Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Port Moody, BC – Sprinkler system contains fire at sawmill; No injuries

No one was injured following an explosion and fire at a Port Moody sawmill early Tuesday morning.

Firefighters received a call at 2:30 a.m. that there was a fire at the Flavelle Sawmill. It turns out that a nitrogen tank that was part of a hydraulic system had exploded, due to a nearby fire.

When crews arrived, there was a small fire at the mill, but the sprinkler system had activated and contained the fire.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause.

The explosion did blow a “significant hole” in the sawmill wall, according to the PMFD.

Workers were on break at the time so there was no one in the area.

Other - Retail, Retail

Laconia, NH – Early morning fire at salon extinguished by sprinkler system

A salon in Laconia sustained smoke and water damage in a fire early Monday morning, according to authorities. Crews were called to Jerico’s Salon on Union Avenue around 3 a.m.  Firefighters found heavy smoke inside, but the building’s sprinkler system extinguished the flames.

Officials said the fire was located in the hair salon area. No one was there and no injuries were reported.  Officials said the salon sustained smoke and water damage and will likely be closed for some time.  The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it is not believed to be suspicious. 

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Hastings, MN – Sprinklers contain dump truck fire at excavating business

Firefighters stopped what could have been a major fire Saturday, Jan. 9, at DSM Excavating in the 2900 block of Enterprise Avenue. Crews responded at 9:33 p.m., after the building’s fire alarms activated.  According to Fire and EMS Director Mike Schutt, smoke was visible on the south side of the building when firefighters arrived and the automatic sprinkler system was already operating.  Crews entered the building, which was filled with thick black smoke that allowed zero visibility.  Inside, they found a dump truck on fire, which they extinguished.

The dump truck’s engine and cab were totally destroyed, with damage estimated at about $200,000. However, the fire could have been much worse, as there was other heavy equipment parked very close to the engulfed truck. Schutt credited the sprinkler system with saving the rest of the equipment and the building, which would have been a $4 million loss.

“While the firefighters did a fantastic job tonight, much credit goes to the automatic fire sprinkler system and the monitored fire alarm system,” Schutt wrote in an email the night of the fire. “As the fire grew in size, the automatic fire sprinkler system activated, keeping the fire contained to the dump truck and not allowing it to spread. Literally, other dump trucks and heavy equipment were parked within two feet of this fire and had no damage.”

Hastings firefighters were assisted by Hastings police and the Miesville Fire Department. The fire department, which also operates an ambulance service, also responded to two separate medical emergencies and one other fire response for downed electrical lines in Marshan Township while battling the Industrial Park fire. Investigation into the cause of the fire continues this week.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Prescott, AZ – Room fire at La Quinta Inn extinguished by sprinkler system

The Prescott Regional Communications Center received multiple notifications of smoke coming from a hotel room and the fire alarm sounding at the La Quinta Inn and Suites Conference Center, 4499 E. Highway 69, at around 10:15 p.m. on Friday Jan. 8, according to a press release from the Prescott Fire Department. It was the second hotel fire in Prescott within two days.

Prescott Fire Department and the Central Yavapai Fire District responded with three truck companies, an engine company, a battalion chief, a division chief, a utility truck and the Prescott Police Department, the release stated.

“Fire personnel made access to the second floor finding a wing that was being remodeled, to find moderate to heavy smoke but no flames,” the release stated. “Upon entering the involved room, they found the fire under control because an automatic fire sprinkler head was flowing water that had extinguished the fire, although there was still electrical arcing taking place in the area.”

Crews assured the fire was fully extinguished by checking wall and ceiling spaces around the fire, the release stated. They remained on the scene for two hours, evacuating water and assisting occupants with retrieving items from six rooms that were deemed unsafe to occupy. The occupants were relocated to another hotel, according to the release.

Investigative efforts determined that a wall heating and cooling unit was involved in the ignition and investigation is currently underway to determine the cause, the release stated. There were no injuries and there is no current estimate for the damage caused

Other - Retail, Retail

Iowa City, IA – Early morning fire at Menards store doused by sprinkler system

Iowa City Fire officials say a sprinkler system did its job after a fire broke out at Menards on Tuesday. Fire crews responded to a fire alarm at the Naples Avenue business about 3:30 Tuesday morning. But officials say by the time crews arrived the fire had been mostly extinguished by the sprinkler system, with some small spot fires still going in the rack storage of a detached lumber storage building. No one else was at the store at the time and no firefighter injuries were reported. Battalion chief Brian Platz says the building mostly housed lumber and shingles and damage is estimated at $15,000. Platz says the fire appears to have originated in the area of a wood cutoff saw and was accidental in nature.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Leipsic, OH – Nursing home fire kept in check by sprinkler system

Putnam County Sheriff’s Office says at 12:48 Wednesday morning it received a 911 call about a fire at the Meadows of Leipsic nursing home on E. Main Street.

The Leipsic Fire Department says when firefighters arrived on the scene they noticed heavy smoke coming from inside the building. They say the fire started in one room and a sprinkler system kept the fire from spreading.

Two residents were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, but are expected to survive.

A cause has yet to be determined.

The fire has been reported to the Ohio State Fire Marshall’s Office.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Panama City, FL – Sprinklers help contain fire at Best Buy

A fire at Best Buy on 23rd street in Panama City Monday night has damaged the interior of the store.

The first call came in around 10:20 pm about smoke coming out of the building. When Panama City fire crews arrived on scene they saw a “good amount” of smoke and went into attack mode.

After getting inside, crews were able to put out the fire just after 10:45pm.

As of the time of this writing, 11PM, no cause of the fire had been determined, but smoke continues to pour from the building.

An investigator with PCFD is in route. It’s also unknown if the smoke from the blaze has damaged any adjacent businesses.

Investigators with the Panama City Fire Department and State Fire Marshall’s Office say the fire began due to a possible electrical short from a printer and has been ruled accidental.

Two properly working sprinkler heads are being credited with helping contain the fire to a small area. According to PCFD, none of the business next to Best Buy sustained any fire damage.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Brick, NJ – Single sprinkler head contains laundry fire at nursing home

Laundry ignited inside a nursing home early Wednesday morning, but one sprinkler kept the fire from spreading, Brick Fire Safety Chief Kevin Batzel said.

Brick police and firefighters were called to the Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation center on Jack Martin Boulevard at 4:40 a.m. where they found smoke in the facility’s basement, Batzel said.

The fire was inside a large, industrial-sized laundry cart filled with towels that had been pulled from a dryer, he said.

“It was being contained by a single fire sprinkler head, which had activated and caused an alarm in the building,” the fire safety chief said. “What could have been a potential catastrophe was prevented.”

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

San Leandro, CA – Room fire at mental health hospital controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries

The Villa Fairmont Mental Health Rehabilitation Center remained fully functional after a room caught fire Tuesday night. Fire crews responded to a report of a fire at 7:01 p.m. at the center located in the 15000 block of Foothill Boulevard in unincorporated San Leandro, according to the Alameda County Fire Department. The blaze was confined to a room near a fire sprinkler and firefighters quickly extinguished it. There were no reports of injuries. The cause of fire was still under investigation as of Tuesday night. One room suffered moderate smoke and water damage.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Gorham, ME – Machinery fire at tool company held in check by sprinkler system

A tool company in Gorham had to evacuate Tuesday morning after a fire broke out inside the building. It happened at Irwin Tools on Bartlett Road just after 7 a.m. Crews from several different departments assisted Gorham in fighting the flames

Gorham’s fire chief says employees were inside working at the time. No one was hurt. The chief says the building’s sprinkler system kept the fire under control until crews arrived. “No question, the sprinkler system kept the fire in check inside until the crews could get in and get it knocked down,” Chief Robert Lefebvre, Gorham Fire Department, said. “There’s metal filings from machines that make tools and such, at this point not sure what machines in the area that caused it. We’ll be looking into that down the road.”

Chief Lefebvre says it appears the fire started near the ceiling level. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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