Category Archives: School / University

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

College/University (on campus), School / University

Tyler, TX – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in controlling fire at UT-Tyler dining hall

A small fire broke out in the kitchen area of the MET dining hall at the University of Texas at Tyler’s University Center Monday afternoon. A UT Tyler official said the fire triggered the sprinkler system only in the kitchen area.   Tyler fire units responded, but the fire was quickly brought under the control and most units were turned back.  The extent of the damage is unknown at this time, and the MET dining hall kitchen will be closed until the damage is cleaned and the health department has inspected the area.  No injuries were reported.

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

Athens, GA – Fire in University of Georgia residence hall controlled with help from sprinkler system

UPDATE: University Housing sent a letter to Brumby Hall residents this morning at 8:42 a.m. with a report of the evacuation. The letter said the fire alarms went off due to “a fire in the trash room of Brumby Hall,” causing the sprinkler system to activate. The letter also said no dorms were damaged with smoke or water. No one was injured as a result of the fire, “thanks to the cooperation of residents and the action of housing staff and emergency personnel.”  “Security of residents is our utmost priority,” the email said. “Therefore residents are required to evacuate the building anytime the alarm sounds.”

ORIGINAL: At approximately 7 p.m. Monday night, the fire alarm in Brumby Residence Hall at the University of Georgia sounded. Students were stranded outside for over three hours after two additional fire alarms were sounded following the initial alarm. When students were evacuating once the alarm was sounded, a resident assistant was heard notifying students departing from the emergency exits, “No, it’s not a false alarm.”

Payton Eason, a freshman psychology major from Villa Rica and resident at Brumby, was worried after hearing that the fire alarms were not false. “I thought this was going to be just another false alarm that we have almost weekly at Brumby. Turns out, there’s actually smoke, and the hall is literally on fire. Now, we’ve been here for more than two hours, sitting out here stranded,” Eason said.

Eason explained she was working on homework when the alarm sounded. “I have lots of homework due tonight at 10 p.m…Unfortunately, all my books, notes, and Macbook are up in the dorm so I guess I’m just stuck here until it’s all clear,” Eason said.  By 8:45 p.m., the alarm was off, but students were still stranded outside waiting for the all-clear from authorities to reenter the building.  Taylor Johnson, a freshman biology major from Columbus, heard prior to being cleared to return to the residence halls that the first floor was flooded from trying to extinguish the fire.

“My friend received a message and said that someone threw something in the trash chute that caught fire. It caused the sprinklers to go off and now the first floor is flooded,” Johnson said. As of 10 p.m., students were still not allowed to reenter the residence hall. By around 10:50 p.m., students began making their way back to their dorms in Brumby.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Hebron, OH – Sprinkler system helps extinguish fire in high school science lab; no injuries

A fire caused by a science experiment prompted Lakewood High School to release students early Tuesday, according to district officials.

District Superintendent Mary Kay Andrews said all students and faculty were unharmed in the incident and everyone did a great job of evacuating the building.”

“Everything was calm,” she said.

Students were released at about noon on Tuesday. Andrews said school will be in session Wednesday.

The district staff was in the process of assessing the damage Tuesday afternoon. Andrews said the fire didn’t cause much damage. However, there was water damage from the sprinkler system going off in the science lab and a few other classrooms.

Andrews said the school had not yet determined if the science lab would have to close for repairs.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Salt Lake City, UT – Fire at University of Utah biology building extinguished by sprinkler system

A small fire ignited Saturday morning in the University of Utah’s biology building. The fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system before crews from the Salt Lake City Fire Department arrived on the scene. The cause of the fire was not yet known as of late Saturday morning, but an investigator was expected to examine the scene later in the day.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Marriottsville, MD – Morning arson fire at high school extinguished by sprinkler system

Students, faculty and staff at Marriotts Ridge High School were dismissed early Friday morning after a paper towel holder was set on fire and triggered the building’s sprinkler system. Howard schools spokesman John White said the fire was caused by a student and that disciplinary actions will follow, using the school system’s Student Code of Conduct. On Monday, Howard police charged the 16-year-old juvenile, of Ellicott City, with arson, malicious burning and disturbing activities at school.  There was little damage by the fire and no one was injured. Students were allowed to return to the school Friday afternoon to retrieve their belongings.

Everyone at the high school was safely evacuated to nearby Mount View Middle School this morning, as Howard County Fire and Rescue arrived. Classes were dismissed for the day at 10:15 a.m. since smoke was throughout the building, White said. Kristy Gaigalas, a spokeswoman for the fire department, said officials received the call around 7:15 a.m. and found the fire was extinguished by the sprinklers. White said students who drove to school were immediately dismissed, while parents picked up other students at the middle school.  Marriotts Ridge senior Anthony Ellis said he smelled the smoke, which was coming from the men’s bathroom near the art room on the first floor.  “There really wasn’t much of a fire, just smoke,” Ellis said. “We all had to evacuate before school even began.”

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Kiln, MS – Sprinkler system keeps fire from spreading at middle school; Classes canceled two days

Hancock Middle School will resume class as normal Wednesday morning, Assistant Superintendent Donnie Gholston said. School officials had canceled classes because a fire Monday morning set off sprinklers and flooded classrooms.  Maintenance company ServPro and the school’s custodial staff worked Monday and Tuesday to mop up the water and sanitize the school.  Hancock County Emergency Management Director Brian Adam, who is the county’s fire marshal, is leading the investigation into the origin of the fire.

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, College/University (on campus), Residential

Kelowna, BC, Canada – Overnight fire at university apartment complex doused by sprinkler system

An apartment building at UBCO was evacuated early Monday as the result of a fire. The fire was reported at around 12 a.m. in a unit at Discovery Avenue at UBCO.  “First in Engine reported smoke and sprinkler activation in a second floor unit at this location,” Platoon Captain Kelly Stephens said.  He said the cause of the fire was bedding and a mattress placed against a baseboard heater, and added that fire sprinklers had doused the fire before it could spread.  The lone occupant of the unit managed to escape unharmed.  Water damage was contained to the second floor unit and six units below.  All affected students have been allowed to return to their units.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Bessemer, AL – Fire at high school caused by overloaded electrical cords is put out by sprinkler system

Bessemer fire officials say they responded to a small fire at Bessemer City High School Monday night.  Fire officials say they believe some electrical cords powering a fridge and a copier caught fire, triggering the sprinklers to go off.  Thankfully, the sprinkler system put out the fire.  They say the fire isn’t serious but residents may notice some crews on scene as they clean up the water and smoke damage.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Dillingham, AK – Sprinkler system credited with containing fire at University of Alaska-Fairbanks

An early morning alarm called Dillingham’s Volunteer Fire Department to the UAF Bristol Bay Applied Sciences Building Thursday. The building, across the street from the main campus, is known by most as the Old Napa Building.  Fire Chief Norman Heyano credited the sprinkler system with containing the fire, which crews helped extinguish. He said there was light water and smoke damage.  The fire appeared to have been caused by one of two boilers in a utility room. Volunteer firefighters were off the scene a little past 6:00 a.m. Maintenance crews were working to repair damage later in the day, and campus staff appeared to be back to work as usual Thursday.