A fire that broke out in the basement of Prospector Outfitters early this morning forced the outdoor retailer at 1512 South Cushman St. to close.  The fire started in the building’s basement in the boiler room shortly after 1 a.m., according to Fairbanks Fire Department Assistant Chief Ernie Misewicz, setting off the sprinkler system, which doused the fire before crews arrived on scene.

Firefighters put out a minimal amount of smoldering inside the building’s walls and helped clean up some of the smoke and water damage from the sprinklers. Crews from Fort Wainwright, Steese and North Star Volunteer fire departments provided mutual aid to Fairbanks Fire Department.  Misewicz speculated the fire may have been caused by a boiler malfunction. He said the Prospector was closed Sunday morning while staff attempted to clean up the damage to reopen.

*** Note from Blog Editor — Smoke cannot activate an automatic fire sprinkler system, but rather only the substantial heat created early on in the growth stage of a potentially deadly fire. Only the sprinkler(s) closest to the fire will activate. ***