Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Sprinkler system aids firefighters at health club fire (Owensboro, KY)

January 16, 2014 viking210

A health club had a fire occur in one of it’s clothes dryers. The dryer, which was full of towels, caught fire, and the outside of the unit began to burn. The heat from the fire activated the fire sprinkler which was near it; the sprinkler controlled the fire until fire crews arrived. Thirty people were in the building when the fire occurred but were able to evacuate safely.

Government/Military, Public Library

Fire at library halted by single sprinkler (Lake Forest, IL)

January 16, 2014 viking210

At around 9:15 p.m. on January 14, the Lake Forest Fire Department was called to the Lake Forest Library when heavy smoke was reported coming from the building. Fire crews, confirming that there were no occupants in the building, reported that the fire began when a broken light bulb fell from the ceiling and ignited a chair. A single fire sprinkler controlled the fire from spreading. There were no injuries reported.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Fire sprinkler puts out fire at hotel (Rocky Mount, NC)

January 15, 2014 viking210

Fire sprinklers stopped an early morning fire from spreading at a Doubletree Hotel on Wednesday, January 15. One of the hotel’s guest smelled smoke at about 6 a.m. and pulled the a fire alarm. When fire crews arrived, they found a small amount of smoke coming from a fourth floor room that was unoccupied. In response to the heat from the fire, the room’s fire sprinklers had activated, which kept the fire from spreading. Investigators believe the fire began because of an electrical malfunction near the heating unit in the fourth floor room. No one was injured in the incident.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Restaurant fire squelched by sprinkler system (Crookston, MN)

January 15, 2014 viking210

When a fire broke out in a restaurant kitchen on Monday morning, the restaurant’s fire sprinkler put out the flames. Investigators believe the fire began when an overheated aerosol cooking spray and exploded, and that the fire quickly started near the kitchen’s exhaust system. No injuries were reported.

Residential, Single Family Home

Sprinklers prove worth in house fire (Antioch, CA)

January 15, 2014 viking210

A two-story home caught fire on Tuesday night following what investigator’s believe was a spark near the home’s fuse box. Fire crews were able to put the fire out within minutes.

“What’s fortunate is that it was a brand new home, and it contained a sprinkler system,” fire Inspector Steve Aubert of the Contra Costa Fire Protection District. “That kept the fire to its point of origin. The damage was very, very minimal.”

No one was injured in the incident, and the exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Sprinklers extinguish multiple fires set by arsonists at a high school (Kusa, CO)

January 14, 2014 viking210

Police are looking for the three individuals who broke into, vandalized, and ignited a fire at a high school after midnight on January 13. The vandals broke some windows in the school, vandalized the computer lab, and started multiple fires in the band room. The school’s fire sprinkler extinguished the fire before it could spread to other classrooms. No one was injured in the blaze.

Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinklers keep fire from spreading in apartment fire (Crofton, MD)

January 13, 2014 viking210

On the afternoon of January 9, a fire was called into the Anne Arundel County Firefighters at a three story apartment building. The fire, which started on the balcony of a second floor unit, had quickly spread into the living room, where a fire sprinkler activated and contained the fire until fire crews arrived. A 20-year old male was in the apartment at the time of the fire, and he remained uninjured from the incident. The fire department was able to extinguish the remaining flames within 20 minutes of arrival, and investigators report that the fire was caused by improperly disposed smoking materials.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Fire at manufacturing facility contained by fire sprinkler system (Conroe, TX)

January 13, 2014 viking210

A fire broke out at Pentair Industries on Saturday morning, and firefighters arrived to the scene at approximately 7 a.m. The origin of the fire was a filter drying oven, and the building’s fire sprinkler system activated and kept the fire from spreading beyond that point. Fire crews extinguished the remaining blaze, and no injuries were reported. 

The City of Conroe’s Fire Marshal’s Office reported that this incident displayed the effectiveness of properly installed and maintained fire sprinkler systems in reducing injuries, loss of life, and loss of property due to fire.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Sprinklers squelch hotel clubhouse fire (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL)

January 9, 2014 viking210

Investigators are still looking into the cause of a fire which began in a hotel clubhouse on Wednesday afternoon. Fire crews arrived to the clubhouse after receiving reports of a fire; upon entering the building, they found no fire or smoke thanks to the building’s fire sprinklers, which put out the flames prior to their arrival. There were no injuries reported.

Department Store, Retail

Fire sprinklers minimize damage at Ace Hardware (Piedmont, CA)

January 9, 2014 viking210

When a fire began in the storage room of an Ace Hardware just after four in the morning on Sunday, January  6, the fire sprinkler system in that back room activated, minimizing the potential damage from the fire. Investigator’s believe the fire began due to an electrical malfunction, and no one was injured in the incident. The store reopened on Monday, January 7.