Apartment Building, Dry Cleaner, Residential, Retail

Two structural fires are controlled by fire sprinklers (McKinney, TX)

Two fires that occurred recently had two items in common — fire sprinklers were in place and minimal structural damage occurred. The first fire, which took place in an apartment kitchen, was contained by a single fire sprinkler. A dry cleaning store sustained the other fire after business hours, and two fire sprinklers helped to control the fire until fire crews came. Fire Marshall Andrew Barr further emphasized fire sprinklers value when he said, “These two successful sprinkler saves demonstrate the effectiveness of automatic fire sprinkler systems in two very different environments – an apartment complex and a commercial building. Had a sprinkler system, or automatic fire suppression system, not been present in either building, the outcome may have been very different.”

Retail, Shopping Mall

Fire sprinkler credited with saving ten businesses from fire destruction (Bremerton, WA)

A fire that started in the kitchen of a restaurant activated the unit’s alarm as well as its fire sprinklers. The sprinkler system extinguished most of the fire, which was contained to the kitchen, before fire crews arrived.

In 1998 in the same location, a different restaurant had a fire break out in their kitchen. However the outcome of that fire was quite different – that restaurant, which did not have fire sprinklers, sustained an estimated $1.2 million loss. Comparatively, the restaurant fire that was protected with a fire sprinkler system sustained an estimated $5,000 in property loss.
 
According to Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue spokesperson Ileana LiMarzi, “The fire was significant enough that three sprinkler heads were activated. Without the activation of the sprinkler system this fire would have quickly spread throughout the structure and potentially destroyed the nine other businesses housed in the building.”

No injuries were reported due to the fire.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Fire sprinkler system helps fire crews eliminate commercial fire (Gainesville, GA)

A bale of scrap plastic was the start of an evening fire that broke out in a commercial building. Fire sprinklers, however, were able to contain the flames until firefighters arrived. Fire crews used heavy equipment to remove materials to ensure the fire was out and investigators are determining what started the fire. No injuries were reported. 

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

YMCA fire contained by fire sprinkler system (Longview, OR)

Fire crews who responded to a fire in the sauna of a YMCA found the flames mostly doused by one of the building’s fire sprinklers.  The fire began due to a rubber mat being placed over the sauna’s heater in the women’s locker room, and thanks to the sprinkler system, fire damage was limited to that area, and no one was reported injured.

Longview Fire Marshal Jim Kambitz stated, “Without the fire sprinkler activation, this fire could have caused much more damage and placed lives at risk.”

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Fire sprinkler system contains manufacturing plant blaze (Auburn, ME)

An afternoon fire that began in one of the processing machines at a fabric manufacturing plant was limited by the building’s fire sprinkler system. Firefighters arrived soon thereafter to douse the remaining flames. “This is exactly what should have been done,” Fire Chief Frank Roma stated. No one was reported injured as a result of the incident.

Other - Retail, Retail

Fire at sporting goods showroom extinguished by sprinkler system (Hood River, OR)

Fire crews were called to investigate a fire. Upon arrival, fire crews found a fire fully extinguished by a single fire sprinkler in the Dakine showroom. The fire was confined to a small portion of one wall, with minor smoke damage to the remaining products in the show room. They said an electrical failure of one of the heating elements caused a shower of sparks and molten aluminum to fall down onto the backpacks and garments on the showroom walls below, starting the fire. “Fire sprinklers saved this building,” Fire Chief Devon Wells said. “The fire was quickly put out and fire damage was kept to a minimum.”

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Sprinkler system helped college students evacuate from resident hall fire (Philadelphia, PA)

205 students and 5 RAs of Race Street Hall were evacuated from the building around 1:30 a.m. due to a fire on the sixth floor. It is unclear at this time what caused the fire. Heasley and Subir Sahu, assistant dean of Residential Living, wrote in an email to campus residents, “A fire occurred in Race Street Hall, causing fire sprinkler systems to activate. There were no injuries, and all fire suppression systems operated correctly.”*** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by The Triangle and journalist Ainslie Rhoads, who focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system. ***

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Sprinkler system contains middle school computer lab fire (Norwich, CT)

The fire happened about 2:30 a.m. on a Monday morning in a second-floor science laboratory when a computer ignited and triggered the school’s sprinkler system. A melted computer sat on a workbench in the rear of the room next to several others that appeared undamaged. Officials couldn’t say how the computer caught fire. “When the crews went down the hallway to investigate, they were met by heavy smoke and water from the sprinklers,” Taftville Fire Chief Timothy Jencks said. “But they (the sprinklers) did their job and held the flames in check.”

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