Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

San Antonio, TX – Sprinkler system extinguishes intentionally-set restaurant fire

Police are searching for two men who skipped out on their dinner tab only to return to a restaurant and set the bathroom on fire. The incident happened on Saturday, September 19 at the Golden Wok located in the 1400 block of SW Loop 410.

Police say the men had lunch at the restaurant then left without paying the bill.

About ten minutes later, the man with a T on his hat walked back inside, headed for the restroom and set a fire, according to investigators.

The automatic sprinkler system put out the fire.

Crime Stoppers has released images of the suspects and is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrests of the suspects.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Baltimore, MD – Fire at peanut roasting company suppressed by sprinkler system; Allergy concerns alleviated

A late-morning fire at a Barcelona Nut Co. warehouse in Southwest Baltimore was quickly extinguished Tuesday, but city emergency officials were concerned enough to warn residents near the 500 block of Fulton Ave. who had nut allergies.

“Although we were unclear as to the amount of peanuts burning, we felt that it was worth a warning out of an abundance of caution,” said Connor Scott, spokesman for the city’s Office of Emergency Management.

In the end, there was probably little risk, said Dr. Robert Wood, director of pediatric allergy and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He said those allergic to peanuts would have to be in proximity to suffer a reaction.

“If you were just roasting peanuts you’d have to be within feet of the roasting, in the building,” Wood said. “In a fire, where there were larger volumes being burned, I supposed you’d be at risk within 40-50 yards, but that would probably be the extreme.”

The peanut dust would dissipate quickly in the air, he said, adding that no one has studied if burnt peanuts would pose more of a threat than roasted ones.

The fire did burn peanuts, which were in a roaster in the plant, confirmed Ed Roush, Barcelona’s quality manager. He said workers also vented the smoke during the fire, which was largely extinguished by the facility’s sprinkler system before fire crews arrived.

The firm’s employees were more at risk from the fire; three suffered non-life-threatening injuries — likely smoke-related — trying to put it out, Roush said. He and fire officials didn’t know what caused the fire, but Roush said he hopes to reopen the facility by Thursday or Friday.

The company, founded in 1924 by a Spanish immigrant, has been in the current location since 1986. It roasts and packages several kinds of nuts at the plant, which also packages other snack foods.

Longtime neighbors said they didn’t see much smoke and weren’t concerned about the peanuts, and didn’t know anyone close by with an allergy. Nancy Will, who once worked in the building, said it’s not often they even get a whiff of nuts, which is a far cry from years past when peanut oil would coat their cars.

“You’d turn the windshield wipers on and get a nice smear,” said her husband, Robert Wills, who was sitting on the steps of his Fulton Street house across from Barcelona.

Apartment Building, Residential

Charleston, IL – Grease fire at University Court Apartments put out by sprinklers

A grease fire was reported at 7:02 p.m. Sunday in the Cooper Building of University Court Apartments. Assistant Fire Chief Steven Bennett of the Charleston Fire Department said the residents in apartment 23 were cooking when the grease got too hot and started to catch fire.

“The sprinklers had activated and put the fire out, so the sprinkler system did what it was supposed to do,” Bennett said.

There was minimal fire damage and little water damage in other apartments.

“The sprinkler was activated so it was putting the water out on the fire, so some of that water finds cracks and goes down into the apartment(s) below,” Bennett said

“Right now the fire alarm is now activated until the electrician can come and reset it,” Bennett said. “Because it activated when the sprinkler went off and right now the sprinkler system’s down until the plumber can change out the sprinkler head that activated.”

The fire alarm has been reset in Cooper.

The electricians and plumber were called and notified, and building service workers had already started cleaning up the water.

Residents were able to return to their apartments at 7:50 p.m. unless they were in the apartment affected by the fire.

Kelly Miller, associate director of housing and dining, said the people who had to leave Cooper because of the grease fire were staying with friends.

Miller said there was not a lot of physical damage, and the sprinklers went off as they were supposed to.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Clinton, IA – Arson fire extinguished by sprinkler in janitor’s closet at local business

A Clinton man was arrested and charged with arson for his alleged role in a fire at a local business. According to the affidavit, on Sept. 16, at 3:16 a.m., communication dispatched the fire department and police officers to Collis, Inc., at 1710 S. 21st St. in reference to an unknown fire. Boyd, a supervisor at Collis, who was working at the time of the fire, called 911 from his cell phone to report the fire. The firemen arrived and found the fire located in a janitor’s closet. The fire activated the sprinkler system under the stairs and extinguished the fire as the firemen arrived.

The affidavit states that during the investigation of the cause and origin of the fire, investigators observed two possible locations as the cause of the fire. Based on the origin of the fire, investigators determined the fire was intentionally set in the janitor’s closet.

The affidavit continues that during the investigation they were able to identify Boyd as a possible suspect and Boyd was interviewed. During the interview, Boyd allegedly admitted he went into the janitor’s closet to get some garbage cans for his area. Boyd stated that while he was in the closet he used matches to light a box on fire, shut the door and then he left the closet. At the time of the fire, there were approximately 20 other employees in Collis working.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Petaluma, CA – Fire at animal shelter controlled with help from sprinkler system

Fire calls, week of Sept. 21 through Sept 27 — SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 – 2:19 p.m. — Light smoke was coming from the rear of the Petaluma Animal Shelter at 840 Hopper Street when Petaluma firefighters arrived at the scene. A fire was found burning inside of a commercial-style dryer inside of the shelter, where a fire sprinkler was functining. Firefighters finished extinguishing the fire and stayed on scene to help remove water and smoke from the premises.

 

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Thousand Oaks, CA – Arson fire at Planned Parenthood facility is extinguished by sprinkler system

Authorities today are investigating the arson fire late Wednesday night in the lobby of the Planed Parenthood facility in Thousand Oaks.

The fire alarm sounded at 11:28 p.m. in the building at 1200 Hillcrest Drive, said Capt. Mike Lindbery of the Ventura County Fire Department, and only one engine responded because it was a commercial building and not a residence.

“When they arrived on scene, they found a window broken out and a fire sprinkler system functioning,” Lindbery said. “Upon further investigation, they discovered the smell of gasoline in the room, and it appeared a small fire had broken out and it had been extinguished by the sprinkler system.”

Firefighters shut off the sprinkler system and called the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, which is leading the investigation.

Investigators have a brief video of a suspect but they cannot tell if it was a man or woman.

“One suspect approached the clinic and used the rock to break the glass and tossed an accelerant inside and ignited it,” said Capt. John Reilly of the sheriff’s department.

“We have a brief video of someone walking by the location wearing a hoodie and face mask completely concealing (their) identity. Judging by the walk, they think it was a male.”

The broken window has been boarded up and a Planned Parenthood official said the office was closed but will open again, although no date was given, Reilly said.

The damage to the facility is still being assessed. Reilly said fire officials told him that the water from the sprinklers did more damage than the fire.

The fire comes as the organization is the focus of a contentious nationwide debate about government funding of Planned Parenthood.

This week Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards faced tough questions from Republicans at a congressional hearing about the organization’s business practices.

The battle broke out in July when videos were released by a group of anti-abortion activists who claimed Planned Parenthood has illegally profited from the sale of fetal tissue.

Wednesday night’s attack drew a sharp response from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

“The toxic rhetoric directed at Planned Parenthood has dangerous consequences. It sends a signal that using violence to close clinics and intimidate health care professionals and women is ‘OK.’ It is not,” she said in a statement.

“I’m grateful that no one in Thousand Oaks was hurt. My thoughts today are with the clinic’s staff, who provide compassionate care in spite of challenges no health care provider should have to face.”

Amy Everitt, state director at NARAL Pro-Choice California, also castigated the arson attack.

“This is domestic terrorism, plain and simple. Extremists who will stop at nothing to deny women legal abortion services. We have seen numerous examples of violence against abortion providers across the country over the last few years and we call on all, no matter what side of this debate you may fall on, to condemn this horrendous action.”

Other - Retail, Retail

Center Point, AL – Sprinkler system credited with saving business, shopping center

A sprinkler system is being credited with saving a Center Point business from burning to the ground early Wednesday morning. Someone driving past the Center Point Shopping center noticed smoke coming from the Cleaners and called 911.

Firefighters arrived on scene at 1:30 a.m., but the sprinklers had already extinguished the fire. Center Point Fire Chief Donnie West tells ABC 33/40, the situation could have been much worse had the sprinklers not put the fire out.

The buildings in the shopping center are all connected and West says flammable chemicals inside the business would have quickly caused the fire to spread. The cause of what started the fire remains under investigation.

 

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Kilgore, TX – Sprinkler system contains fire at packaging manufacturer; Facility fully operational

All employees in the Pak-Sher facility Sunday night were out of the building in less than one minute after fire alarms alerted the 30 to 35 people inside to the danger.

“I actually do two fire drills a year because you never know what’s going to happen, just like what happened to us Sunday night, and the training paid off,” Pak-Sher Safety Coordinator Jeremy Spier said Tuesday morning, adding the company’s emergency response team was able to get everyone out of the building “promptly and safely.”

The fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, began in the building’s sample room between 8 and 9 p.m. Sunday night. Kilgore Fire Department responded, along with mutual aid from Sabine Volunteer Fire Department and Longview Fire Department, Assistant Kilgore Fire Chief Mike Simmons said.

“Heavy smoke was coming out of the west side of the building,” he said. By the time the fire crews responded, though, Pak-Sher President Troy Fischer said, the sprinkler systems had extinguished the majority of the fire.

The employees returned to work in the facility within two hours of the fire once they were cleared to do so by KFD, Fischer said. “We’re fully operational,” Spier said. “We’re good to go.”

With the sprinkler system and the firewalls, he said, the fire was contained to the sample room and did not affect the connected training room. “We do have some minor fire damage, some smoke and water damage as well,” Fischer wrote in an e-mail Monday night.

Even with 18 years of experience as a firefighter, Spier said, there is no way to truly prepare for an emergency, such as a fire.

“You can bring safety measures. You can do anything you can imagine and you think is 100 percent safe, but then again, in the safety business, it’s always ‘what if?’,” Spier said. “We were prepared as much as we can be prepared – our sprinkler systems were there, fire alarm went off. Everything worked like it was supposed to, so we were prepared that way. Absolutely. Everybody knew their emergency exits. Everybody got out like they were supposed to and in a very timely manner.”

Fischer explained the sample room is in a remote area of the building away from production space.

Although it has not been decided, Spier expected another room to be set up as the sample room because the current room will require more work, including new ceiling tiles, sheetrock and insulation.

“Thankfully it was not a bigger situation, and thankfully no employees were in any imminent danger,” Fischer said.

Kilgore Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Amanda Nobles said she and others at Kilgore EDC were grateful for the fire departments’ work.

“Pak-Sher is a valuable and primary employer in our community, and we hope that everything works out for them, and we’re glad there certainly was not more loss of property and absolutely no loss of life or injuries,” she said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Elko, NV – Apartment cooking fire extinguished by sprinkler system

A cooking fire early Monday morning at the Villas at Riverside showed the importance of having a fire sprinkler system, according to the City of Elko fire department. Deputy Chief Brian Burgess said the resident had fallen asleep while waiting for food to be prepared. The fire caused the sprinkler system to activate. There was minor damage to the microwave, stove and upper cabinets, said Burgess.

He said residents were evacuated for only an hour and the affected apartment was able to be occupied afterwards. It also had mild water damage. “Had this building been an unprotected building, the fire would have likely caused severe damage to the building, displacing all of the residents (and) threatening the lives of the occupants,” said Fire Marshal Joshua Carson, explaining the value and importance of the system.

Even though there was mild fire and water damage, it was far less than what would have been seen in a building without that system, he said. In addition, he stressed how the system salvaged the property and protected the residents. They were alerted by a unit smoke alarm and fire alarm system.

Carson explained this fire comes at a significant time. The Fire Prevention Picnic this past weekend showcased the dangers of cooking-related fires and the benefits of residential fire sprinklers. The latter was exhibited by a live fire demonstration at the picnic, said Carson. “Elko Fire Department is a huge advocate for residential fire sprinklers,” he said. “We hope we can soon protect all of our newly constructed residential use buildings with this lifesaving technology.”

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