Category Archives: School / University

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

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Tyler, TX – Sprinkler system helped contain fire in high school science room

The Tyler Fire Department brought a fire in a science room at John Tyler High School under control about 6 p.m. Wednesday, District Chief Cordell Parker said.

The fire department received a general fire alarm about 5:30 p.m. The first fire unit on the scene reported smoke, prompting a regular fire alarm and additional units from the fire department responded, including three fire engines and a ladder truck.

The sprinkler system was activated and helped contain the fire in the science room, Parker said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, College/University (on campus)

Lewiston, ID – Laundry fire at on-campus college activity center put out by single sprinkler

A fire at Lewis-Clark State College late last night caused an estimated $25,000 in damage. According to a press release, Lewiston Fire crews were dispatched to a reported water flow alarm at the Activity Center at 11:40 p.m.  Once on scene, crews were advised by LCSC security personnel that an alarm was sounding in the activity center. Initial crews began a search and found smoke in the basement.

“The basement had several areas near the locker room with water on the floor. After searching several rooms, it was discovered that there had been a fire in a dryer in the laundry room, and the sprinkler system had a single head that had activated and extinguished the fire,” the press release states.

Fire crews remained on scene for another hour to assist with getting the sprinkler system shut down, evacuating the smoke, and to confirm there was no extension of the fire. The cause of the fire appears to be a malfunction with the commercial dryer in the laundry room. The department responded with three structural engines, one ambulance, one truck, one service unit, and one chief officer, totaling 13 personnel. There were no citizen or firefighter injuries to report.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Williamsburg, VA – Sprinkler system activates to help control fire at College of William & Mary law school

The law school at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg was evacuated shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday because of a fire, according to the college. A small fire triggered the sprinkler system in a room on the second floor, Williamsburg fire chief Pat Dent told the Daily Press of Newport News.  That floor houses faculty offices.  The law school is expected to remain closed until 1:30 p.m.  No injuries have been reported.

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

Greencastle, IN – Early morning fire at DePauw University residence hall extinguish by sprinkler system; No injuries

No students were injured in a small early-morning Tuesday fire at a DePauw University residence hall.  At 3:12 a.m., the Greencastle Fire Department was dispatched to Mason Hall at 402 E. Anderson St. on the report of a fire alarm.

Fire crews arrived two minutes later and began a search of the building. They discovered light smoke in Room 310, with the sprinkler system having already extinguished a small fire.

Greencastle Fire Chief John Burgess reported the fire appears to have originated from a piece of electrical equipment, but the case remains under investigation. The fire and sprinkler activation were contained to a single room, with an estimated $20,000 in damage occurring due to water.

Burgess reported no structural damage, noting that the sprinkler system performed its function of containing and extinguishing the fire. “Everything worked like it should,” he said.

The alarm led to the evacuation of the building. In an early morning email to faculty and staff, university president Mark McCoy reported that many students went to the Memorial Student Union Building or other campus structures.

McCoy further stated that a total of 140 students are housed in Mason but many had already left campus for Thanksgiving.

“As a campus, let’s give thanks for the fact that everyone is safe,” McCoy wrote to the staff, “and that is in large part to the great work of the Greencastle Fire Department, campus police and our caring and capable student life staff.”

Firefighters remained on the scene until 6:14 a.m. The building was reopened to students later Tuesday morning.

Mason Hall is a four-story structure situated on the Ubben Quad of the DePauw campus.

While false alarms are common in DePauw structures, longtime members of the campus community know they are not something to be taken lightly.

In April 2002 Rector Hall, which had been adjacent to Mason Hall, was destroyed by fire.

Although all students escaped safely, a pair of firefighters were injured in the large blaze that required 12 departments to combat.

The Rector Hall fire was caused by an electrical problem.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Hopkinton, MA – Suspicious fire in school faculty bathroom extinguished by sprinkler system

State and local authorities are investigating a suspicious bathroom fire at Hopkins School on Monday that forced the school’s evacuation. The fire, located in a second floor faculty bathroom, was extinguished by the school’s sprinkler system, Deputy Fire Chief Bill Miller said on Tuesday.

The Hayden Rowe Street school was evacuated after the sprinkler system activated the fire alarm at 9:09 a.m. Miller said the fire caused minor damage, but there was water damage in the bathroom.

“They discovered a suspicious fire in the second floor bathroom,” Miller said. Miller would not discuss details of the fire, citing the open investigation. According to the Hopkinton Police log, an arson investigator from the state’s Fire Marshal’s Office came to the scene to help investigate.

Miller said school resumed about an hour after the fire and no one was injured. “The school did a phenomenal job of evacuating the students and following all plans and procedures,” Miller said.  Police spokesman Lt. Joseph Bennett said police are continuing to investigate the fire. Bennett would not release much information, citing the fire is still under investigation. Although the bathroom is a faculty bathroom, it was also open to student use.

Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal’s Office, said the cause of the fire has not been determined, but it appears to be intentionally set.

She said school fires are not uncommon. In 2015 there were 149 school fires. The majority of which were cooking related, but many were also set fires.

“Most of them were small,” said Mieth. “Although all fires start small.”

Hopkinton Public School Superintendent Cathy MacLeod said school administrators spent the day going from classroom to classroom explaining what occurred. She said the goal was to both make the students comfortable at the school, as well as to prevent the spread of rumors

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Louisville, KY – Fire at middle school put out by sprinkler system; Fire started in tablet charging station

The de Paul School students have a longer weekend thanks to an overnight fire.  The fire broke out around 7:00 PM Sunday night on a cart that charges tablets.   According to Tony Kemper, head of school, no one was on campus during the fire and only the cart was damaged.   The school’s sprinkler system put out the fire, but water from the sprinklers seeped from the third to first floor.

Class was canceled Monday as a restoration company helped with water cleanup. “There’s no structural damage, just a bit of restoration work they need to get done,” said Kemper.

The de Paul School will be closed Tuesday as cleanup continues. Students should return to class Wednesday.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Grand Junction, CO – Sprinkler system puts out fire started during middle school basketball game

Spectators and participants in a basketball game at Bookcliff Middle School were evacuated Tuesday night after a fire started in one of the school’s bathrooms, the Grand Junction Fire Department said.

Fire officials said the school’s sprinkler system put the fire out and there was no active fire when crews arrived on scene.

GJFD said there was minimal damage. Classes took place as usual on Wednesday.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Champaign, IL – Sprinkler system activates to help control parking garage fire at University of Illinois

At around 3 p.m. on Friday, firefighters were called to Presby Hall after an automatic fire alarm went off. With smoke exiting the parking garage, firefighters sprayed water on the building in conjunction with the sprinkler system going off.

The fire appeared to be caused by a malfunction with a cooking unit, said Roger Cruz, captain of the Champaign Fire department.
Several students claim that brisket grilled in the garage sparked the malfunction. Because of the enclosed space, subsequent smoke led to the fire. That speculation, however, has not been confirmed by the authorities.

Other students speculate a gas leak as the source. They claimed to see gas when entering the parking garage, where they too saw the cooking unit on fire.

Fire-related emergencies are not new to Presby Hall. Hannah Thompson, freshman in Engineering, said the fire alarm has gone off almost weekly at Presby. She claims this is the eleventh time that has happened this year.

“It’s gotten really inconvenient but it’s okay,” said Thompson. “It’s something exciting every week.”  The quick response time to these types of emergencies reassures her.
“I suppose it’s good that the fire alarms are so sensitive and the fire trucks are always here relatively quickly,” said Thompson.

“Thankfully no one’s hurt,” said Luke Peterson, freshman in DGS.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

New London, CT – Evening fire at elementary school confined to one classroom by sprinkler system

A fire at the Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School has been knocked down, according to New London Fire Chief Henry Kydd Jr. The fire, which began about 9 p.m. Friday evening, caused the sprinkler system to go off and was confined to one classroom, the chief said. There were no injuries reported.

Two custodians, who heard the fire alarm go off and evacuated, said they were the only people in the school at the time. Superintendent Manuel J. Rivera, at the scene, said school officials will need to assess the scene when firefighters finish their work to see how it will impact operations. However, with the long weekend, he said they are optimistic that building staff will be able to get the school in shape for the return of students on Tuesday. No further information was available.

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

Santa Barbara, CA – Residence hall fire controlled with help from sprinkler system

Around 200 Westmont students were displaced Monday when a fire broke out inside a storage closet at one of the college’s dorms, leaving a student with burns to his feet, according to school officials.

Firefighters responded to Page Hall at 955 La Paz in Montecito early Monday evening to reports of the fire and found heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the three-story building.

The Montecito Fire Department says a second-alarm response was then requested due to the number of people in the building that could be in harms way.

The students were evacuated and the fire controlled, with the help of a fire sprinkler system, by 6:15 p.m. The injured student was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

School officials say power was out at the dorm and students were being set up with alternative housing for the night. Some reportedly stayed on cots in Murchison Gym and others stayed at the homes of faculty and staff.

No student rooms were damaged by the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  Westmont’s fall semester began August 29.