Boston, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at press box grandstand
“The fire was contained to the press box structure on the roof. The press box, the television control room, the former placing judges’ stand, the stewards’ stand, and the announcer’s booth, that entire area was destroyed,” said Chip Tuttle, the CEO of Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, which sold the property to HYM Development Company in 2017 but continues to lease and operate the simulcasting and advance deposit wagering business.
The grandstand has not been in use since live racing ended at the end of June 2019, although the clubhouse has remained open for simulcasting. Suffolk Downs conducted simulcasting Memorial Day and closed at 6:30 p.m. The fire broke out at 10 p.m. in the building that was constructed in 1935.
“Because the television control room was destroyed, we’re going to have some interruption of on-site simulcasting,” Tuttle said. “We’re just trying to ascertain today how long that’s going to be.”
He added that as soon as the fire started, the sprinkler system was deployed, and the Boston Fire Department responded immediately. Boston EMS crews were also on the scene.
The fire was classified as five-alarm by 11 p.m. Monday, and by 12 a.m. Tuesday it was a six-alarm blaze. Mutual aid partners from six additional fire departments across Metro Boston were called in. Boston Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey was in command on the scene and by midnight ordered all firefighters off the Suffolk Downs roof before the flames surged through it.
The Boston Fire Department tweeted that due to the limited water supply in the area, firefighters had to relay pump to get water to the structure, which is a maneuver that required thousands of feet of hose. Firefighters battled the blaze all night, and although it was contained by Tuesday morning, they were still visible on the scene Tuesday afternoon checking for hot spots and containing them.
HYM Development is in the process of repurposing the 161-acre racetrack property into a multi-mixed use development that will include 10,000 rental apartments, condominiums, office parks, restaurants, retail businesses, and entertainment venues. An official with HYM said May 31 that the fire damage did not affect the portion of the development currently under construction and that the redevelopment is continuing.
Repairs to the old grandstand are to be determined.
“Whether the building was ultimately coming down or part of it was going to be preserved, I don’t know,” Tuttle said.
Harahan, LA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Walmart; No injuries reported
In this video, you can see the fire blazing in a section of the store, located in the 5100 block of Jefferson Highway.
Firefighters got the call around 9:44 p.m.
Responders say that when they arrived, the sprinkler system was already activated.
“Currently, as of the cause, it’s under investigation by Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office, and our fire investigators,” said Chief Travis.
Officials also say a second fire happened this morning as a result of that first one, and electrical issues are to blame.
No one was hurt in either fire.
Port Royal, SC – Sprinkler system extinguishes multi-family apartment dwelling; No injuries reported
Fire crews responded to a kitchen fire at Laurel Hill Apartments in Port Royal just before 7 p.m. on Monday Upon arrival, crews reported light smoke showing from a three-story, multi-family dwelling.
Officials say the fire was quickly extinguished by a sprinkler system which prevented any injuries and further
damage to the apartment and surrounding apartments.
“Multi-family dwelling fires can be very dangerous for everybody involved, the sprinkler did its job by extinguishing the fire very quickly and preventing any injuries from occurring,” said Battalion Chief Matt Bowsher.
The City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department, Beaufort County EMS, and the Town
of Port Royal Police Department all responded to the fire.
Frisco, TX – Sprinkler system activated for commercial business fire; No injuries reported
The sprinkler system activated controlling the fire, according to information from the Frisco Fire Department’s Facebook page. Crews were able to quickly finish suppressing the fire. Fire damage was limited to a small area. There were no injuries and the fire is currently under investigation.
Cornelia, GA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at processing plant
Around 4:39 a.m. on May 8, firefighters from Cornelia, Demorest, and Baldwin responded to the report of an alarm sounding and smoke coming from inside the plant. Habersham County Emergency Services also responded to the commercial fire.
When firefighters arrived, they found light smoke coming from inside the main plant. No one was working inside the plant at the time of the fire, says Cornelia Fire Marshal Josh Hazle.
A four-person crew of firefighters entered the plant from the main parking lot side to begin locating the source of the smoke as other firefighters looked around the outside of the building. Within approximately five minutes, Hazel says the inside crew found a small fire on a conveyor belt in the plant’s poultry processing area.
“Five sprinkler heads had activated and most of the fire was out,” says Hazle.
After Fieldale maintenance arrived and turned off the sprinkler system and electricity, fire personnel finished the job. They extinguished the small remaining fire with an extinguisher.
“Damage was contained to the one piece of equipment and the control wires above it thanks to the sprinkler system,” says Hazle. “The smoke dissipated quickly after the fire was extinguished, and no ventilation was needed.”
Fieldale maintenance and sub-contractors immediately began working to repair the damage so that normal plant operations could resume Monday.
Firefighters determined the fire was caused by a short in a light fixture located about the conveyor belt.
Madison, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported
A fire at a downtown Madison apartment caused minimal damage thanks to a sprinkler system.
Madison Fire Department crews were sent to the apartment in the 300 block of West Washington Ave. just before 8:30 p.m. Monday after a fire alarm activated.
Crews went to the fourth floor and noticed a slight haze in the hallway. An automatic sprinkler head was found to have activated in one of the apartments, and the resident was inside gathering their things. A charred plastic bag of groceries was found on the stove.
Officials said the person had left the groceries on the stove so that they could leave and move their car. The person was not sure how the stove may have been turned on but guessed that they had bumped a dial when setting the groceries down.
The sprinkler above the stove activated because of the heat of the fire, and quickly put it out. The groceries were the only thing damaged and no injuries were reported.
Rockford, IL – Sprinkler system contains fourth floor apartment fire; No injuries reported
Units first on scene say black smoke rolled out of a fourth floor apartment fire that started in the kitchen, but was mostly self contained the building sprinkler system.
No injuries to residents or firefighters were reported. Residents on the fourth floor were moved to lower levels, but no other evacuations were necessary.
Marion, IA – Sprinkler system activated for paper fire at recycling facility; No injuries reported
Sprinklers at Quincy Recycling prevented a paper fire from spreading early Wednesday morning.
The Marion Fire Department responded to the business in the 6200 block of North Gateway Drive for a paper pile smoldering around 3:20 am.
When crews arrived the pile had already been extinguished by the business’s deluge sprinkler system.
The fire started near the shredder and was confined to the discharge pile.
All occupants exited the building and no one was injured.
