College/University (on campus), School / University

Dillingham, AK – Sprinkler system credited with containing fire at University of Alaska-Fairbanks

An early morning alarm called Dillingham’s Volunteer Fire Department to the UAF Bristol Bay Applied Sciences Building Thursday. The building, across the street from the main campus, is known by most as the Old Napa Building.  Fire Chief Norman Heyano credited the sprinkler system with containing the fire, which crews helped extinguish. He said there was light water and smoke damage.  The fire appeared to have been caused by one of two boilers in a utility room. Volunteer firefighters were off the scene a little past 6:00 a.m. Maintenance crews were working to repair damage later in the day, and campus staff appeared to be back to work as usual Thursday.

 

 

Apartment Building, Residential

Scottsbluff, NE – Arson fire at apartment building contained by newly installed sprinkler system; No injuries

A new fire alarm and sprinkler system played a part in containing fire damage to a minimum at Eastwood Apartments in Scottsbluff. At around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Scottsbluff Fire Department received a call of a fire alarm going off at Eastwood Apartments. Fortunately the building was recently remodeled with a properly functioning alarm and fire suppression system. The fire started inside of a first floor apartment on the north side of the building. According to Scottsbluff Fire Marshal Anthony Murphy, the fire was intentionally set but no further details can be disclosed at this time.

The resident of the apartment had left shortly before the alarm went off. The apartment now suffers water damage. The sprinkler in the apartment was the only one to go off, containing the fire in the unit. “When the crews made entry into to the room that had the fire, there were a bunch of clothing articles that were burning and it definitely was put out mostly by the fire suppression sprinklers,” said Murphy.

All building residents were evacuated at the time of the fire and nobody was injured. Scottsbluff Fire Department was assisted by Gering Fire Department and Valley Ambulance. The cause of the fire is still currently under investigation, the cost of damages is also unknown.

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.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Bellevue, WA – Sprinkler system credited with quickly stopping hotel fire

A fire broke out in a downtown hotel Wednesday morning, but the fire department is saying that the hotel’s sprinkler system put the fire out quickly.

In all, seven units responded to the fire, the department said, but the fire was out when they got there. Firefighters salvaged items from the room and found no one injured as a result of the fire.

“This shows the importance of a functioning suppression system in residential and commercial structures,” the department wrote on its Facebook page.

Apartment Building, Residential

Keene, NH – Sprinkler system helps stop fire at multi-family building

A second-alarm fire broke out at a multi-family building just northeast of downtown Keene Tuesday night.

The first call for assistance came at 6:32 p.m. to battle a fire at the Beaver Brook Apartments at 543 Washington St., which is near the intersection of Cottage Street.

The two-story structure has 24 apartments.

Keene fire officials reported that the blaze in a second-story apartment took about 40 minutes to bring under control. Fire was limited to that one unit and there was smoke damage affecting about 25 percent of the building.

The state chapter of American Red Cross reported that it was assisting one family with shelter after the blaze.

The one occupant of the apartment was offered, but refused, medical transport for treatment, fire officials said.

The building’s sprinkler assisted with controlling the blaze.

At the height of the fire, there were eight public safety trucks on scene, according to the Southwestern New Hampshire Mutual Assistance Program.

By 7:30 p.m., firefighters were bringing tenants back into the building to retrieve their belongings and their pets. First responders assisted to prevent the lower apartments from getting water damage.

The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to call the Keene Fire Department at 603-757-1863.

Brattleboro, Vt., and Swanzey Fire assisted at the scene. Crews from the Marlborough, Spofford, Chesterfield, Peterborough and Walpole fire departments provided coverage to the two Keene Fire Stations.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Phoenix, AZ – No injuries as sprinkler system knocks down fire at Guitar Center

The sprinkler system was the hero of the day after a fire broke out at a Guitar Center off of I-17 and Peoria Avenue overnight Wednesday. 

Phoenix fire officials said sprinklers put out most of the flames before crews arrived. 

The Guitar Center has water damage, but fire officials said had the sprinklers not been in place, the story could have gone much differently.

The Guitar Center doesn’t have a fire wall, meaning the flames could have easily spread to surrounding businesses in the strip mall.

Luckily, no one was injured. 

Detectives will now investigate what cased the fire to break out. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Belton, TX – Overnight apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A stove that was left on led to a fire in a second-floor unit at the River Springs at Barge Ranch apartments, 3300 N. Main Street, on Sunday night. A sprinkler system in the unit put the fire out, according to a press release from Paul Romer, public information officer for the city of Belton.  Nobody was injured in the fire, but it displaced two adults – one in the unit where the fire occurred and another person from the unit directly below.  The Belton Fire Department responded to a call about the fire at about 11:15 p.m. on Sunday by sending two engine trucks and two ambulances. The Temple Fire Department provided mutual aid with an engine and a ladder truck.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Ridgefield, CT – Kitchen fire at senior living facility extinguished with help from sprinkler system

The Ridgefield Fire Department responded to a chair fire at Ridgefield Crossings around 9 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. Fire Chief Kevin Tappe said that an elderly woman who lives in the facility was heating a towel in the microwave and it ignited. “The woman grabbed the towel out of the microwave and then tossed it across the room,” Chief Tappe said. “It landed by a chair with clothing on it and started the chair and clothes on fire.”

The facility’s manager used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames and the building’s sprinkler system finished the job, Tappe said. According to the chief, there was very little fire damage and some smoke and water damage. Chief Tappe said that the fire alarms and sprinkler system worked properly. Fire officials opened the windows and used fans to clear the smoke from the building, Tappe said. No one was injured.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Lufkin, TX – Fire at Outback Steakhouse caused by lightning strike controlled with help from sprinkler system

Three Lufkin Fire stations responded to an electrical fire believed to be caused by lighting on the front porch of Outbeak steakhouse.  No injuries were reported, but damage to paneling on the outside roof occurred according to Battalion Chief Eric Parrish.  “We believe the lights outside of the restaurant caught on fire signaling the sprinkler systems to activate,” Parrish said. “This in combination to response from our units are what extinguished the fire.”  No one was harmed, and those in the restaurant at the time the fire began all exited the premises safely. Parrish said he believes Outback will be closed for the next couple of days until damage is fixed, and the exact cause of the fire is determined.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Las Vegas, NV – Sprinklers assist firefighters in containing wood pallet fire at shopping mall

The smell of smoke may have alarmed some Boulevard Mall workers and shoppers early today. Turns out, it was a few wood pallets burning in one of the stores shortly before 9 a.m. Saturday, according to Clark County Assistant Fire Chief Larry Haydu. Ten units responded to the call at 8:57 a.m. and the first arriving engine found the small fire within three minutes and quickly extinguished it. Battalion 2 reported there was some smoke intrusion into approximately four stores and there was some water damage caused to the structure when the fire sprinkler system activated. There were no reported injuries, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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