Category Archives: Retail

Other - Retail, Retail

Decatur, IL – Sprinkler system helps prevent spread of small business fire; Neighboring businesses spared

Kemper Willcut II expected today to be a busy day filling last-minute Easter orders. Instead, it will be spent cleaning up from an overnight fire that will keep the Del’s Popcorn Shop, 142 N. Merchant St., closed for an undetermined amount of time.

The fire, which was contained to the rear of the building, was reported shortly after midnight. Decatur Fire Department personnel arrived to find a dumpster behind the business on fire and the flames climbing the wall toward the second floor.

Battalion Chief Todd McKenzie said it appears the fire breached the building where the electricity enters the structure. Sprinklers were able to prevent the spread of the fire to the front of the building, but the entry point provided a pathway to the second floor.

The fire was contained to the one building, with neighboring businesses suffering smoke damage. Sloan’s Calzones planned to be open for lunch today after doing some minor cleanup. TapRoot Restaurant will be open tonight, with some limitations.

John Redden, owner of TapRoot, said the bar section of the restaurant would be open tonight, with the regular menu available. As employees helped to clean up and rid the business of the lingering smell of smoke, Redden hoped to have the entire restaurant opened by Saturday.

“Everybody got lucky with this,” he said. For Marina Loehr, the already scheduled off-day became a clean-up day. Scheduled to be closed in observance of Good Friday. Loehr spent Friday morning lighting candles in her store and opening the doors to get the smell of smoke out of the business.

After a look-around the store, she was optimistic there was no damage to any of the structure or the collection of dresses hanging up throughout he store.

Many store owners echoed the sentiment of McKenzie as they assessed the damage.  “It definitely could have been much worse,” McKenzie said.

McKenzie said 30 firefighters and eight trucks were on the scene and off-duty personnel were called in to cover the city in the event of another fire elsewhere. They cleared the scene at 4:32 a.m.

Other - Retail, Retail

Galloway Twp, NJ – Sprinkler system activates to help limit damage in fire at nail salon

At 12:21 p.m., police received a 911 call reporting a structure fire at Lucky Nails located on New York Road.  Emergency personnel found determined a camp stove was being used inside the building and set the contents of a room on fire, police said.

The sprinkler system was activated inside the building and the building sustained smoke and water damage, police said.  An investigation by Galloway Township Fire Marshal Ron Garbutt and Officer Bill Schroer determined the fire to be accidental in nature.

Department Store, Retail

San Leandro, CA – Walmart fire contained with help from sprinkler system; No injuries

A two-alarm fire required the evacuation of the Walmart store on Davis Street on Saturday night, fire officials said.  Alameda County Fire Department spokeswoman Aisha Knowles said the store’s sprinkler system activated, and the entire store was evacuated. 

The fire broke out about 7:30 p.m. in the kitchen of the McDonald’s restaurant inside the store at 1919 Davis St.   Firefighters had knocked down the blaze by 8 p.m., but the store remained empty half an hour later.  Nobody was hurt.

Other - Retail, Retail

Tampa, FL – Fire at pawn shop controlled with help from sprinkler systems

Tampa fire rescue responded to an automatic fire alarm at 4910 East Busch Blvd, Value Pawn and Jewelry. Upon arrival firefighter saw heavy smoke coming from the roof of the single story commercial building. Firefighters entered the building with a hose line and found the automatic sprinkler system working.

The fire was under control at 4:25. The fire initially appears to have originated in the attic area of the building.  Fire Marshal’s Investigators are on scene to determine the cause and source of the fire. There were no injuries.

Other - Retail, Retail

Atwater, CA – Sprinklers protect neighboring businesses, help limit damage in fire at candle store

Flames were reported around 7:15 a.m. last Sunday at the business in the 1100 block of Bellevue Road, Battalion Chief Jeremy Rahn said. Rahn said the fire apparently ignited when at least one candle was left burning overnight at the store. 

Fire-suppression sprinklers managed to keep the fire at bay, Rahn said, allowing firefighters to prevent it from spreading to neighboring businesses in the strip mall. Rahn said the suppression system helped save about $750,000 in property threatened by the fire in the complex. “It’s a good example of how those sprinklers can help,” Rahn said. 

Fourteen firefighters responded to the scene and were at the store for several hours. No injuries were reported.

Department Store, Retail

Houston, TX – Arson fire at HEB store controlled with help from sprinkler system

An HEB in southwest Houston will be closed indefinitely after a fire was started inside the grocery store Wednesday evening.  The fire erupted around 7:30pm at the store in off Beechnut and the Beltway.

According to fire officials at the scene, someone set fire to toilet paper in the back of the store. Fire officials on the scene say when the fire started, employees tried to put it out with extinguishers. Firefighters then arrived to help.  The store’s sprinkler system activated to help control the fire.  

An HEB spokesperson said everyone was evacuated and no injuries were reported.  Officials said the store will be shut down until health inspectors can examine what kind of damage was made to the products inside. The HEB spokesperson didn’t know how long that process will take.  HEB says it is working with HFD on the investigation, which they’re classifying as arson.

Department Store, Retail

Tucson, AZ – Fire at Big Lots store kept in check by sprinkler system

The Tucson Fire Department credits a store’s sprinkler system with keeping a fire in check until crews arrived to put it out.  The department says firefighters responding to a water flow alarm at a BigLots store on South Harrison Road early Thursday morning found smoke coming from the rear of the building.

Firefighters found heavy smoke inside the store and a fire in the rear of the building, which was full of merchandise.  Cause of the fire is under investigation and there’s no estimate on cost of fire damage.

Other - Retail, Retail

Owosso, MI – Sprinklers help limit damage to sporting goods store and adjoining businesses in fire

The fire broke out at Dunham’s sporting goods store in Corunna last Wednesday morning at around 7 a.m. located at 1435 East M-21. The building also houses Pets Supplies Plus and Tractor Supply Company but neither of them appeared to have sustained any damage. Corunna Fire Department believes it began near the front of the building in the shoe department.  The sprinkler system inside went off as it should for a fire, causing some water damage. The fire remains under investigation.

Other - Retail, Retail

Lee County, FL – Sprinklers douse arson fire at barber shop

Confirmation from the state fire marshal that the barber shop in the Metropolis Shopping Center was intentionally set. Fire crews were called to the business plaza Sunday evening about 10:30 with what turned out to be several fires inside the shop. First responders found the back door open and charred equipment inside. The sprinkler system doused the fire and left water damage behind.

“We’ll get it back rolling again. It could have been a lot worse, it’s just a stepping stone and I’ll get it back.” said owner Collette Clark.
The property manager tells us Clark is going to be able to move next door while the shop is repaired so she should be up and running in the couple of days.
Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Glendale Heights, IL – Sprinkler system extinguishes early morning fire at produce store

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** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Sprinkler Contractor Reported **

A call was received last Wednesday morning at 4:30 am from Valli Produce at 155 North Avenue in Glendale Heights.  An electrical fire started in a storage room that contained Cardboard and Styrofoam. Three of the four sprinklers within the room activated. The fire was extinguished by the time the Fire Department arrived.  All four sprinklers were replaced and the system was returned to service. The store opened Wednesday at its normal time.  The sprinkler system was installed in December of 2013.