Apartment Building, Residential

Naperville, IL – Sprinkler system activated for residential kitchen fire; No injuries reported

At 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday February 8th, Naperville’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) received an alarm on their board for an activated fire alarm in the 1800 block of North Naperville Road. Naperville 911(PSAP) dispatched a general alarm assignment consisting of 10 pieces of fire apparatus and 24 personnel including an Incident Commander and Incident Safety Officer to the reported address. 

At 1:45 a.m. the first vehicle arrived on scene and noted many of the occupants were in the process of evacuating. As the crews began investigating the alarm, they encountered light smoke and an activated sprinkler head in the kitchen. Fire companies located a trash can that was burning in the cooking area. The sprinkler system kept the fire in check until it could be fully extinguished by fire service personnel. At 1:52 a.m. the fire was fully extinguished. Crews remained on the scene another 30 minutes assisting the building management with the sprinkler system.  

The cause is fire was ruled accidental.  There were no injuries to any occupants or firefighters while operating on scene and the building was deemed to be habitable, however, the kitchen will remain closed until it can be inspected by county health department The fire is estimated to have caused less than $500 in damages.

Apartment Building, Residential

College Station, TX – Sprinkler system activated for fire caused by electric skateboard battery

Several residents at a College Station apartment complex were temporarily displaced after a fire Monday night.

A resident at the Woodlands of College Station complex on Harvey Mitchell Parkway called 911 around 8:30 p.m. after he heard a pop in his bedroom, according to a College Station Fire Department spokesman.

A fire started to spread into a bedroom wall, but the sprinkler system kept the flames from spreading until firefighters arrived.

The College Station Fire Department said an electric skateboard battery caused the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Clarkesville, GA – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire in apartment

Investigators say a cat is the cause of an apartment fire that occurred Sunday afternoon in Clarkesville.

Clarkesville Fire Department along with other emergency services was called to the Cameron Apartments at 3:10 p.m. for a fire alarm.

According to the release, when fire crews arrived they forced entry into the apartment and found smoke with one sprinkler turned on.

The sprinkler system was reportedly able to put out the fire in the kitchen area. Firefighters were able to contain the fire in the apartment. Officials say the fire did not spread throughout the building or to other apartments.

During the investigation, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire was caused by a cat that was inside the apartment.

The cat allegedly jumped on the refrigerator and knocked a bag off, onto the toaster.

Clarkesville Fire Chief Jason Poole said the cat in question had a history of jumping on the counter to get on top of the refrigerator.

The residents were not home at the time of the fire and all the pets in the apartment were saved by the firefighters.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Omaha, NE – Sprinkler system activated for fire at strip mall; No injuries reported

The Omaha Fire Department is investigating a fire at a strip mall Sunday morning.

According to the Omaha Fire Department, at 8:44 a.m. Sunday, crews were called to a one-story strip mall at 10841 Q Street. Dispatch received multiple calls reporting a large amount of black smoke coming from the building.

When crews arrived they entered and reported poor visibility inside. They searched the structure and found a fire that was controlled by an automatic sprinkler system. The fire was extinguished quickly by firefighters.

The Omaha Fire Department says no injuries were reported by fire personnel at the time.

Damage was estimated at $15,000 to the structure and another $50,000 to its contents.

Investigators are looking into what caused the fire.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Richland, WA – Sprinkler system activated for possible arson fire at senior citizen apartment complex

Richland Fire and Police were dispatched to the Tri-Cities Terrace Apartments around 2:30 a.m. on January 24 for a fire alarm.

Residents of the apartment complex for senior citizens reported seeing smoke and flames.

According to an RPD press release the sprinkler system in the building did its job and prevented the fire from spreading. Most of the damage from the incident was from the sprinklers rather than fire.

67 residents were either evacuated or sheltered-in-place. One resident was transported to the hospital for a medical evaluation according to today’s press release.

The Richland Fire Marshal Investigator and the RPD Arson Investigator are working to determine the cause of the fire. Multiple suspicious fires were reportedly lit in the building. There are currently no suspects.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Minneapolis, MN – Sprinkler system activated for overnight arson fire at Target

Minneapolis police say a burglary suspect confessed to starting a fire inside the Target Express on Lake Street after breaking in to the store early Tuesday morning. 

Police spokesman Officer Garrett Parten says squads were dispatched to the store at 1300 West Lake Street around 3:40 a.m. after reports of a business burglary. Responding officers noticed a damaged door, went into the Target and found a suspect inside. While that man was being booked he reportedly told police he had started a fire inside a garbage can. 

Parten says the fire activated a sprinkler inside the store. 

Fire crews arrived about 5 minutes later, laid down water lines and extinguished what little remained of the fire and subsequent hot spots. The building sprinklers were then shut down. 

At this point there are no reports on the extent of water damage caused by the incident. 

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Grantsboro, NC – Sprinkler system activated for fire at restaurant; No injuries reported

Multiple departments in Pamlico and Craven Counties were responding to a fire at a restaurant in Grantsboro Monday morning.

The fire was at The Great Wall restaurant, next to Food Lion.

The sprinkler system kept the fire under control, according to a responding fire marshal. Crews got on the scene and doused the flames that were confined to the kitchen, although the kitchen did receive significant damage. Crews had to break the front and back doors to get into the restaurant.

There was no damage to the rest of the plaza.

No one was reported as hurt.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Kingstree, SC – Sprinkler system activated for plastic fire at warehouse

The Williamsburg County Fire Department responded to a large fire at the Solmax warehouse the morning of Jan. 21.

At 2:19 a.m., the fire department announced units were operating at a commercial fire at the manufacturer’s warehouse just outside of Kingstree. Over 100 large rolls of plastic were burning outside the main storage facility and there were several fires inside the storage facility.

The fires inside the warehouse were largely dosed by the facility’s sprinkler system, according to the fire department.

Fire officials said the outside fire was under control around 2:23 a.m., but they remained on scene to keep the flames down and clean up equipment. Mutual aid was provided by the Kingstree Fire Department and the South Lynches Fire Department.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), according to the Williamsburg County Fire Department.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Lethbridge, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at processing plant

​At approximately 9:25 p.m. Saturday, January 14, five stations responded to 2200 block of 31 Street North after reports of a fire in a commercial processing plant. 

On arrival, crews found staff had exited the building and reported that the fire inside had been extinguished by the sprinkler system and staff. 

Two crews remained on scene to assist with smoke evacuation and sprinkler shut down.

The fire is under investigation and there is no estimate of damage at this time.

Other - Retail, Retail

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system activated for trash compactor fire outside of retailer; No injuries reported

An employee at an east side retailer noticed smoke coming from a trash compactor chute Monday morning, approximately a half-hour after tossing a few bags of trash into the chute. Upon opening the door to the compactor, the employee discovered flames inside. He discharged multiple fire extinguishers in an attempt to put out the fire, but his efforts were unsuccessful.

Firefighters received the 911 dispatch at 9:29 a.m. and responded to the 2452 East Springs Drive. All occupants safely evacuated the building prior to firefighters’ arrival.

Engine Co. 8 located a large compactor near the loading docks outside the building. A sprinkler inside the compactor chute had already activated, but there was still active fire inside the compactor container. Engine 8 connected to a hydrant, and Medic 8 brought an attack line to the compactor. Firefighters sprayed water into the compactor, and a tow truck was requested to help pull it away from the building. Once the compactor was pulled away, firefighters shut down the internal fire sprinklers system. Engine Co. 5 assisted with overhauling the contents inside the compactor and extinguishing any remaining fire. No injuries were reported.

The exact cause of the fire could not be determined. Investigators and store employees could not rule out the possibility that a lithium ion battery may have been discarded and placed inside the compactor.

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