Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential, Residential High Rise San Diego, CA – Sprinklers help contain blaze at senior residential high-rise; No injuries May 19, 2015 viking210 A fire of unknown origin erupted in a City Heights senior-housing high-rise Monday afternoon. The non-injury blaze began spreading on the seventh floor of the 10-story building in the 4100 block of 42nd Street about 2:45 p.m., according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. It took crews about a half-hour to extinguish the flames, which appeared to have originated on or near an outdoor deck, SDFRD Capt. Joe Amador said. A built-in fire sprinkler helped keep the blaze from rapidly spreading prior to the arrival of emergency personnel, he said. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the unit where it originated, though several nearby ones sustained smoke and heat damage, according to Amador. Authorities evacuated about 70 people from the building and directed others to remain in their apartments for a time as a precaution. The American Red Cross was called in to help arrange interim lodging for those unable to return to their residences immediately.
Residential, Townhouse / Condominium Woodbridge, VA – Sprinklers contain fire in townhouse occupied by two adults and five children May 19, 2015 viking210 Two adults and five children are safe after a townhouse fire Sunday evening in Woodbridge, Va., officials said. The fire happened around 7 p.m. in the 2700 block of Corbin Court, Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department said. Crews found a kitchen fire contained by the home’s sprinkler system when they got to the home. Residents inside of the home were safely evacuated, officials added. The Red Cross is helping two adults and five children who were all displaced by the fire. Damages as of now are estimated at $10,000. Officials said the reduction in damages is due to the quick activation of the sprinkler system inside of the home. The fire remains under investigation.
Other - Residential, Residential Olympia, WA – Sprinkler system controls fire at homeless shelter May 18, 2015 viking210 A Sunday morning fire in Olympia was largely controlled by an automatic sprinkler system according to the Olympia Fire Department. About 10 a.m. Sunday, Olympia fire crews were dispatched to the homeless shelter operated by Family Support Services in the 800 block of Seventh Avenue Southeast. Once there, fire crews contained the fire to one apartment. They also evaluated two patients — one for a minor burn and the other for smoke inhalation. Both refused aid and were released at the scene, according to a news release. One firefighter at the scene also suffered a minor laceration. The cause of the fire appeared to be accidental, according to the news release.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Glen Ellyn, IL – Fire in maintenance building at golf course extinguished by sprinkler system May 18, 2015 viking210 A working sprinkler system is credited for preventing further damage at the Village Links Golf Course following a fire on Saturday. FIrefighters responded to the maintenance building at the golf course, which is owned and operated by the village of Glen Ellyn, at 12:37 p.m. on Saturday, according to a Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company press release. When they arrived, they reported a light haze showing. The fire had already been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system and was contained to the area where it started, according to the news release. No one was injured in the blaze. Damage costs are not currently available but fire officials reported minimal fire and water damage. There are 750 buildings in Glen Ellyn that are equipped with fire sprinklers. And there are currently over 500 new homes that added fire sprinklers since the village of Glen Ellyn passed a fire sprinkler ordinance, according to fire officials. In large structure fires, sprinklers operated 91 percent of the time and were effective in 87 percent of those fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. “Nationwide, sprinklers are credited with saving countless lives and property,” according to the news release. The cause of the fire at the Village Links Golf Course, 485 Winchell Way, remains under investigation.
Government Office, Government/Military Cleveland, OH – Sprinkler system contains overnight fire at government office May 18, 2015 viking210 According to Cleveland fire officials, a computer on the fourth floor caught fire at Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s headquarters at 3900 Euclid Avenue just after midnight Monday. The sprinkler system was triggered and contained the fire to the desk where the computer was located near the middle of the building. Cleveland firefighters said the windows in the building are bolted shut and that delayed them from clearing the smoke. Firefighters used four large fans to ventilate the building once the windows were opened. Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District CEO Julius Ciaccia Jr. said they will be open Monday and the damage was minimal to the area of the fire on the fourth floor. The scene was cleared just before 1:30 a.m.
Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential Los Angeles, CA – Late night dormitory fire at USC held in check by sprinkler system May 18, 2015 viking210 USC students knee deep in final exams evacuated a dormitory where a mattress caught fire last Sunday night. The fire, quickly extinguished by the Los Angeles Fire Department, left 12 people temporarily displaced and caused $2,500 in damage, more than half to the structure itself, according to a fire spokesman. No one was injured when the fire broke out at about 11:30 p.m. but about 60 people evacuated the building in the 600 block of W. 35th Street, fire and school officials said. Twelve students were relocated to other housing locations, according to USC Dept. of Public Safety Deputy Chief David Carlisle. The other students were allowed back into the residence at 12:30 p.m. Fire investigators determined that candles that were briefly left unattended caused the mattress fire in a room on the third floor, fire officials said. Fire sprinklers held the smoky fire in check before 20 firefighters put out the fire entirely. “If you’re going to use candles, be very, very careful as to how close those candles, or open flame, are going to be to anything that could catch fire,” Battalion Chief Jamie Moore said. Students said they got the message and would start taking the school rule against candle use in the dorms more seriously. “We have a candle in our room,” Vachuska said. “We never think to light it. Gonna throw that out!”
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential, Residential High Rise Dayton, OH – 8th floor fire at senior apartment building extinguished with help from sprinkler system May 16, 2015 viking210 Crews were dispatched to the senior living facility just before 7:30 p.m. Friday on a report of a fire in an apartment of a multi-story building. The fire originated in an eighth-floor apartment at Bethany Village, The sprinkler system activated and several medic units have been requested. Washington Twp. fire Capt. Ron Kern said the fire began in the kitchen of an eighth-floor apartment, and said the cause is under investigation. He also confirmed that two residents have been displaced because of water damage that occurred from floors eight to five.The building was being evacuated as fire crews arrived, Kern said, lauding staff for its quick work in starting that process when the fire alarm was activated. He did not know how many residents and staff had to be evacuated. We’re told by a maintenance worker at the facility that there was a fire in the kitchen of an apartment on the eighth floor, but it was quickly put out by firefighters and the building sprinkler system. Only the eighth floor was evacuated, fire officials said, and two units are now inhabitable because of water damage.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Hillsboro, OR – Sprinkler activates to help limit damage in fire at tool manufacturer May 16, 2015 viking210 A fire at a tool company in Hillsboro forced 120 employees to evacuate on May 15. After an hour of waiting outside, employees re-entered the building. No one was injured, but the fire caused some minor damage to the building. Investigators said the fire began in a dust filtration unit on the production floor of Davis Tool at 3740 Northwest Aloclek Place in Hillsboro. Fire damage extended up the exhaust duct of the dust unit, spreading smoke throughout the warehouse and activating a single roof fire sprinkler. Davis Tool produces precision-machined parts, sheet metal parts, and assemblies. Fire investigators believe that a spark from grinding operations near the dust filtration unit caused combustible particles to ignite. According to Hillsboro Fire and Rescue, the building had already been evacuated when they arrived. Firefighters reported smoke coming from the rear doors of the production area. A total of 24 Hillsboro Fire Department and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue firefighters responded, extinguishing the flames within 11 minutes.
Apartment Building, Residential Meriden, CT – Overnight apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system May 15, 2015 viking210 Firefighters responded to a stove fire in a room at The Infinity apartment complex on Bee Street. Shortly before 11:30 p.m., crews were dispatched to The Infinity, 390 Bee St. Upon arrival, it was determined the fire had already been put out. The sprinkler system was triggered, according to the fire department. Fire Marshal Steve Trella was on scene investigating the incident. There was damage above the stove, as well as minor water damage to the apartment and the room below.
Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Novato, CA – Single sprinkler prevents fire from spreading at restaurant May 15, 2015 viking210 An automatic sprinkler located above a dumpster next to a restaurant put out a fire Wednesday that could have spread to the restaurant, according to the Novato Fire District. Firefighters responded at about 10:30 p.m. to the fire in the dumpster in the 100 block of Vintage Way and verified that the fire was out. “This is a great example of how automatic fire sprinklers protect property, and keep businesses open,” Novato Battalion Chief, Fire Marshal Bill Tyler said in a statement. “If there was no fire sprinkler present, we could have had a large structure fire.” Crews replaced the sprinkler head and restored the automatic sprinkler system to its regular operating condition. Restaurant employees had discarded mesquite and hot coals into the dumpster, igniting the paper and cardboard inside. The sprinkler that put out the fire is on a wood trellis above the dumpster.
