Category Archives: Other – School / University

Other - School / University, School / University

Westmont, IL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at school bus depot

A bus depot caught fire in Westmont after a worker used a torch that accidentally ignited a seat on a school bus Wednesday. Firefighters rushed to First Student Bus Company at 250 W. 63rd St. after a resident reported seeing heavy smoke coming from the building just before 3 p.m.

When fire crews arrived, the building’s alarm and sprinkler systems had been activated. Officials say everyone had been evacuated safely, but one person suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

More than two dozen firefighters battled the blaze, with crews coming in from Downers Grove, Tri-State, and Clarendon Hills to assist the Westmont Fire Department.

The building and bus sustained a total of $150,000 in damage and the building was declared uninhabitable because of extensive smoke and water damage.

Other - School / University, School / University

Lewisville, TX – Fire in sawdust collector at career center is suppressed by sprinkler system

The Dale Jackson Career Center in Lewisville on Edmonds Lane was evacuated Wednesday after a fire broke out in a sawdust collection system on the south side of the building.  Students and staff were all evacuated safely, according to a parent email sent out by Randall Holder, the principal of the campus.  Assistant fire chief Mark McNeal said the fire triggered a sprinkler system that muted its effect.  Units from Lewisville and Flower Mound fire departments fought the blaze.

Update -12:10 p.m.: Principal Randall Holder sent the following parent notice:

Dear Dale Jackson Parents,

We wanted to follow up with you about the situation at Dale Jackson Career Center.

Please know all of our students and staff safely evacuated the building this morning due to a fire at the back of the campus. All students are back at their home campuses and Dale Jackson classes have been canceled for the remainder of the day

Currently, we are waiting on the fire department to deem the building safe for students and staff to retrieve their vehicles and belongings. We will notify you as soon as this happens.

We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Thank you,
Randall Holder
Principal

Update 2 p.m.: Holder sent another update:

We wanted to share the following update with you.

At this time, students will not be allowed back in the building for the remainder of the day, but they may pick up their vehicles if they are able to.

All classes will resume a normal schedule tomorrow, however, the Mill and Cabinetmaking class will be moved to a different classroom in the building.

If it is an absolute emergency and a student must retrieve their belongings from inside DJCC today, the building will remain open until 6 p.m. However, students are encouraged to email their DJCC teacher to make these arrangements. Law enforcement will be present on campus throughout the night to ensure the security of the building.

We are proud of the way our students and staff handled this disruption to their school day, and we are extremely grateful our first responders arrived so quickly.

Please know the safety and security of our students and staff are my top priority here at Dale Jackson.

Thank you for your patience and continued support of our campus.

Randall Holder
Principal​​​​​​​

Update 4:34 p.m.:  The fire started when the woodworking class’ tablesaw kicked up embers, which fell into the sawdust collection tanks and turned into a full-on blaze. The class used their fire extinguisher on the tablesaw, but could not reach into the tanks.

McNeal said firefighting crews were nervous that opening the tanks would cause a dust explosion, so they opened vents into the sawdust system to allow smoke to dissipate. This is what lead to such a drawn-out, visible fight. McNeal said nobody was hurt.

Other - School / University

Downington, PA – Fire at STEM Academy contained to science lab with help from sprinkler system

Downingtown STEM Academy reopened last Tuesday after a Monday night fire closed the building down on Monday.  The incident occurred Monday night at some point before 9 p.m., authorities said.  More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene of the blaze, which was described as “small.” The fire was contained to the fume hood in the science prep room, according to Superintendent Emilie M. Lonardi.  There was no fire or smoke damage done to the school, officials added. Six computers were damaged by water from the sprinkler system, and two engineering rooms of the basement floor suffered some water damage.  Staff cleaned up the water on Sunday night. A hired restoration crew of 52 technicians spent the next 24 hours working to make the school ready for classes on Tuesday.  No injuries were reported in the incident.

Other - School / University, School / University

San Antonio, TX – Fire at school bus garage put out with help from sprinkler system

An early morning fire damaged a Northeast ISD bus barn on Monday.  The fire broke out around 4:30 a.m. and at one point, 25 fire units were called out to the location at the NEISD North Transportation Terminal.  Fire crews say the fire started in a desk drawer within a building at the terminal. The fire was put out quickly with the help of the building’s sprinkler system. No one was injured in the fire.  Fire officials say the fire did about $5,000 worth of damage.  None of the buses were damaged in the fire and routes were expected to proceed as normal Monday morning.

Other - School / University, School / University

Henrico, VA – Overnight fire at public school learning center is put out with help from sprinkler system

A fire at the New Bridge Learning Center will keep the Henrico Public Schools facility closed on Friday after a fire early Thursday. A Henrico fire official says the blaze in the 5900 block of East Nine Mile Road started just after 4 a.m. on the second floor of the facility. It was extinguished with the help of an automated sprinkler system.   During the search of the building, fire crews also discovered a burst water pipe. The fire, which remains under investigation, was brought under control in about an hour. No injuries were reported.  Henrico school officials say all pre-school and Elementary Intervention classes at New Bridge Learning Center will be cancelled for Friday and they expect the center to re-open for students and staff on Tuesday, January 17, 2017.  Spokesman Andy Jenks also said the School Board work session originally scheduled in the New Bridge Auditorium will take place at the Henrico Western Government Center at Parham and Hungary Springs roads at 1:30 p.m.

Apartment Building, Other - School / University, Residential

Greeley, CO – Off-campus apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries

Four students were displaced from their homes Tuesday after a fire in one apartment touched off the sprinklers at the Arlington Park Apartments. Greeley firefighters were called around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday to a fire at the Arlington Park Apartments, Building No. 3, 2315 9th Ave.

Firefighters arrived to heavy smoke showing. The fire was contained to one apartment and was put out by the building’s sprinkler system. But students living in two rooms would be displaced because of smoke and water damage, said University of Northern Colorado spokesman Nate Haas.

Students were evacuated and there were no injuries, reported Greeley Firefighter Battalion Chief Rick Hinchcliffe.  Firefighters were clearing the building as of 8:30 p.m., and the fire was out minutes later. Custodians were called in to clear the water.

The immediate damage was contained to the apartment with a fire, with water damage to the apartment immediately below, Hinchcliffe said.  Haas said university residence officials were working Tuesday to find temporary housing for the students in the college’s residence halls.

Hinchcliffe said three fire trucks, one ladder truck and one heavy rescue truck responded, with a total of 15 firefighters on scene. There is no word yet on a cause or a damage estimate.

Apartment Building, Other - School / University, Residential

State College, PA – Late night fire at off-campus student apartments halted by sprinkler system

Some local college students narrowly avoided a disaster when their apartment building almost went up in flames.  A blaze broke out just after 11:30 Wednesday night in building Q at the Lion’s crossing apartments on Viaro Boulevard in State College.

Officials tell us a resident was heating oil on the stove when it caught fire and he then tried to extinguish it by throwing water on it. Crews are crediting the sprinkler system for activating and stopping the fire from spreading.

Shawn Kauffman, Assistant Alpha Fire Company Chief said, “In these types of residential buildings, the apartments are occupied by students and if there hadn’t been sprinklers it would have devastated their finals week.”

All residents were evacuated while the crews were on scene and they were allowed to return about 40 minutes after the fire broke out.

Other - School / University, School / University

Sprinkler system activates in off-campus apartment building fire (East Lansing, MI)

No one was hurt but a dozen apartment units were damaged by the fire Sunday evening at the Landings at Chandler Crossings apartment complex, located off campus from Michigan State University.  East Lansing Fire Marshal Gerald Rodabaugh said the fire remains under investigation.  An alarm system in the building was triggered and caused occupants to flee the building. Firefighters evacuated others. A sprinkler system in the building also was activated, officials said.  No one was injured.

Other - School / University, School / University

Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at Montessori School (Fremont, CA)

Students and staff at a Fremont Montessori school were unharmed after an oven caught fire Thursday afternoon, fire officials said. Arriving crews learned that the fire was already extinguished by the sprinkler system installed above the oven and that the 60 students and staff fled the school safely, according to Fremont Fire Department spokesman Daniel Cardenas. The fire was contained to the oven. “The damage was very minimal,” Cardenas said. “Thanks to the sprinkler system and audible fire alarm, all occupants were able to evacuate in a timely manner having no injuries reported,” Cardenas added.

Other - School / University, School / University

Sprinklers make the difference in arson fire at learning center (Las Vegas, NV)

Justice was served regarding the fire that was intentionally set on April 15 at a learning center for children with autism. The person responsible for setting the fire with gasoline and Molotov cocktails was sentenced on Friday, November 1. Authorities say that the fire could have been much more catastrophic had it not been for the building’s fire sprinkler system, which helped eliminate the blaze. No injuries were reported in the fire.