Lobby is being lauded for dousing a fire quickly on Thursday night.  The fire was reported not long after 7 p.m. and when Chillicothe firefighters arrived, everyone had gotten out safely and the fire was mostly out, said Capt. Noel Akers.  “The sprinkler system did its job and knocked down the majority of it,” he said.

The fire was in the clothing section of the store in the back left where damage mostly was limited to some clothing and housing items, Akers said. A witness said flames were 7- to 8-feet tall, and estimated there were a dozen or two customers in the store when the fire broke out.  Fire investigators are reviewing the scene and cameras from the store. While an official cause isn’t expected to be released until Friday, Akers referred to the fire as suspicious.

“There’s some suspicious things, so we’ll let the investigators make a determination on that,” he said.  Asst. Chief Steve Gallagher said while fire inspections may sometimes be a bother for businesses, the fire at Hobby Lobby is a prime example of the value of ensuring the fire suppression system is in good shape.  “There’s some water damage but it’s not nearly what could’ve happened if (the fire) had a head start on us … It’s the different between a store closing and re-opening,” Gallagher said.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Marrero, LA – Fire at Walmart store controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

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

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.

Other - Retail, Retail

Buford, GA – Sprinkler system extinguishes business fire caused by neon light display

A Buford business caught fire Tuesday morning. The culprit? A neon light display, Gwinnett fire officials said.

Firefighters responded to Queen of Hearts Antiques and Interiors, located at the 4100 block of Buford Drive after receiving a call at 9:39 a.m., according to Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge, a spokesman for the fire department.

Rutledge said that the business manager reported hearing a loud popping sound and smoke inside the building before calling 911.

“Firefighters arrived to find moderate smoke inside the large retail structure and a smoldering fire in the back-right corner,” Rutledge said. “The fire was being controlled by the sprinkler suppression system and was quickly extinguished by first-due crews with water-cans.

Rutledge said the cause of the fire is believed to be electrical and minor fire damage was sustained in the store.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Yuma, AZ – Fire in trash compactor room at Target store suppressed by sprinkler system

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.

Other - Retail, Retail

Jackson Hole, WY – Arson fire at gas station limited by working sprinkler system

Someone started a fire at the West Broadway Phillips 66 gas station early Wednesday morning, and police need help identifying a man who was caught on surveillance video.  The fire triggered the gas station’s sprinkler system, so little damage was caused.  Police said it happened after 3 a.m. just outside the business’ front door, where a pallet of firewood sits.  In the video, the man can be seen walking back and forth near the entryway.

He appears to be in his mid-20s with long, brown hair. He was riding a black mountain bike, police said.  Police and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS responded, but the sprinklers took care of the flames.  “The only property damage the gas station received was a pallet of firewood, but the fire could have been more severe if a sprinkler system wasn’t located above the pallet,” said Detective Jason Figueroa. “The subject was out of camera view for a few minutes before leaving. He was the only person to be seen at the gas station before the police and fire department arrived to put out the fire.”

Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Chief Brady Hansen said arson calls aren’t typical in Jackson.  “In our history, it has occurred, but it is not a common issue,” he said  If you recognize the man or have information about the fire, you’re asked to call the Jackson Police Department at 733-1430 and ask for Detective Figueroa.

Retail

Sonoma, CA – Overnight fire at nail salon quickly suppressed by sprinkler system

A blaze in a nail salon in downtown Sonoma was quickly extinguished, mostly by the salon’s sprinklers, on Monday night.  Fire crews responded to the fire in Nail Pro at 201 W. Napa St. around 10:45 p.m., according to Spencer Andreis, battalion chief with Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue Authority.  “When we arrived, the business was charged with smoke. It was starting to come out the front door,” Andreis said. “Crews forced entry through the front door and went to the back of the business” where the fire was burning, he said.

“The sprinkler system did its job. It took a minimal amount of water to suppress the parts that were still on fire at that point,” Andreis said. The fire involved just one room in the back of the nail salon.  Water from the firefighting efforts leaked out of the attic and under the floors, damaging two adjacent businesses, Chinese restaurant Happy Garden, and a hair salon,

There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Andreis said.  A fire broke out in the same nail salon two or three years ago, according to Andreis.  Heather Sarno, property manager of Crosspoint Realty Services, which manages the property, said it is usually the case that the insurer of an individual business must pay for fire damage, though “it depends on what the fire inspector determines to be the cause.”

Retail

Tulsa, OK – Sprinkler system helps control intentionally set fire during armed robbery, stand-off with police

Police are questioning a man they arrested after a three-hour standoff at the Dollar General near Admiral and Harvard.
Investigators say Treveon Vaughn also confessed to several other robberies this year.  Police said around 8:00 Friday morning, a man armed with a gun and dressed in black went into the store to rob it. The employees were able to escape, leaving the suspect inside the store alone.

Police also believe a getaway driver left Vaughn at the scene. Tactical teams got in place, guns were drawn, and the police chopper flew above as Tulsa’s Special Operations Team worked to get the robbery suspect out of the store.  “You don’t have to rob, steal and kill from people just to get what you want. There’s help out there,” witness Crystal Turner said.  She said her cousin was one of the cashiers who was inside when it happened.

“I don’t know why people can’t get jobs instead of robbing, stealing and killing from people. It’s sad,” Turner said.  During the three-hour standoff, police said Vaughn started a fire, activating the store’s sprinkler system, so police called in the fire department.  “We see cops up here about two to three times a week just for Dollar General,” witness Fred Lollis said.  Lollis and his wife couldn’t help but wondered what the commotion was.

“I do know that there’s a lot of stuff that happens at the Dollar General, and the store manager is always having to come out and chase people down almost daily,” he said.

Vaughn eventually surrendered peacefully.  “He did come out of the store peacefully which is what we wanted to happen,” Officer Jeanne Mackenzie said. “We wanted him to come out. We didn’t want anybody hurt or injured. We didn’t want the officers hurt or injured, so it was a very successful operation for us.”  Police are still looking for the get-away driver.