Category Archives: Retail

Other - Retail, Retail

Sprinkler puts out fire at retail business (Cerritos, CA)

Firefighters arrived to a retail establishment at about 11 p.m. on October 2 after receiving a waterflow alarm from the business. The fire that began in some packaging materials had already been extinguished by the business’ fire sprinkler system by the time the fire crews arrived, and no one was injured.

*** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by the Press-Telegram and City News Service, who focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system ***

Retail, Shopping Mall

Shopping mall reopens quickly after fire, thanks to sprinkler system (Fort Wayne, IN)

A fire in a storage area at Glenbrook Square set off sprinklers and alarms Saturday, forcing shoppers and employees to evacuate the north-side mall, which was able to reopen several hours later.  At 3:32 p.m., Fort Wayne fire crews were dispatched to the mall at 4201 Coldwater Road, near East Coliseum Boulevard. Sprinklers contained the flames until crews arrived at 3:37 p.m., said Stacey Fleming, a fire department spokeswoman.

Dry Cleaner, Retail

Damage minimized at cleaning business thanks to fire sprinkler system (Billings, MT)

A fire which began in a cleaning business the evening of September 12 when rags and clothing that were placed in a laundry basket spontaneously combusted. Fire crews arrived and saw fire through the windows of the building. 

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Fire extinguished by sprinkler system at grocery store (Northborough, MA)

A wok in the Asian food department of a grocery store started a fire the morning of August 27, and firefighters were called to the scene. When they arrived, the fire had already been eliminated by the store’s fire sprinkler system and a cooking fire suppression system. Occupants were able to evacuate the building unharmed, and no structural damage to the building occurred. 

Department Store, Retail

Fire sprinkler system aids firefighters in suspected arson fire (Amherst, NY)

A fire that broke out in a department store on the afternoon of August 15 is now being ruled as “suspicious” by the Amherst Police Department. A stack of men’s shorts spontaneously caught on fire, and the store was evacuated while the store’s fire sprinkler system activated and kept the fire from spreading. There were no reported injuries from the incident, and the store was slated to open the following day.

*** Blog Editor’s Note: Tell us what you think of the coverage by WKBW News and Megan Erbacher. Only the substantial heat from potentially deadly and damaging fire will operate a fire sprinkler, not smoke. Also, the sprinkler saved the store from experiencing a much larger fire, where the damage would have been much worse, and could have possibly caused injury or loss of life. ***