Category Archives: Retail

Rock Springs, WY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at auto repair shop

The Rock Springs Fire Department (RSFD) was dispatched to a report of a structure fire at The Tire Den, located at 202 Industrial Drive, at 12:59 a.m. on August 30.

RSFD responded with three apparatus and nine personnel. The first-arriving unit from the RSFD was on scene within one minute of being dispatched. Upon arrival, Command was established and a 360-degree size-up conducted. Crews noted heavy smoke and flames coming from the C/D (North-East) area of the building in the compressor room.

The attack team knocked the fire down and the fire was declared controlled at 1:17 a.m. Fire crews remained on scene to conduct salvage and overhaul operations to protect the property from further damage and ensure that the fire was completely extinguished. The local fire suppression system, with the deployment of a single sprinkler head, limited fire extension into adjacent areas of the facility, which prevented what would otherwise have been a significant conflagration involving multiple structures.

A callback was initiated to backfill reserve fire apparatus to handle any additional calls for service that might come in during the fire. Five personnel responded to address those needs and begin preparing replacement fire hose to rehab the trucks used at the scene. The equipment and hose used during the suppression operations was cleaned and the truck was placed back in service by 5 a.m.

The Patrol Officers with the Rock Springs Police Department noted heavy smoke at the building during routine patrol and helped fire crews gain access to the property.

The fire is under investigation and the cause has not yet been determined.

West Des Moines, IA – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at Kohl’s Department Store; No injuries reported

Two teens have been charged in connection to a fire at the Kohl’s Department Store over the weekend.

At around 2:04 p.m. Saturday firefighters with the West Des Moines Fire Department responded to a report of a fire at the Kohl’s in the 6500 block of Mills Civic Parkway. When firefighters arrived on scene they found a merchandise rack had caught fire, but was extinguished by the sprinkler system. No injuries were reported.

A joint investigation between the fire department and the West Des Moines Police Department was launched after the cause of the fire was deemed suspicious. As a result of the investigation, two 15-year-old boys have been charged with first degree arson.

The fire department said the store sustained smoke and water damage.

Johnstown, CO – Sprinkler system activated for fire in cardboard compactor at department store; No injuries reported

The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority put out a fire in a cardboard compactor at Scheels in Johnstown Tuesday.

No one was hurt, but the fire resulted in evacuation of the store, which was closed for the rest of the evening.

At 4:48 p.m. Tuesday, LFRA was dispatched to a fire sprinkler water flow alarm at Scheels and, when crews arrived two minutes later, they saw smoke showing from the loading dock area, according to a post on the LFRA Facebook page.

The incident was upgraded to a commercial fire and additional LFRA units were called along with Berthoud Fire Protection, Front Range Fire Rescue, Thompson Valley EMS, Poudre Fire Authority and Johnstown Police Department crews.

Crews from Engine 50, which work out of Station 10 in Johnstown nearby, found a working fire in the cardboard compactor with a fire sprinkler in the compactor loading room “holding the fire from extending into the interior of the structure,” according to the post.

Once the fire was under control, crews used a wildland fire engine to pull the compactor away from the building

Crews also used electric ventilation fans to clear the smoke from the interior of the store, though the majority of the smoke was contained to the interior areas near the loading dock, the post said. Scheels staff assisted the incident commander with technical knowledge of the building’s ventilation system to help with this process.

The post added the store closed for the rest of the evening.

Battalion Chief Kevin Hessler said no injuries were reported in the incident. He added that the cause of the fire is unknown.

He also added that the Scheels team did a great job getting evacuating everyone once the fire alarm sounded.

Bayonne, NJ – Sprinkler system activated for fire at discount store

Bayonne firefighters only needed 20 minutes to extinguish a blaze at a discount store in the area of Broadway and 22nd Street on Monday.

According to Deputy Fire Chief Bill Bartos, firefighters responded to Deals & Discounts just after 9:50 a.m. Upon their arrival they found heavy smoke coming from the front of the store.

Handlines were used in conjunction with the building’s sprinkler system to bring the fire under control by 10:10 a.m.

Oregon City, OR – Sprinkler system controls early morning arson fire at store

Bales of hay at a Wilco Store in Oregon City were set on fire early Thursday morning. Clackamas Fire District says a fire alarm brought crews to the store on Molalla Avenue. The sprinkler system helped control the fire, and firefighters put it out before it caused any more damage. Surveillance video shows a suspect wearing a baseball cap, mask, a T-shirt, and short pants lighting the fire. Investigators are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect to contact Oregon City Police.

Buford, GA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at mall; No injuries reported

Firefighters are investigating an incident that sparked at the Mall of Georgia Tuesday morning.

Crews were called to Buford Drive in Buford at 5:38 a.m. A bystander called 911 and reported a fire at the Mall of Georgia food court, authorities said.

When firefighters arrived, they found the fire developing in a first-floor storage room behind of the restaurants in the mall food court, investigators said.

The fire triggered the sprinkler system. Despite the low visibility, crews were able to use its hose to extinguish the flames. Mall workers and security were evacuated during the fire.

The building’s ventilation system was used to remove residual smoke from the and fire units brought in fans to ventilate parts of the building.

The storage room sustained heavy fire damage; there were no injuries.

Crews have determined the fire started from an electrical issue with a light fixture.

Pulaski, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at food center

Emergency teams responded to a fire Monday morning at Super Ron’s Food Center in Pulaski. Police were notified first and upon arrival, officers learned that the fire was contained to the front office and was extinguished due to efforts by the owner. Police say the fire caused the sprinkler system to activate.

Police evacuated the building due to heavy smoke. Pulaski Tri-County Fire Department firefighters were able to turn off the water flow and checked for additional hot spots.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but police say it is not suspicious in nature.

Fresno, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire inside grocery store; No injuries reported

Shoppers and staff were evacuated after a fire started inside the Foods Co. at First and Shields Ave.

Fresno Fire responded at about 8 a.m. Sunday.

Battalion Chief Kirk Wanless said the initial call for service was someone setting something on fire inside the store.

By the time firefighters arrived, smoke had filled much of the store and fire was found in an aisle.

The store’s sprinkler system activated as firefighters were about to go in.

Firefighters were able to search the entire store and get everyone out. No one was injured.

Officials say they suspect the fire was arson and are following up on all leads.

The Fresno County Department of Public Health was called to inspect the food damaged from the fire and smoke to see what, if anything, is salvageable.

A staff member at Foods Co. said they cannot comment on when the store will reopen.

Yarmouth, ME – Sprinkler system activated for fire at marketplace; No injuries reported

A fire at a Route 1 mall in Yarmouth on Monday night was contained before it could spread to a dozen or so adjoining businesses.

Yarmouth Fire Chief Mike Robitaille credited the sprinkler system at the Sherwin Williams paint store, 438 Route 1, for preventing a much larger fire that he said could have caused significant damage to other businesses at Yarmouth Marketplace.

Robitaille said the fire started just after 6 p.m. in a ceiling dormer above Sherwin Williams. It did not reach any of the paint products stored at the business, but the store sustained significant water damage.

“The fire was quickly contained, but in all honesty, it was the sprinkler system that did the job,” Robitaille said. “If the fire had spread, it could have been a significant dollar loss.”

Some of the adjoining addresses in the mall, which include Romeo’s Pizza, Enterprise Rent a Car, an AT&T store, P&P Screen Printing and Royal River Baptist Church, sustained smoke damage.

Mutual aid was provided by Cumberland, Freeport and Falmouth. No injuries were reported and the cause remains under investigation.

Omaha, NE – Sprinkler system activated for fire at strip mall; No injuries reported

The Omaha Fire Department is investigating a fire at a strip mall Sunday morning.

According to the Omaha Fire Department, at 8:44 a.m. Sunday, crews were called to a one-story strip mall at 10841 Q Street. Dispatch received multiple calls reporting a large amount of black smoke coming from the building.

When crews arrived they entered and reported poor visibility inside. They searched the structure and found a fire that was controlled by an automatic sprinkler system. The fire was extinguished quickly by firefighters.

The Omaha Fire Department says no injuries were reported by fire personnel at the time.

Damage was estimated at $15,000 to the structure and another $50,000 to its contents.

Investigators are looking into what caused the fire.