Category Archives: School / University

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

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.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Westerly, RI – Closet fire at high school extinguished with help from sprinkler system

A small fire that started in the closet of a technology room at Westerly High School Tuesday was caused by an electrical malfunction in a piece of audio-visual equipment being stored in the closet.

Westerly Fire Chief John Mackay said Wednesday that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire, adding that the school’s sprinkler system worked effectively and aided firefighters in quickly containing and extinguishing the small closet fire. The fire never spread outside the closet, officials said, and no injuries were reported.

Westerly firefighters and police were dispatched to the high school just after 3:15 p.m. Tuesday with reports of a box alarm sounding. They arrived to find black smoke coming from a closet in the tech room closest to the gymnasium foyer. Mackay said the sprinkler system had already doused most of the flames by the time firefighters arrived.

Classes were back in session on Wednesday.

Apartment Building, Residential, School / University

Lynchburg, VA – Fire at off-campus apartment complex at Liberty University put out by sprinkler system

A small grease fire interrupted move-in day for local college students Saturday afternoon. Multiple fire and public safety crews responded to The Oasis, a student-only apartment complex off Candlers Mountain Road, about 4:30 p.m. The apartment complex is less than a mile from Liberty University’s main campus.

Crews responding included Lynchburg Fire Department, Lyn-Dan Heights Volunteer Fire Department, Rustburg Volunteer Fire Department and Campbell County Public Safety. Lynchburg Battalion Chief Mike Reeves said Lynchburg was called in to assist Campbell County.

Reeves said the fire started on the fourth floor of the building. The sprinkler system was able to put out the fire, but Reeves said apartments directly below had heavy water damage. Firefighters worked to clean the apartments with brooms and squeegees as students were forced to wait outside with their belongings. Some students didn’t wait for the scene to clear and continued moving into their apartments.

Campbell County Fire Marshal Randall Johnson said a private contractor was called in to clean.  An apartment complex manager did not provide an exact number of students displaced but said most affected students were staying with friends in the same complex.  Liberty University officials could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Bradenton, FL – Generator fire at high school contained to room of origin by sprinkler system

No injuries were reported Friday during a fire in a generator at Braden River High School, according to the East Manatee Fire Rescue.

“It was contained to the room of origin,” said East Manatee Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stacey Bailey. “The fire sprinkler put out the fire, so it did exactly what it’s supposed to do.”

About 20 firefighters were dispatched at 4:41 p.m. to the school located at 6545 State Road 70 E., Bradenton. Bailey said the fire took place in an electrical room that is part of the main school building.

“There were no students present,” Bailey said. “The staff did an outstanding job. The high school staff did exactly what they were supposed to do. They followed their emergency protocols.”

There was extensive water damage as a result of the fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to fire officials.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Cumming, GA – Arson fire at high school extinguished by sprinkler system

Two Forsyth County Schools had three fires recently.  In the first fire, an apparent arsonist reportedly set a roll of toilet paper on fire Aug. 12 in the boy’s bathroom at North Forsyth High School.  The sprinkler system extinguished the fire before deputies arrived.  The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office reported deputies first thought it was an electrical fire, but it was “quickly determined to be arson.”  Authorities could not give other details as the case remains under investigation.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Graves County, KY – Sprinklers help put out fire at middle school caused by malfunctioning soda machine

The need for caffeine at Graves County Middle School caused quite a commotion overnight.

According to the school district, a soda machine the food lab malfunctioned and created a small fire.

That fire set off sprinklers and alarms in the school.

Superintendent Kim Dublin said, “Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. Quite a bit of water went into a couple of classrooms; but the damage was mostly contained to the food lab.”

Crews spent Tuesday morning cleaning up the mess left behind.

According to Dublin, seventh grade orientation will still take place at the school tonight.

Opening day activities for faculty and staff will still go on as planned on Wednesday.

Classes begin on Thursday.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Lakeville, MN – Overnight fire at middle school contained by sprinkler system

Firefighters are trying to figure out exactly where and how an early morning fire started at a Lakeville school.

A captain with the Lakeville Fire Department says the alarms at Kenwood Trail Middle School went off about 2 a.m. Wednesday.

Fire officials say it appears the fire started on the roof.

The sprinkler system put most of the fire out by the time firefighters arrived.

The sprinklers caused water damage on the first and second floors of the school.

In a letter to parents, the school district says the school custodial crew is working to repair the water damage in a couple of classrooms, the media center, AV room and a stairwell.

School officials say it won’t affect the start of classes for the upcoming school year.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

London, ON, Canada – Possible arson fire at school activates fire sprinkler system

London police and fire inspectors are investigating a case of arson at a northwest London elementary school Tuesday morning.  Firefighters were called to Wilfrid Jury Public School at 950 Lawson Road at around 5:06 a.m. after alarm bells sounded.

Upon arrival, smoke was visible inside the building and sprinklers were activated. Fire officials say there was a broken window at the back of the building, along with signs of forced entry inside. There was fire set inside a classroom, which was extinguished by the sprinkler system.

An early estimate pegs the damage at around $20,000.  There are currently no suspects in custody, or suspect descriptions at this time. The Thames Valley District School Board says all summer programs and childcare will be open, with some classroom adjustments.