Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Los Angeles, CA – Hotel fire kept in check by sprinkler system

Two people were hospitalized with minor injuries suffered in a fire Sunday on the 22nd floor of the 33-story Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

The fire appeared to be largely in or near a utility or service area (trash receptacle, ice machine, etc.) at the iconic structure, authorities said.

A third person treated at the scene declined further care, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Firefighters were dispatched at 6:49 a.m. to the greater alarm blaze at 404 S. Figueroa St., Humphrey said.

The fire, which was held in check by the structure’s sprinkler system, was under control at 7:20 a.m., he added.

“Staff and patrons who calmly and safely evacuated the iconic building are now being provided hotel access, with patrol below the 22nd floor being allowed to return to guest accommodations,” Humphrey said. “Many of the 113 firefighters assigned to this incident are now working closely with hotel staff to manage residual smoke on floors 22-66 and localized water removal on floors 21 and 22.”

Retail, Shopping Mall

Riverside, CA – Sprinkler system activated for electrical fire at shopping center

An electrical malfunction triggered a fire at a Riverside shopping center that caused $15,000 in property damage to one business and left a firefighter with minor injuries, officials said Tuesday.

The blaze was reported at 7:20 p.m. Monday at 11070 Magnolia Ave., near La Sierra Avenue, on the city’s west side.

Riverside Fire Department Battalion Chief Garrett Coryell said nearly two dozen firefighters arrived to find a “working structure fire in the front office” of one of the businesses.

The fire was fully contained within 20 minutes to the room of origin and was traced to a failed electrical component, he said.

The building’s anti-fire sprinkler system activated during the blaze, causing some water damage, Coryell said.

He said one crew member suffered unspecified minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Dayton, OH – Sprinkler system holds fire in check until fire crews arrive; No injuries reported

An alert employee on Tuesday morning noticed a fire, shut down equipment involved and warned other workers before calling 911.

Crews responded around 7:45 a.m. to Polymershapes, 1680 Blauser Drive, for a report of a fire near a compressor.

The building, which houses three separate businesses, was evacuated before crews arrived and no injuries were reported, according to a release from Cameron Haller, chief of emergency services.

The sprinkler system held the fire in check, which was in a processing area on the southwest side of the building. Firefighters were able to quickly put it out.

The fire started near an industrial air compressor. The cause is undetermined but is unintentional. The total estimated loss to the structure is not yet determined, but the air compressor, which was destroyed in the fire, has an estimated value of $100,000, Haller said.

The two other businesses in the building were able to return to normal operations.

Polymershapes offers a variety of plastic fabrication.

In addition to Tipp City Fire/EMS, West Milton, Bethel Twp., Troy and Vandalia fire departments assisted at the scene.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Madison, WI – Fire at university kept under control by sprinkler system until fire crews arrived; No injuries reported

A sprinkler kept an oven fire under control at the UW-Madison Wisconsin Energy Institute on Tuesday until fire crews arrived to put it out, authorities reported.

Fire crews were sent to the building in the 1500 block of University Avenue at 1:20 p.m. and arrived at 1:24 p.m. to find no smoke or fire showing from the five-story building, though people were evacuating, Madison Fire Department spokesperson Cynthia Schuster said in a statement.

A building manager told firefighters there was a fire in an autoclave room, prompting Engine 4 to upgrade the call to a full structure fire response, and additional fire crews were sent, Schuster said.

As the other crews responded, Engine 4 went to the autoclave room, where a fire sprinkler above an oven kept a fire at bay. The oven was open, and a small amount of fire continued to burn inside. Firefighters extinguished that fire with a water can extinguisher, Medic 4 shut down the sprinkler system, and Ladder 1 assisted with ventilation, Schuster said.

The investigation determined that some plastic items that normally are cleaned in an autoclave, but are not oven-safe, were accidentally placed in the oven. Someone working in the lab noticed smoke coming from the room, and when they opened the oven to check on it, incoming oxygen fueled the fire and caused it to flare up. Attempts to put out the fire with a dry chemical extinguisher failed, and the fire alarm was pulled to prompt a building evacuation, Schuster said.

No one was injured, but there was significant damage to the oven and autoclave room, Schuster said.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Pennsauken, NJ – Sprinkler system contains warehouse fire

Firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire at Sonoco Corp. on Aug. 27, the second fire at the same facility reported this year.

The Monmouth Junction Fire Department was dispatched to the Sonoco Corp. at 5 Stults Road off Route 130 in the Dayton section of South Brunswick for a fire alarm activation around 8 p.m. Aug. 27.

Shortly after receiving the call from the alarm company reporting the fire alarm, employees from the business called 9-1-1 and reported an active fire in the warehouse, according to information provided by the South Brunswick Police Department.

Monmouth Junction Fire Chief Scott Smith and Deputy Chief Sean Wert arrived to find a heavy smoke condition inside the building, according to reports.

Firefighters stretched hoselines inside and located palletized goods on fire, which was quickly contained, according to the statement.

A total of 10 fire trucks and over 50 firefighters responded to the two-alarm fire, including firefighters from Monmouth Junction, Kendall Park, Kingston, Jamesburg, Plainsboro, North Brunswick Co. No. 2, Monroe Fire District No. 3 and Hightstown.

Several large trailer-mounted fans from the Edison Fire Department were used to help ventilate the smoke condition created by burning plastic and cardboard.

Firefighters from Brookview, East Brunswick District No. 1, Griggstown and Montgomery Fire Co. No. 2 covered South Brunswick fire stations during the incident.

Ambulances from South Brunswick, North Brunswick and Monroe responded to the fire.

One firefighter was treated at the scene for heat stress and transported to Princeton hospital as a precaution, according to the statement.

“Fortunately, the sprinkler system contained the fire to several palletized stacks of goods in the warehouse,” Smith said in the statement. “It was a humid evening, so we had to rotate our firefighters frequently as they moved goods in the heavily packed warehouse in order to reach the seat of the fire to complete extinguishment. We even had firefighters operating fork-lifts to move unburned product.”

The fire is under investigation by the South Brunswick Township Fire Safety Bureau.

Apartment Building, Residential

Overland Park, KS – Sprinkler system contains apartment fire; No injuries reported

Eleven apartment buildings were damaged Saturday after a fire broke out.

Firefighters were called about 3:15 p.m. Saturday to Promontory Apartments at 8905 Metcalf Ave. When crews arrived on scene smoke and fire could be seen in a fourth-floor apartment. 

Firefighters from Overland Park, Consolidated Fire District No.2, Leawood, and Lenexa responded to extinguish the fire, search for trapped occupants and evacuate the remainder of the building.

A second alarm was requested to provide relief to fire crews and also assist salvage efforts of the adjoining apartment units.

Fire damage was contained to the apartment of origin by the building’s fire sprinkler system and was fully extinguished by fire crews. An additional 10 apartments were damaged by water or smoke as a result of the fire.

No injuries were reported.

The Red Cross was on scene to provide temporary lodging for residents affected. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Corpus Christi, TX – Sprinkler system activated for fire at paper company

Firefighters were called out to the Gulf Coast Paper Company Warehouse around 6:45 p.m. Sunday after several reports made to 911.

Fire crews saw smoke coming from the building when they arrived at the scene and quickly made their way inside.

“With this being a paper company with a fire of that magnitude certainly the lead time between fire and smoke it certainly could’ve gotten a whole lot worse there’s a lot of fire load inside and the sprinkler system certainly saved the day today,” said Battalion Chief David Saenz.  

The building has some water and fire damage, and officials say they will be investigating the actual cause of that blaze.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Woodbridge, NJ – Sprinkler system helps contain fire at mall; No injuries reported

The Woodbridge Center Mall was briefly evacuated Tuesday night after a small electrical fire broke out at Salad Bistro, located inside the mall.

All mall employees and everyone shopping inside was told to leave the mall immediately.

The fire was contained between the ansel system, the sprinkler system and a fire extinguisher; it was quickly extinguished, according to Amy Bellisano, general manager of the Woodbridge Center Mall.

Nobody was injured. All businesses inside the mall, except Salad Bistro, opened as normal on Wednesday. All the water was also cleaned up.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Louisville, KY – Fire at walmart extinguished by sprinkler system before fire crews arrived; No injuries reported

A fire that broke out inside the Walmart in the Valley Station neighborhood Wednesday night was extinguished quickly by the sprinkler system, according to fire officials.

PRP Fire chief Doug Recktenwald said the sprinkler system put out the fire before the fire department arrived at the store on Dixie Highway, which is near Valley High School. 

As heavy smoke filled the store and alarms sounded, everyone was safely evacuated from the store, according to a MetroSafe supervisor. No one was injured in the fire. 

A MetroSafe supervisor said they received a report of a fire inside the store in the bedding section. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by fire investigators. One Walmart shopper told WDRB News they saw smoke coming from the ceiling. 

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

North Charleston, SC – Sprinkler system extinguishes electrical fire at gym; No injuries reported

A sprinkler system inside the Planet Fitness at the Northwoods Mall stopped a small fire on Tuesday morning from potentially getting much worse.

Firefighters said they were dispatched to the gym around 7:20 a.m. for a fire alarm.

A caller said there was a fire in the electrical room, and the call was upgraded to a commercial structure fire.

First arriving units found light smoke and an activated sprinkler head in the electrical room.

Crews said the sprinkler extinguished the fire.

According to the department, the fire was likely caused by an electrical appliance failing, overheating and igniting.

There were no injuries reported.

The gym will be closed while the electrical equipment is replaced.

Simple Share Buttons