Category Archives: Retail

Other - Retail, Retail

Buford, GA – Sprinklers contain fire at muffler shop; Spark from metal saw ignited fuel vapors

A fire sparked by a metal-cutting tool damaged a Buford-area muffler shop Thursday afternoon, according to Gwinnett Fire. No injuries were reported. Firefighters responded to the shop located at 803 West Shadburn Ferry Road at 2:51 p.m. after an employee called to report the blaze, the fire department said in a news release.

Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said the caller reported a car elevated on a mechanical lift had caught on fire. The blaze was held in check by the fire sprinkler system, but sent heavy smoke billowing from the building.

“Several employees were inside the business at the time and were working on the vehicle when the fire started,” Rutledge said in the news release. “The fire appears accidental and was caused by a spark from a saw that was being used to cut metal. The spark ignited nearby fuel vapors.”

The vehicle was heavily damaged. Extensive heat and smoke were sent throughout the mechanic bay. The fire was under control at 3:21 p.m., Rutledge said.

Other - Retail, Retail

London, ON, Canada – Official thanking sprinkler system following Goodwill Donation Centre blaze

A Goodwill Industries official is praising the sprinkler system after a fire broke out Wednesday morning at the Outlet & Donation Centre on White Oak Rd.

President and CEO of Goodwill Industries Michelle Quintyn tells AM980 when fire crews were called.

“At about 11 o’clock this morning, we had a small fire start in the back end of the building. Alarm went off, the one area of the sprinkler system went off, we evacuated the building, everyone got out safely,” she said. “We have had quite a bit of activity here today making sure that the fire is out, it’s a building full of textiles and all kinds of recyclable materials.”

A damage estimate and cause of the blaze could not be determined by the Fire Inspector on duty

Quintyn did, however, mention that the building was undergoing roof work

“The area that the fire occurred is more a warehousing area, it is not a production area. In that vicinity there was some roof work going on,” she said. “A sprinkler system is a good thing to have in a big building like this.”

Fire crews could also be seen inspecting tar machines near where the fire broke out.

Quintyn added that there were well over 200 people in the building at the time, many of them employees and some customers. No injuries have been reported.

 

 

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Mt. Pocono, PA – Daily operations unaffected at Walmart after sprinklers activate to control early morning fire

No injuries or significant damage were reported in a fire occurring shortly before 6:30 a.m. Monday at the Mount Pocono Walmart, said Walmart corporate spokesperson Erin Hoffman. An HVAC unit malfunction started the fire, activating the sprinkler system which then damaged a small amount of store products in a back room, said Hoffman. The store was closed from 6:30 to 9 a.m., but daily operations otherwise will not be affected.

 

Other - Retail, Retail

Tampa, FL – Early morning arson fire at business extinguished by sprinkler system

An early morning fire at the Hookah Hut in South Tampa today has been ruled an arson, firefighters said. Tampa Fire Rescue responded to the business, 3215 Henderson Blvd., at 6:19 a.m. and found that the fire had already been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system, according to a release from the agency.

The Fire Marshal arrived to investigate and found that the front and rear doors of the business showed signs of forced entry, the release said.  The Fire Marshal also discovered that the fire started in multiple places and found an unknown liquid with a strong odor. 

Tampa Fire Rescue’s HAZMAT team was called in to investigate the liquid. About $20,000 in damage was caused to the building and contents, firefighters said. Firefighters continue to investigate.

Anyone with information should contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at (813) 274-7000 or use the anonymous tips page at www.tampagov.net/arsontips. Rewards of up to $2,500 or more are available for information leading to an arrest.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Flushing, NY – Sprinkler system knocks down fire in supermarket basement

A fire broke out in the basement of a supermarket in Flushing late Wednesday morning, the FDNY said. The Fire Department received a report of a manhole fire at about 10:51 a.m., according to an FDNY spokesman.

The manhole may be connected to the basement of the building of the H&Y Marketplace, located at 150-51 Northern Blvd., the spokesman said. There were elevated carbon monoxide readings as high as 700 parts per million, but the sprinkler system activated and the fire was knocked down at about 12:19 p.m., the spokesman said.

Con Edison shut off the power and it was evaluating the air quality to make sure that people remain safe, the spokesman added. There were no reported injuries and the FDNY was still actively working on the scene, he said.

Restaurant, Shopping Mall

Arcadia, CA – Kitchen fire at Sbarro’s Pizza extinguished by sprinkler system

A kitchen fire at the Sbarro’s Pizza in the Westfield Santa Anita mall caused a temporary evacuation of the food court Thursday evening, officials said.  Nearly 20 firefighters from the Arcadia and Los Angeles County fire departments responded to a call of a structure fire at 8:15 p.m. Thursday in the 400 block of South Baldwin Avenue, fire officials said in a statement.

Mall security directed firefighters to the food court, where they saw smoke and evacuated the area. Further investigation found a fire sprinkler had extinguished a blaze in the restaurant’s kitchen, officials said.  The fire was limited to the immediate area and happened when combustible materials were placed on a stove, officials said.  Officials estimated the fire caused approximately $25,000 in damage and no injuries were reported.

Other - Retail, Retail

Pigeon Forge, TN – Sprinklers help contain overnight fire at popular retail store

A fire at popular Pigeon Forge western store Stages West early Thursday morning left the building and its roof “structurally weakened” but still intact, said Pigeon Forge Fire Department Capt. Erik Preske.

Firefighters were called to the store, 2765 Parkway, around 4:09 a.m., and the fire was out “right at dawn,” Preske said. Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Sevier County and Walden’s Creek volunteer fire departments assisted Pigeon Forge, he said.

Preske said the store’s sprinkler system “absolutely” played a part in containing the blaze. Preske said there is extensive smoke and water damage to the building.

The cause of the fire is unknown; investigators were still on the scene late Thursday morning, he said.

Store owner Marlene Houser said the store will remain closed “until we are able to assess the full extent of the damage.”

“We are still waiting to hear about what caused this event,” she said. “No one was injured, and for that, we are thankful.”

According to its Facebook page, the store is family owned and has been selling western apparel since 1975.

Department Store, Retail

Bedford, IN – Sprinkler system helps protect Farm and Home store from fire damage

Firefighters were able to extinguish a fire at Orscheln Farm and Home on Ind. 37 within minutes of arriving Sunday afternoon.

Firefighters from Marion, Shawswick and Oolitic Volunteer Fire Departments were called to the business at 1:31 p.m.

According to Marion VFD Chief Jason Zeeks, the fire started outside on the south side of the building after some paper on plastic stock tanks for water caught on fire.

The fire then moved inside the business, setting off the sprinkler system.

Zeeks says no one was injured and there was little fire damage done to building, but smoke and water did cause minor damage to some contents of the store.

Firefighters from Shawswick and Oolitic VFDs assisted Marion VFD firefighters with cleaning up the water and ventilated the building of smoke.

Orscheln was able to re-open for business Sunday afternoon.

Department Store, Retail

Manhasset, NY – Fire in freight elevator at Macy’s department store controlled with help from sprinkler system

A fire broke out in a freight elevator at the Macy’s department store in Manhasset last Sunday morning. Manhasset-Lakeville officials said they were able to contain the fire using the building’s sprinkler system.

Several Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department companies as well as the Port Washington Fire Department’s FAST rescue and rehabilitation unit and Nassau County Police were dispatched to the site around 10:30 a.m. and discovered the fire and smoke throughout the building.

Only Macy’s employees were in the store at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Nassau County Fire Marshals office. Fire teams then sought to ventilate the building of smoke and carbon monoxide.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

LaGrange, GA – Fire at Piggly Wiggly grocery store controlled by sprinkler system

Police and fire personnel responded to a fire about 6 a.m. Tuesday at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store at 1861 Roanoke Road. No one was injured in the blaze, which triggered the evacuation of the store’s employees. No customers were inside the building at the time, according to Chris Taylor, a public information officer for the LaGrange Fire Department.

LaGrange fire and police, along with the Troup County Sheriff’s deputies, responded to the scene. Initially, emergency dispatchers received calls that someone was possibly trapped in the room, but those reports turned out to be false, Taylor said. Taylor said the fire started in the back portion of the store in a utility area.

“There was a problem with the backup generator in the mechanical room,” he said. The fire was controlled by an automatic sprinkler system that activated, but firefighters still had to use hoses and water to extinguish secondary fires that also burned.

Officials with Georgia Power also responded to the scene, Taylor said. The LaGrange Fire Department is investigating the fire, but Taylor said no foul play is suspected and the preliminary cause of the blaze is expected to be either mechanical or electrical. Taylor expected a full report and information to be released by LFD this afternoon.

Taylor said the fire did not burn anywhere but the utility room. “We’re glad that the store wasn’t in regular operation when the fire occurred,” Taylor said. The Daily News attempted to call Piggly Wiggly several times this morning for comment, but its phone lines were busy.