Category Archives: School / University

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

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

Champaign, IL – Sprinklers control fire in campus high-rise apartment building

Nobody was hurt in an apartment fire Sunday night at a campus high-rise.  Champaign Fire Marshal John Koller said firefighters were called to a blaze at the Tower at Third, 302 E. John St. at 9:22 p.m.

By the time firefighters arrived, the sprinkler system was already controlling the fire, which was limited to a single apartment on the third floor. However, smoke had spread throughout the floor. There was moderate smoke in the apartment and light smoke on the rest of the floor.

The residents were evacuated to the lobby on the first floor while firefighters tackled the blaze.  A resident of the apartment told firefighters he had had some problems with a refrigerator in the apartment, but it was too soon to determine a cause on Sunday night. 

Koller said investigators would be looking into the cause late Sunday night and early Monday morning.  Koller said the fire was under control by 9:40 p.m.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Tewksbury, MA – Sprinklers control overnight fire at pre-school building

A two-alarm fire broke out at a local pre-school late Friday night, leaving the building closed Monday. The fire happened at Knowledge Beginnings at 200 Old Main St., according to Fire Chief Michael Hazel. The building was not occupied at the time.

The blaze, which started in a second floor bathroom, was likely caused by an electrical problem, Hazel said. The fire then spread into the attic above that bathroom, and was contained by the activated sprinkler system. Fire crews then arrived on scene and extinguished the blaze.

The Billerica Fire Department assisted at the scene, and the Wilmington and Andover departments helped to provide station coverage. Power was shut down to the whole building over the weekend as a precaution and the school was closed Monday.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Tempe, AZ – Sprinklers extinguish arson fire in high school bathroom

A juvenile was arrested after an arson investigation at Marcos de Niza High School revealed that he started a fire in the men’s restroom of the 400 building, police reported. The building houses the school’s driver education department and residence of an on-site officer, police reported.

Tempe Police and the fire department responded to the fire alarm that went off at the school and when they arrived the saw that the fire sprinklers and suppression system in the bathroom extinguished the fire, police reported.

The video surveillance of that area was reviewed and a camera outside the bathroom recorded the boy walking out of the restroom prior to smoke being seen, police reported. When he was read his Miranda rights and question he admitted to starting the fire with a lighter he found, saying he didn’t believe it would cause much damage and it would burn itself out, police reported.

Because of the fire classrooms were evacuated and the school was reportedly disrupted, according to the report. Additionally, the security officer was in his residence when the fire started, causing him to be endangered as well, police reported. He was transported to Tempe City Jail, where he was booked and held to see a judge, according to the report.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Beaumont, TX – Fire at elementary school put out by single sprinkler

A small fire was put out by the sprinkler system at the Fletcher Elementary campus Friday morning. The fire was reported around 6 a.m. at the campus located at 1055 Ave. F after a custodian found smoke in the building and water from a sprinkler.

Beaumont Fire Rescue Captain Brad Penisson told 12News the fire was out before firefighters arrived. It appears an extension cord overheated and caught a cardboard box on fire in one of the offices. The fire activated a sprinkler head which put out the fire.

The fire was contained to the office, but there is smoke throughout the building and water in a large area. Teachers are telling parents who arrive with students that there will be no classes today at Fletcher.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Des Moines, IA – Single sprinkler extinguishes overnight fire at East High School

Firefighters responding to East High School in Des Moines found a single fire sprinkler had extinguished a fire inside the school. Crews were called to 815 East 13th Street just before midnight on Monday. They found a pressure washer consumed by fire, but the fire did not spread. Crews said the fire sprinkler was set off when temperatures of about 155 degrees were reached. No injuries were reported. Damage is believed to be limited to around $1,000.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Colleyville, TX – Fire at elementary school extinguished by sprinkler system

The Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School district has determined that classes will be canceled at a Colleyville school Friday after a small fire. District officials tell NBC 5 the fire was contained to a classroom in the second grade wing of Bransford Elementary School in the 600 Block of Glade Road in Colleyville.

The school will be closed Friday so crews can continue to clean and assess the damage. The sprinkler system prevented the fire from spreading and extinguished it, according to Heather Willden with the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Oswego, IL – Sprinkler system controls fire caused by high school science experiment

The Oswego Fire Protection District was called to Oswego East High School on a waterflow alarm this morning after a science experiment involving a bunsen burner and alcohol caused a small fire.  The fire caused the system sprinkler to activate and the school was evacuated.

Crews found no fire upon arrival and the water sprinkler system was shut down. The building alarm was going off and several attempts to reset the alarm were unsuccessful. The students were out of the building for approximately 50 minutes while attempts to reset the alarm were unsuccessful. The OFPD found the alarm system to have a mechanical issue. This was the cause for the extended time for the staff and students being out of the building for such a long period of time.   After the alarm problem was identified and corrected the students and staff were allowed to resume the normal school day.

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.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

North East, MD – High school has second sprinkler save in six weeks; Dryer fire extinguished

A commercial dryer caught fire in a Rising Sun High School laundry room on Wednesday night, sending dozens of firefighters and several pieces of equipment to the scene, according to school officials.  The small fire in the malfunctioning dryer was quickly extinguished by a sprinkler head above the appliance, school officials said, adding that it also activated a smoke alarm. The fire call occurred about 9 p.m.

The school was open on Thursday for a regular schedule, thanks to cleanup and ventilation efforts.  There was no fire or water damage to the school at 100 Tiger Drive, off Route 272, in Calvert, school officials said. The sprinkler, however, did leave water on the hallway floor near the laundry room, which is located at the north end of the building.

Firefighters were sweeping that standing water out a back door on Wednesday night. They also were running industrial fans to ventilate the smoke inside the building.  A Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office investigator arrived late Wednesday night and started an investigation to determine how the dryer fire started.

The dryer fire on Wednesday night has no connection to an electrical system fire in March, which was also contained by the school’s automatic sprinkler system.

(BLOG NOTE: Media report incorrectly stated that smoke caused the sprinkler to activate. Sprinklers are heat activated. Only the intense heat from a potentially damaging and deadly fire can cause this type of sprinkler system to operate)

College/University (on campus), School / University

Salt Lake City, UT – Sprinklers douse fire in University of Utah chemistry lab

Authorities say a small explosion at a University of Utah chemistry building was caused by a chemical reaction inside a storage cabinet.

Salt Lake City firefighters say the Thursday morning explosion was contained inside a sheet metal cabinet but emitted hazardous chemicals into the air.

Salt Lake City fire department spokesman Jasen Asay says firefighters evacuated the building to clear chemical residue from the air and vent smoke.

Asay says the explosion caused a small fire, but sprinklers doused it before crews arrived.

Classes were canceled and the building is expected to remain closed for hours.

Firefighters are investigating what chemicals were stored in the room.