Category Archives: Retail

Retail, Shopping Mall

Easton, PA – Fire at mall extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A “suspicious” fire on Sunday afternoon in a lavatory behind a store near an entrance to the Palmer Park Mall was quickly put out by sprinklers but left water damage in three stores, a Palmer Township fire official reports.

The Palmer Township Municipal Fire Department responded at 4:50 p.m. to an alarm at the mall but as firefighters were on their way, people inside the mall called 911 to report an explosion and smoke inside the main entrance, Deputy Chief Jim Alercia said in a news release.

The mall was being evacuated as firefighters arrived. Shoppers and workers indicated the fire was in the IFIX and More store, which sells cell phone accessories and does minor repairs, Alercia said. The fire was contained to a lavatory in a rear stock room, Alercia said. It was put out by the mall’s sprinkler system, he added.

There was “moderate” water damage to the Claire’s and Verizon Wireless stores as well as fire damage to the lavatory and water damage to the stock room and sales floor at IFIX and More, Alercia said.

Fire personnel remained on scene to help mall staff ventilate the smoke from the stores and get the alarm system active again so the mall could open for its regular 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours on Monday, Alercia said.

Township fire investigators are probing what they have labeled a “suspicious fire”, Alercia said. Investigators were removing evidence in search of the cause and manner of the fire, Alercia said.

A drop ceiling, which was soaked by the sprinkler system, collapsed, making the sound that people thought was an explosion, Alercia said.

No one was hurt and Bethlehem Township firefighters and Suburban EMS assisted at the scene, Alercia said.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Colorado Springs, CO – Fire at strip mall controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Colorado Springs firefighters responded to a fire in a strip mall near the southeastern side of the city Thursday morning, firefighters tweeted.

Sprinklers controlled the “small” fire inside a storefront at 1720 South Circle Drive shortly before 11:20 a.m., the agency tweeted.

Crews arrived to control the sprinkler flow, firefighters said.

Firefighters reported no injuries. No other stores were damaged, firefighters said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Riverside, CA – Sprinkler system activated for electrical fire at shopping center

An electrical malfunction triggered a fire at a Riverside shopping center that caused $15,000 in property damage to one business and left a firefighter with minor injuries, officials said Tuesday.

The blaze was reported at 7:20 p.m. Monday at 11070 Magnolia Ave., near La Sierra Avenue, on the city’s west side.

Riverside Fire Department Battalion Chief Garrett Coryell said nearly two dozen firefighters arrived to find a “working structure fire in the front office” of one of the businesses.

The fire was fully contained within 20 minutes to the room of origin and was traced to a failed electrical component, he said.

The building’s anti-fire sprinkler system activated during the blaze, causing some water damage, Coryell said.

He said one crew member suffered unspecified minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Woodbridge, NJ – Sprinkler system helps contain fire at mall; No injuries reported

The Woodbridge Center Mall was briefly evacuated Tuesday night after a small electrical fire broke out at Salad Bistro, located inside the mall.

All mall employees and everyone shopping inside was told to leave the mall immediately.

The fire was contained between the ansel system, the sprinkler system and a fire extinguisher; it was quickly extinguished, according to Amy Bellisano, general manager of the Woodbridge Center Mall.

Nobody was injured. All businesses inside the mall, except Salad Bistro, opened as normal on Wednesday. All the water was also cleaned up.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Louisville, KY – Fire at walmart extinguished by sprinkler system before fire crews arrived; No injuries reported

A fire that broke out inside the Walmart in the Valley Station neighborhood Wednesday night was extinguished quickly by the sprinkler system, according to fire officials.

PRP Fire chief Doug Recktenwald said the sprinkler system put out the fire before the fire department arrived at the store on Dixie Highway, which is near Valley High School. 

As heavy smoke filled the store and alarms sounded, everyone was safely evacuated from the store, according to a MetroSafe supervisor. No one was injured in the fire. 

A MetroSafe supervisor said they received a report of a fire inside the store in the bedding section. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by fire investigators. One Walmart shopper told WDRB News they saw smoke coming from the ceiling. 

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Easley, SC – Sprinkler system activated for fire at market; No injuries reported

A fire at the Ingles on Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley is under investigation.

It happened around 11:06 p.m. Friday. The Easley Fire Department said crews located a fire in the storage area near the bakery. The sprinkler system was actively working and no one was injured.

According to the fire department, this is the second incident at this store this week and the fire has been ruled suspicious.

Department Store, Retail

Napa, CA – Sprinkler system activated for clothing fire at Kohl’s; No injuries reported

Firefighters were called to the Kohl’s in downtown Napa after a fire briefly flared inside the store late Wednesday afternoon, according to Napa Fire.

At 4:38 p.m., the city fire department was notified of a fire that broke out in a rack of clothes inside the men’s section of the store at 1116 First St., according to Capt. Erik Mortimore. Napa Fire units began arriving at Kohl’s within two minutes, and about 30 customers, alerted by smoke alarms, evacuated the building along with employees, he said.

Firefighters entering the store found a light haze of smoke inside, and learned that two sprinkler heads had activated above the clothing rack, which was extinguished within 10 minutes, according to Mortimore. Although fire hose lines were pulled into the building, no outside water was used on the fire, he said.

Fire crews entered to shut off the sprinklers and prevent further flooding, and the last remaining crews left the scene at 7:26 p.m., according to Mortimore.

“We got off pretty easy given what it could have been,” he said Wednesday night.

No injuries were reported to customers, staff or firefighters.

Napa Police officers went to the scene along with Napa Fire units, said Mortimore. The cause of the fire remained under investigation Wednesday night.

Kohl’s was expected to remain closed Thursday as work continues to clear water out of the building, according to Mortimore.

Other - Retail, Retail

Methuen, MA – Sprinkler system activated for late night fire at retail store; No injuries reported

A late-night fire Sunday ignited in a store at The Loop, fire officials said. 

An electrical fire occurred near a register at Olympia in the retail center located at 90 Pleasant Valley St. 

The fire triggered the store’s sprinkler system, which worked exactly as it’s supposed to, officials said.

“The sprinklers knocked down the majority of it,” said Fire Chief Timothy Sheehy of the blaze. 

No injuries were reported. 

There was smoke and water damage to Olympia, another store nearby, The Loft, as well as a vacant storefront which was last used as an area to administer COVID-19 vaccine. 

Firefighters responded at 10:55 p.m. and there for about two hours. 

Lawrence and Salem, N.H., firefighters responded to Methuen as mutual aid coverage. 

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Fulton, MO – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at business

A Fulton woman was arrested for arson in the first degree after a fire was allegedly intentionally set in the basement of the Moser’s off of North Business 54.  

Pamela Cordrey, 48, is an employee of the Moser’s and was working at the time of the fire. She was arrested and taken to the Callaway County Jail on no bond, the Fulton Police Department said. 

The Fulton Police Department alongside the Fulton Fire Department, Central Fire Department and Callaway EMS responded to the fire around 2:07 p.m.

In a press release, the Fulton Fire Department said upon arrival of the first engine company smoke was showing from the grocery store. Fire crews made entry into the structure and reported moderate smoke inside the structure.

When the fire crews entered the basement, there was an active fire with the fire sprinkler system activated. Fire was extinguished within minutes.

With the help of the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office, Fulton Police said it was determined that the fire was set intentionally and caused significant damage to the area.

The Fulton Fire Department said the structure received smoke and minor water damages and that the Estimated loss is unavailable at this time.

Fulton Police posted on Facebook around 2:55 p.m. Wednesday, announcing Moser’s would be closed until further notice. 

Anyone with any information should call the Fulton Police Department at 573-592-3100, Crime Stoppers at 573-592-2474 or your local law enforcement agency.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Johnson City, NY – Mall fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire crews responded to a small fire inside Oakdale Mall Wednesday morning.

The Johnson City Fire Marshall Bob Blakeslee told 12 News a small fire broke out inside one of the mall’s stores around 1:25 a.m. He said a sprinkler was tripped and was able to put out the fire safely.

There were no injuries in the incident, and the extent of the damage is unknown at this time.

Blakeslee could not confirm the impacted store.

12 News expects to learn more information throughout the morning.