Department Store, Retail

Johnstown, CO – Sprinkler system activated for fire in cardboard compactor at department store; No injuries reported

The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority put out a fire in a cardboard compactor at Scheels in Johnstown Tuesday.

No one was hurt, but the fire resulted in evacuation of the store, which was closed for the rest of the evening.

At 4:48 p.m. Tuesday, LFRA was dispatched to a fire sprinkler water flow alarm at Scheels and, when crews arrived two minutes later, they saw smoke showing from the loading dock area, according to a post on the LFRA Facebook page.

The incident was upgraded to a commercial fire and additional LFRA units were called along with Berthoud Fire Protection, Front Range Fire Rescue, Thompson Valley EMS, Poudre Fire Authority and Johnstown Police Department crews.

Crews from Engine 50, which work out of Station 10 in Johnstown nearby, found a working fire in the cardboard compactor with a fire sprinkler in the compactor loading room “holding the fire from extending into the interior of the structure,” according to the post.

Once the fire was under control, crews used a wildland fire engine to pull the compactor away from the building

Crews also used electric ventilation fans to clear the smoke from the interior of the store, though the majority of the smoke was contained to the interior areas near the loading dock, the post said. Scheels staff assisted the incident commander with technical knowledge of the building’s ventilation system to help with this process.

The post added the store closed for the rest of the evening.

Battalion Chief Kevin Hessler said no injuries were reported in the incident. He added that the cause of the fire is unknown.

He also added that the Scheels team did a great job getting evacuating everyone once the fire alarm sounded.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Oakville, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at community center

The Oakville Fire Department says no injuries were reported following a fire at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre on Monday, July 17.

At around 8:30 p.m., the 2302 Bridge Rd. facility was evacuated due to a small fire in one of the board rooms.

“We believe there were items placed on top of a charging station that kind of smothered and caused something to overheat creating a small fire,” said Oakville Fire Chief Paul Boissonneault.

“The fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system and then our crews removed the remanent components when they arrived.”

The fire chief said firefighters also ventilated the building to get rid of the smell of burnt plastic.

The community centre was able to open its doors on Tuesday as per usual.

Damage to the boardroom is said to be minimal.

“The sprinklers certainly did their job,” said Boissonneault.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Longview, TX – Sprinkler system activated for fire at distribution plant; No injuries reported

Firefighters were called out to a fire at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The fire was at R & K Distributors on Whaley Street in Longview. Several engine companies arrived at the scene to battle the flames. Whaley St. was blocked eastbound as they worked to bring the fire under control.

At 6:15 p.m. Longview Fire Department officials say the fire was out, and there were no injuries. The sprinkler system assisted in putting out the fire.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Other - Retail, Retail

Bayonne, NJ – Sprinkler system activated for fire at discount store

Bayonne firefighters only needed 20 minutes to extinguish a blaze at a discount store in the area of Broadway and 22nd Street on Monday.

According to Deputy Fire Chief Bill Bartos, firefighters responded to Deals & Discounts just after 9:50 a.m. Upon their arrival they found heavy smoke coming from the front of the store.

Handlines were used in conjunction with the building’s sprinkler system to bring the fire under control by 10:10 a.m.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kansas City, MO – Sprinkler system activated for fire on 21st floor of apartment building; No injuries reported

Kansas City, Missouri, firefighters are crediting a sprinkler system for quickly turning back a small fire in an apartment on the 21st floor of the One Light apartment building downtown.

Around 3:30 p.m., fire crews were called out to the residential high-rise at 50 E. 13th St.

A KCFD spokesperson said firefighters completed extinguishing the fire with assistance from the sprinkler system. Crews remained on the scene as of 4:15 p.m. to limit any water damage to units on floors below.

No injuries were reported from the fire. The KCFD spokesperson was not sure if the apartment was occupied at the time of the fire.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Other - Residential, Residential

Santa Cruz, CA – Sprinkler system contains fire in six-story residential building

A sprinkler system helped contained a restaurant fire in a six-story residential building to the kitchen where it started Monday evening, according to the Santa Cruz Fire Department.

Initially reported as an individual in need of rescue, Santa Cruz firefighters responded to the 1010 Pacific Ave. scene shortly after 4 p.m. Arriving firefighters entering the building encountered heavy smoke coming from inside the kitchen, but found no trapped building occupants, Battalion Chief Josh Coleman wrote in a media release. Two adults reporting smoke inhalation were treated at the scene, the department said.

Occupants of the building’s 113 apartments were evacuated during the fire. The fire was extinguished within about 10 minutes and firefighters spent two hours searching for hidden fire extension elsewhere in the building and assisting residents in returning to their homes. The department estimated the fire resulted in about $10,000 worth of damages.

Fire investigators determined the cause to be accidental, with no foul play noted. The two-alarm fire drew mutual aid assistance from Central and Scotts Valley fire protection districts.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Great Falls, MT – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at hotel; No injuries reported

Great Falls Fire Rescue responded to a small fire at the Sleep Inn & Mainstay Suites at 520 Country Club Boulevard on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.

Assistant Fire Chief Mike McIntosh said in a news release that GFFR received a water flow alarm at 9:25pm, and Engine 4 arrived at the scene at 9:32pm.

Firefighters saw people vacating the hotel, but they did not see any visible smoke or fire.

Firefighters discovered that a small fire occurred in room 318. The fire started in a nightstand located next to a bed, which was close to an exterior wall.

The fire had generated enough heat to activate the building’s fire sprinkler system, which functioned as designed, and quickly extinguished the fire.

The fire damage to the room was minimal, but there was significant water damage to the second and third floors.

Hotel management was able to move the majority of guests affected by the water from the sprinkler system to other rooms within the hotel; one guest was relocated to another hotel.

There were no injuries as a result of the fire, and restoration crews are are continuing to assess the damage.

The occupant of room 318 could not be located when GFFR and Great Falls police officers were at the scene of the fire. They have tried to contact the room occupant, but have not yet been successful.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated. We will update you if we get more information.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fitchburg, WI – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Fitchburg fire officials say an entire apartment would have likely gone up in flames Monday if it wasn’t for an automatic sprinkler system.

Division Chief of Prevention and Inspection Mark Mlekush said a fire was reported at an apartment complex on Traceway Drive off Fish Hatchery Road around 1:30 p.m.

Fire crews arrived to sounding alarms, but they couldn’t find an active fire. After a search of the building, crews found a single sprinkler had triggered and put out a kitchen fire before it spread.

Because the sprinkler activated quickly, fire damage was limited to the immediate area of the kitchen.

The complex’s residents were briefly evacuated, but were able to return home within an hour.

Mlekush said without the automatic sprinkler system, it was “highly likely” the entire building would have been compromised by the fire.

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

Largo, FL – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at hospital; No injuries reported

Around 19 patients at HCA Florida Largo Hospital were evacuated to other rooms after a fire started in a patient’s room on Sunday night.

Largo Fire said around 8 p.m. smoke was seen coming from the third floor. Fire crews from Clearwater, Seminole, and Largo were called to assist.

“Preliminary investigation shows that a paper towel dispenser possibly overloaded with some batteries, and because again paper towels are highly flammable, it overheated the paper towels inside, started to drip molten plastic down onto the table that they had tissue paper and towels on and then it extended to the wall from there. It was contained at the height of about midway up the wall,” Largo Fire District Chief, Kyle Lighthiser, said.

Lighthiser said the fire burned through the paper towels and said it’s unclear how long the fire was burning before the sprinkler system put it out. He said the staff was told to shut down the air conditioning system so smoke wasn’t circulating.

Fire crews then walked through the building with air monitors to make sure it was safe.

Lighthiser said maintenance is cleaning up any flooding but added that general cleanup will take several days.

There were no reported injuries.

Government Office, Government/Military

Los Angeles, CA – Suspicious fire at city hall contained by sprinkler system

Arson investigators are looking into what caused a “suspicious” fire to break out at Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday night. 

According to the LAFD, firefighters responded to City Hall – located at 200 N. Main Street in downtown L.A. – around 8 p.m.

Preliminary reports indicated that an object was apparently thrown into the building, causing the fire to start.

Fire crews arrived on scene and responded to an activated alarm on the second floor of the building. A sprinkler helped contain most of the fire, LAFD said.

“LAFD firefighters found evidence that the fire was started suspiciously,” a spokesperson for the LAFD confirmed to KTLA.

A fire department spokesperson told the LA Times that the fire started in the office of Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso.

Tso later confirmed that there was a fire in her office, but also said that she could not comment further on the matter.

Arson investigators with the Los Angeles Fire Department are handling the ongoing investigation.

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