Category Archives: Retail

Other - Retail, Retail

Canton, MI – Sprinkler system helps saves salon in Victorian building from fire

A Canton salon and spa owner has refused to let a fire and water damage shut down her business in a two-story Victorian building in Cherry Hill Village. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass,” said Melissa Huetter, owner of Indigo Salon, Spa & Boutique. “It’s all about perseverance and resilience.”

Huetter was out of town — hundreds of miles away — when she got word that a second-story fire occurred about 4 a.m. Friday, Feb. 12, inside Indigo Salon. She caught a flight home within hours. Huetter said there was speculation the fire was electrical, but an official cause hasn’t been determined.

The fire set off an alarm and a sprinkler system that doused the blaze before Canton firefighters arrived. “If the sprinkler system hadn’t been there,” Deputy Fire Chief Chris Stoecklein said, “that building could have been a total loss.”

Because the fire occurred about 4 a.m., Stoecklein said, the salon, located at Cherry Hill and Ridge roads, could have been engulfed in flames before anyone noticed it. Still, Huetter said the sprinkler system caused widespread water damage to 50-60 percent of her salon because it sent water from the second floor throughout much of the west side of the building.

The fire forced the salon to close for the busy Valentine’s Day weekend, but Huetter reopened the following Tuesday. Repairs are continuing, but Huetter and her 36 employees have managed to resume full service ranging from massages to facials to body waxing. She said the east side of the building wasn’t damaged like the west side. The entire spa side was untouched.

“We are still offering everything that we originally offered,” Huetter said. “We are just doing it with modified logistics.”

Retail, Shopping Mall

Scottsdale, AZ – Overnight fire at strip mall minimized by sprinkler system

Functioning sprinkler systems and work from the Scottsdale and Tempe fire departments helped keep a strip mall fire to a minimum overnight. Crews responded to a reported fire near Scottsdale Road and McDowell where they found smoke on the inside of the building. Firefighters found a small fire inside, but fortunately, the sprinklers were keeping it from spreading further. No one was inside the building at the time and no injuries were reported. At this time, there is no word on what caused the fire.

Other - Retail, Retail

Anchorage, AK – Sprinkler system helps firefighters contain fire at auto repair shop

A sprinkler system helped firefighters quickly control a fire at Alaska Transmission and Gear near Arctic Boulevard and Dowling Road, the department says. “When we arrived, there was just light smoke showing,” Anchorage Fire Department spokesman John See said of the 12:49 p.m. fire at 5901 Arctic Boulevard. The flames were contained to contents inside the business and did not necessarily burn the structure, See said. The fire was under control within minutes, he said. It’s unclear how the fire began.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Cleveland, TN – Sprinklers help keep dumpster fire from spreading into store

One of the anchor stores at Bradley Square Mall was closed Sunday after a fire occurred in a dumpster/trash compactor just outside the business. At approximately 1:15 p.m., the Cleveland Fire Department responded to a fire reported at the Belk department store. According to CFD reports, firefighters found the fire in the dumpster outside the loading dock of the store. The flames were quickly extinguished.

Additional units were called to the scene and made entry to the stock room area of Belk, where they found heavy smoke. The sprinkler system had also been activated and water was flowing into the stock room, reports said. The fire in the dumpster was brought under control approximately 15 minutes after the first fire units arrived, and the sprinkler system was soon disabled.

Heavy-duty fans were brought in to remove any residual smoke from the business. Battalion Chief Robert Gaylor said in his report that there was substantial smoke and water damage in the stock room area, and some smoke damage in the store’s shopping area.

The store manager told the fire department that Belk would close for the remainder of the day and reopen on Monday. “The mall manager as well as security and the store manager were on the scene and were very helpful in assisting us with evacuating the mall and securing the area,” Gaylor’s report stated.

Due to the nature of the fire, the Arson Investigation Division was called to the scene and was attempting to determine the cause of the fire Sunday afternoon. It remains under investigation today.  No injuries were reported from the fire.

Other - Retail, Retail

Sonoma, CA – Sprinkler system halts electrical fire at nail salon

An electrical malfunction in a storage room is suspected of causing a fire at a nail salon in Sonoma on Tuesday evening, a fire battalion chief said.

A sprinkler system extinguished most of the fire at the Nails Pro salon at 201 W. Napa St., Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue Authority Battalion Chief Bob Norrbom said.

The fire department received a water flow alarm and a call from someone in the nearby CVS pharmacy around 7 p.m., Norrbom said.

Department Store, Retail

Shelby Township, MI – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in containing storage closet fire at Kohl’s store; No injuries

A fire inside a Kohl’s storage room early Wednesday afternoon prompted an evacuation and caused extensive smoke damage to the store and merchandise, according to the fire department. The fire ignited just before 1 p.m. inside a supply room at the back of Kohl’s at 25 Mile and Van Dyke, Fire Chief Jim Swinkowski said. There were no injuries reported.  “When our crews got there, they did encounter some heavy fire,” Swinkowski said.

The store was evacuated as soon as employees and customers saw smoke and the fire alarm sounded, Swinkowski said. The sprinkler system activated and fire personnel were able to extinguish the inferno before it spread beyond the storage room, which contained store supplies like signage and batteries.

“It did not spread to the rest of the store or the adjacent stores,” Swinkowski said of the fire. “But there was extensive smoke damage throughout Kohl’s.” Other stores at the shopping center include Target and Home Depot.

Kohl’s will remain closed Wednesday, Swinkowski said. The level of smoke damage to merchandise may make it difficult to reopen soon. “Anytime you’ve got smoke and you’re dealing with linens and clothing, they’re out there (in the store),” he said. “That is up to the Kohl’s loss prevention division to deal with that. It would be tough to be open (Thursday) but that’s not my area of expertise.”

Kohl’s representatives who answered the phone at the store Wednesday refused to comment.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is not considered suspicious, he said.

“We’re just beginning our investigation now so we will not know for some time,” Swinkowski said.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant, Retail

Hermosa Beach, CA – Sprinkler system helps control pizza shop fire; Neighboring businesses spared

The Hermosa Beach Fire Department responded to a fire inside Pedone’s Pizza and Italian Food, near 14th Street, about 6 a.m., said HBFD Capt. Mike Garofano. Authorities were alerted to the fire by an alarm linked to the restaurant’s automatic sprinkler system, Garofano said. Four engines, one truck and a battalion chief from HBFD responded to the blaze, and the sprinkler system was keeping the fire in check when they arrived.

Because the business was closed, firefighters had to break down the business’ front door to fight the fire, Garofano said. Units from fire departments in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance arrived shortly thereafter, and the group knocked down the fire after about 15 minutes. As of 9 a.m. Monday morning, Pedone’s was sealed off with red caution tape. There were no visible marks to the exterior, but the smell of burnt wood lingered in the air.

Pedone’s Pizza is one of several businesses located in the structure at 1332 Hermosa Ave., including a Pilates studio across a common hallway, but damage from the fire was confined to the restaurant, Garofano said. No one was injured in the blaze.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation, Garofano said. Standard procedure requires bringing in an arson investigator to examine heat signatures and determine the blaze’s point of origin. Initial examination suggests an electrical fire, but this has not been confirmed

Other - Retail, Retail

Grandview, MO – Suspicious fire at surplus store put out by automatic fire sprinkler system

Grandview police and arson officials investigated a suspicious fire at a local business on Friday, according to authorities. Police responded to an intrusion alarm at Patriot Surplus at 1227 East 119th St. in Grandview about 6:40 p.m.  A fire alarm came from the same location and officers found that a “small, suspicious fire” had been put out by the building’s sprinkler system, according to police.

Police said it appeared that someone had forced their way into the building. Damage from the fire was minimal and contained within an office in the building. The fire was being investigated by Grandview Fire Department arson investigators and Grandview police detectives.

Anyone with information about the fire was asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Restaurant, Shopping Mall

Las Vegas, NV – Fire in mall food court extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Las Vegas firefighters said they are investigating after a fire broke out at the food court in Meadows Mall Friday. The incident occurred Friday morning at Panda Express, located inside the mall on 4300 Meadows Lane. The fire department said the fire sprinkler put out a grill top fire. No injuries were reported, the fire department said.

Other - Retail, Retail

Bellingham, WA – Overnight arson fire at Goodwill store extinguished by sprinkler system

Three arsons have been set in three mornings behind a Goodwill store, according to police. Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying who has been setting the fires.

The first fire was reported at 5:50 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, in a Dumpster near the donation drop-off of the Goodwill at 1115 E. Sunset Drive, said Bellingham Assistant Fire Chief Bill Hewett. Firefighters responded to a second arson at 5:08 Thursday, in another Dumpster.  And a third fire was reported at 3:25 a.m. Friday. This time someone set up debris against the building itself, and lit it on fire. By the time firefighters reached the scene a sprinkler had extinguished the flames, but it was damaged in the process.

So far most of the damage has been limited to the sprinkler, two waste disposal units that are now warped, and the garbage. Police would like it to stay that way. Tips should be directed to Bellingham Police Detective Dan Kelsh at 360-778-8690.