Apartment Building, Residential

League City, TX (No Media Coverage) – Fast response from fire service and sprinkler system save occupant from apartment fire

***FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED – NO MEDIA COVERAGE*** Fire Alarm and Fire Sprinkler System Saves a Life of a League City, Texas Resident and His Pet

On December 11, 2016, at approximately 12:13 a.m., the League City Fire Department received a fire alarm call from League City Dispatchers to respond to the Fairway Apartments located at 3045 Marina Bay Drive. This fire alarm turned out to be anything but usual. Upon arrival, the Fire Department noticed a water flow alarm was also activated, thus indicating a possible triggering of the fire sprinkler system. Firefighters immediately responded to the reported apartment to find water flowing from underneath the entry door and an active audible fire alarm sounding. The Firefighters quickly attempted a forced entry into the apartment to begin search and rescue, but were met with resistance at the front door from the occupant.

The occupant apparently woke to the loud pounding noise from the forced entry tools and the displacement of the door frame, which the occupant thought that the firefighters were intruders. The firefighters immediately removed the confused occupant from the apartment and entered using Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. The confused occupant demonstrated signs of hypoxia, difficulty breathing, and was treated by EMS at the scene.

Once inside the apartment, firefighters and investigators noticed the occupant had fallen asleep while cooking. The unattended stove fire was contained by the fire sprinkler system with one fire sprinkler head activation eliminating a possible deadly situation by knocking out the fire. Due to the occupant’s obvious physical condition and hypoxic symptoms, it was apparent that the occupant only had a few more minutes of survival time inside the smoked filled apartment. If not for the notification of the fire alarm system and activation of the fire sprinkler system the occupant would have succumbed to the smoke and fire within the apartment unit. Another great save due to a proper working fire sprinkler system and an aggressive firefighting crew, which both eliminated the hazards before a life was lost.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Keystone, CO – Single sprinkler head keeps condo fire from spreading

An apparent accidental fire Saturday evening caused significant damage in the Mill Creek condominiums in Keystone, but a sprinkler head kept it from spreading, and no one was injured.

Some 15 firefighters from Lake Dillon Fire responded to an alarm triggered by the sprinkler system about 7:15 p.m., and they were assisted by a crew from Red, White & Blue Fire of Breckenridge in extinguishing the fire. They were supported by two volunteers from the Lake Dillon Fire Corps.

The fire caused significant damage to two units and left two others with smoke and water damage. Keystone Resorts found alternative lodging for the people staying at the six-unit building at 56 River Run Road.

The fire apparently broke out in the concealed space between the third and fourth floors, and the initial focus of the investigation is on electrical wiring.

“Fortunately, everything worked as it should: A single sprinkler head kept the fire from spreading, and the alarm alerted the occupants. And, most importantly, the occupants heeded the alarm and evacuated the building immediately,” said Lake Dillon Fire Chief Jeff Berino.

A preliminary estimate of the total damage is between $400,000 and $500,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

Brockton, MA – Sprinkler credited with halting another fire in Brockton apartment building

In 2003, just weeks before Christmas, a fire at an apartment building on Falmouth Avenue in Brockton displaced all 20 people living inside.

Three months later, in March 2004, more than 40 firefighters returned to the same building, at 33 Falmouth Ave., for a 3-alarm blaze that saw flames shooting 15 feet above the roof. No one was in the building at the time but the property was badly damaged.

The building was eventually rehabilitated, and on Wednesday a fire started in a clothing bin inside an apartment of the 16-unit property.

One major addition during the rehabilitation of the building, a sprinkler system, is what firefighters said prevented what could have been a similar scenario to what happened in 2004.

When firefighters arrived they doused the flames and cleared the building of smoke.

A neighbor in the apartment next-door, who is wheelchair-bound, was brought outside by firefighters and he was taken to the hospital to be evaluated as a precaution, Nardelli said.

There were no injuries and no residents were displaced, Nardelli said.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by Brockton police and fire investigators and according to the police log, a complaint has been filed against someone. The details of the charges and the identity of the person was not immediately available Thursday afternoon.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Zelienople, PA – Sprinklers douse fire at retirement center; No injuries

An apartment building sprinkler system doused an electrical fire early Wednesday morning before it spread. 

Chief Scott Garing of the Harmony Fire District said the fire ignited in apartment 234 in the Blue Spruce neighborhood of the Passavant Retirement Community on Burgess Drive. 

“It was a power supply for an electrical device,” Garing said.  He said the female occupant, whose name was unavailable, was sleeping in the living room when the fire started in the bedroom. After responding to the 12:36 a.m. 911 call, firefighters checked the attic and walls to ensure all the flames were extinguished. 

Garing credited the building staff for evacuating roughly 50 residents from their apartments to a central room behind fire doors in the building. He said when the safety of occupants already is addressed, crews can immediately focus on fire suppression. 

Garing said the apartment and one below it sustained water damage. The Adams Area, Cranberry Township and Evans City volunteer fire departments assisted the Harmony Fire District. The Harmony and Cranberry Township ambulance services also responded. 

Fire crews cleared the scene at 2:25 a.m. 

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Cedar Rapids, IA – Sprinkler system significantly helps control spread of fire at recycling center

A commercial recycling center suffered significant smoke and water damage, but minor structural damage in a fire Wednesday night.

According to the Cedar Rapids Fire Department, crews were called to a commercial recycling center owned by Republic Services Recycling at 4250 Sixth St. SW at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday for a report of an automated alarm. Responding firefighters discovered there was a fire in the building and encountered heavy smoke.

The fire department said the size of the building required a “prolonged search” to find the origin of the fire. Additionally, cold temperatures and the amount of work required at the scene led firefighters to call for additional units.

The fire was eventually found in recycling paper bundles. Firefighters said the building’s sprinkler system “contributed significantly” to controlling the spread of the fire.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Plymouth, IN – Sprinkler system helps prevent damage from fire at fiberglass shop

Employees at a manufacturing business in Plymouth are cleaning up after a fire in the fiberglass shop.

Firefighters aren’t sure exactly what started it but employees at AK Industries say it was probably the chemicals used to make resin for the fiberglass. Those chemicals made for some thick, black smoke.

Employees won’t be able to go back to work till the building is aired out. The fire chief says a sprinkler system prevented worse damage.

“The fire was not out all the way. We went in and finished up with the sprinkler system could not get. So you know in a tight corners and crevices and things that we can’t reach we had to go in and dig it out,” said Plymouth Fire Chief, Rod Miller.

“I thought the whole building was going to catch on fire. You know, this is where we work and it’s almost Christmas,” said steel grinder, Guadalupe Sanzhez. The building is in pretty good shape. Employees say they think they’ll be back to work soon.

Residential, Single Family Home

Bullhead City, AZ – Garage fire contained by residential sprinkler system

A Katherine Heights garage fire late Monday night was contained by a sprinkler system, the Bullhead City Fire Department said Tuesday. 

The alarm came in at about 10:40 p.m., department spokeswoman Lorrae Viles said. Crews were called to an address on Power Line Road. Viles said they found water flowing out of the garage, but no active fire.

Battalion Chief Craig Stephenson reported that it appeared that the fire had started in a small plastic trash can next to an old sofa.

The residence was equipped with an overhead sprinkler system that was activated and extinguished the fire. If the system had not been in place, Viles said, the blaze could have gotten out of control and caused considerable damage.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Henderson, NV – Golf course clubhouse fire held in check by sprinkler system

Authorities in Henderson say a cigarette discarded near an outside laundry chute is to blame for an accidental fire at a golf course clubhouse.  Fire Department spokeswoman Kathleen Richards says the large two-story building’s fire sprinkler system kept the fire in check until crews arrived in response to an alarm early Saturday morning.  No smoke or fire was visible when the first crew arrived, but firefighters found the fire burning in an exterior wall and attic of the SouthShore Golf Course clubhouse in the Lake Las Vegas area.  An alarm monitoring service reported the incident after a sprinkler system’s water flow alarm was activated. The business was closed at the time and there were no injuries. Damage was estimated $60,000.

 

Other - Retail, Retail

Brookfield, WI – Fire in stuffed animal aisle of Toys R Us store put out with help from sprinkler system

A fire was reported late Friday night inside a Toys “R” Us store in Brookfield. Emergency crews were called to the business along Moorland Road around 10:30 p.m.  Witnesses said the fire started in the store’s stuffed animal aisle. Investigators are trying to figure out exactly what sparked the fire.

The sprinkler system came on right away and helped put out the fire. Employees and customers had to be evacuated during the incident.  No one was hurt.  It’s unclear whether the store will be open for business Saturday.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Bensalem, PA – Kitchen fire at Holiday Inn hotel controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries

A kitchen fire forced the evacuation of the Holiday Inn near the Parx Casino in Bensalem Friday night, authorities said.  The fire broke out around 9 p.m. at the hotel at 3327 Street Rd. The sprinkler system was activated and the fire was declared under control about 25 minutes later.  The emergency left some people briefly trapped in elevators. No injuries were reported. The hotel’s website says the building has six floors and 167 rooms. Hotel employees could not be reached by phone.

Simple Share Buttons