Category Archives: School / University

NOTE – Residence Hall, Dormitory, and Fraternity-Sorority is included under Residential Category

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential, School / University

Macomb, IL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at university hall

A fire at Western Illinois University Grote Hall led to $20,000 in damages. The sprinkler system prevented the fire from spreading.

At 8:55 p.m., Wednesday, January 15, the Macomb Fire Department was dispatched to a water flow alarm at Grote Hall, 720 W Adams Street on the campus of Western Illinois University (WIU) in Macomb.

While enroute, the WIU Office of Public Safety (OPS) advised that they had smoke and flames in room 410. The first arriving units arrived on scene at 9:01 p.m. and began high-rise standpipe operations. Fire command made contact with OPS who had discharged two fire extinguishers on the fire.

The interior firefighting crew stretched a hose line to the fire room and finished extinguishing the fire. The fire was contained to a waste basket in the room.

The fire activated a sprinkler within the closet of the room and kept the fire from spreading. Multiple rooms sustained smoke and water damage and at least two residents were displaced.

Four on-duty firefighters responded to the call and nine additional firefighters responded to a crew callback. Emmet- Chalmers and Good Hope Fire Departments responded to the scene and assisted with primary searches of the building.

The fire was deemed under control at 9:12 PM. All units cleared at 11:21 p.m. One firefighter was transported to a local hospital for observation and was treated and released.

A smoke alarm was present in the room, however, did not alarm due to the device being obstructed by the resident. Once the sprinkler system activated the water flow alarm notified OPS dispatch of the fire.

The structure sustained fire, smoke, and water damage throughout and has an estimated loss of $20,000. The fire was investigated by the Macomb Fire Department and WIU OPS. The fire was deemed unintentional due to improper disposal of ignited materials.

The Macomb Fire Department wants to again remind citizens that smoke detectors are essential safety devices that play a crucial role in protecting lives and property by providing early warning of smoke or fire. Tampering with smoke detectors can lead to criminal charges.

The following agencies assisted: McDonough County Communications Center, Macomb IL Police, WIU OPS, WIU Support Staff, Lifeguard Ambulance Service of Illinois, Emmet- Chalmers FPD, Good Hope FPD, and the City of Macomb Public Works.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Chapin, SC – Sprinkler system contains dryer fire at high school; No injuries reported

Dutch Fork Fire Rescue units responded to Spring Hill High School Tuesday after a dryer caught fire.

According to the school, the fire happened around 10 a.m. when a dryer in the kitchen area caught fire and activated the sprinkler system.

Firefighters said the fire was contained in the dryer at the back of the school.

Administrators at the school confirmed all students and staff were evacuated and they are accounted for.

No injuries were reported.

Units are working on removing the dryer and ventilating the building.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Glenview, IL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at high school woodshop

Classes at a suburban Glenview high school were canceled Monday and students and staff were sent home after a fire alarm triggered a sprinkler system to be set off in the building, according to an announcement.

About 9:23 a.m., fire alarms were triggered near the woodshop of Glenbrook South High School, leading the building’s fire suppression and sprinkler system to be activated, the school posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

While the school initially said that students and staff were being allowed back into the building after being evacuated, it later said students would be dismissed after a “large amount of water” in the building had impacted school events.

“School is canceled for the rest of the day and students will be dismissed using a tiered system,” the school said.

In a 11:16 a.m. Facebook post, the school confirmed that all students had been dismissed.

According to the school, Monday morning’s fire alarm took place during “School Emergency Preparedness Week.”

No further details surrounding the circumstances of the incident were released. Glenbrook South High School did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago’s request for comment.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Warner Robins, GA – Sprinkler system activated for overnight arson fire at high school

Authorities are investigating vandalism after a suspect broke into Warner Robins High School and started a small fire.

According to the Houston School District, Warner Robins Hih School Principal Chris McCook notified parents of the incident by phone and email and said it happened overnight.

He said at around 12:30 a.m. a person broke into the school and started a small fire in the multi-purpose room, immediately setting off the overhead sprinkler system and alerting the fire department.

McCook told parents the fire was contained, did minimal damage to the building and thanked fire crews for promptly responding.

“I am grateful to the fire department for their quick response and our maintenance staff who worked during the night to make sure the school was ready for students to arrive this morning,” said McCook. “Law enforcement has also been on campus to gather evidence necessary to find the individual responsible.”

WGXA has reached out to the Warner Robins Police Department and has yet to hear back.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Salisbury, MD – Sprinkler system activated for accidental fire at middle school

Salisbury Fire officials were called to Wicomico Middle School early Saturday morning for an automatic fire alarm. Officials say there was a smoke alarm that was activated and a sprinkler system which activated as well.

State Fire Marshal investigation found the fire was accidental and began in a janitorial closet after the spontaneous combustion of rags used for cleaning.

Damage was estimated at about $2000.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Lexington, VA – Sprinkler system activated for overnight fire on university campus

Sprinkler System Kept Nighttime Fire From Growing

A nighttime electrical fire in an academic building on Washington and Lee University’s campus last week was quickly contained by the building’s fire suppression system, and extinguished by the Lexington Fire Department.

“At approximately 1:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, a small electrical fire occurred in a third-floor bathroom in Reid Hall, which was unoccupied at the time,” said Drewry Sackett, university spokesperson.

Reid Hall is home to the university’s journalism and mass communication departments.

“The sprinkler system was activated, the fire department responded, and the fire was extinguished quickly,” she told The News-Gazette.

Dispatched around 1:15 a.m., Lexington fire crews put out the fire and turned off the sprinkler system to limit water damage to the building.

The fire was declared under control at 2:05 a.m., though firefighters remained on the scene until 3:40 a.m. to monitor and help control water damage.

Lexington Fire Chief Ty Dickerson said that the building’s fire suppression system prevented what could have been significant damage to the building.

“It is very fortunate that the building had a fire sprinkler system. That single fire sprinkler head was activated by the heat from the fire in the light fixture and was contained prior to the fire department’s arrival,” he said.

“The fire alarm connected to the fire sprinkler system activated and notified a monitoring company who notified our regional 911 center who dispatched the Lexington Fire Department,” said Dickerson.

“Without that fire sprinkler and alarm system, a fire in an unoccupied building in the middle of the night could have grown very large before being noticed,” he said.

Sackett said that the building was reopened in time to welcome students back from spring break.

“The building sustained water damage and was closed briefly for repairs,” she said.

“It reopened over the weekend, in time for Monday morning classes, and is fully operational at this time, except for the third-floor bathroom where the fire originated.”

College/University (on campus), School / University

Portland, ME – Sprinkler system activated for fire at community college

A fire broke out early Friday morning at Southern Maine Community College, but the South Portland Fire Department says a sprinkler system prevented major damage.

Fire crews responded to SMCC just after midnight following an alert from the campus fire alarm system.

They found the college’s automatic sprinkler system had activated, containing the flames in the SeaWolves Café, the department posted on Facebook. The fire did not extend beyond the initially ignited contents.

Without the automatic activation of the sprinklers, South Portland Fire Chief Phil Selberg said damage to the building could have been substantial.

“This fire occurred in the middle of the night when no one was in the building to discover it,” he said in a statement. “The sprinkler system worked as it was designed and saved the Campus Center.”

Due to the location of the campus, the Cape Elizabeth Fire Department automatically responded. The cause of the fire was found to be accidental, but more details were not released.

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential, School / University

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire on university campus

The Madison Fire Department reported an automatic sprinkler prevented further damage to a building on UW-Madison’s campus overnight.

Spokesperson Cynthia Schuster said firefighters were dispatched to 30 East Campus Mall at 12:33 a.m. for a fire alarm activation. Schuster said no one was around to report the fire to 911.

Upon arrival, firefighters were met by members of the UW-Madison Police Department and UW Security.

The crew entered the building and noticed an odor of smoke. The odor was followed to a wood workshop, where the crew found the room full of smoke and an automatic fire sprinkler activated.

Beneath the active sprinkler was a burned-up garbage can and its contents on the floor. Just one sprinkler head activated, but it extinguished the fire and prevented the fire from spreading, according to Schuster.

Damage from the fire is estimated at about $2,000. Damage was contained to some paint cans, a portable electric sander, cabinets and other items.

Firefighters moved the burned items outside, ventilated the area, and turned off the fire sprinkler system.

With the sprinkler systems temporarily shut down, UW Security provided fire watch until a responsible party returned to the building.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Sooke, BC, Canada – Fire at middle school extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Classes resumed Wednesday (Dec. 13) despite a small fire Tuesday evening at Journey Middle School.

The Sooke Fire Rescue was called out for a fire in a utility room during the evening band concert. All students, staff and community members were safely evacuated from the building when the fire alarm sounded and no one was injured, School District 62 said in a news release.

The fire was extinguished by the school’s sprinkler system. Staff and firefighters worked together to clean up the water from the sprinkler system and the systems were reset.

“Thank you to everyone involved in safely evacuating the school,” the statement reads. “We would also like to extend our gratitude to the Sooke Fire Department and the SD62 staff who worked well into the night to ensure the school could open this morning.”

Other - School / University, School / University

Suffield, CT – Sprinkler system activated for electrical fire at academy

A private school in Suffield was evacuated because of what a small fire that triggered its sprinkler system.

Emergency crews were called for an electrical fire at the Suffield Academy on North Main Street on Tuesday morning.

It was caused by a faulty power strip, school officials said.

Chief Financial Officer Patrick Booth told Channel 3 that it was minor and that everyone was evacuated and safe.

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