Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Battle Creek, MI – Sprinkler system activated for large manufacturing fire

Two people suffered minor injuries from a large manufacturing fire Wednesday morning in Battle Creek.

Firefighters were called in at 9:25 a.m. to a building owned by Transcontinental Michigan at 155 Brook St., according to a news release.

Responding units arrived on scene to find smoke coming from the garage opening on the side of the building.

Rescue 3 pulled an attack hose line, made an interior attack and quickly gained control of the fire with help from the fire suppression sprinkler unit that was directly over the machine that was on fire.

Fire units then performed ventilation to remove the trapped smoke in the building and checked for fire extension.

No firefighters were injured, but two company employees were checked by EMS for smoke inhalation.

They did not go to the hospital, however.

The cause of the fire was a malfunctioning machine, according to the Battle Creek Fire Department.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Boise, ID – Sprinkler system contains fire at business

A sprinkler system prevented a small fire from growing into a large fire Wednesday at a business on Fairview Ave. and Cole Rd.

The fire started in a storage room at the business, according to Boise Fire Department. Crews were able to quickly put out the fire and vet the large amount of smoke due to the sprinklers.

“Fire sprinklers have proven their effectiveness over and over again,” said Support Services Assistant Chief Romeo Gervais. “The system operated quickly and only in the area of the fire, allowing businesses in the building to remain open or re-open much more quickly then after a devastating fire.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Hillsboro, OR – Sprinkler system activated for fire in apartment building

Firefighters say two people had to be rescued from an apartment fire in Hillsboro Wednesday morning.

At 10:08 a.m., a commercial fire alarm alert was received at the Washington County 911 dispatch center indicating fire sprinkler activation at 722 Northeast Autumncreek Way. Additional information to 911 reported white smoke coming from a third-floor apartment and that a person may be inside the unit.

The first fire engine arrived to find smoke showing from an upstairs unit and audible fire alarms. When firefighters made entry into the unit, they found heavy smoke, fire sprinklers flowing, and two persons inside the unit. Both people were rescued and taken safely down to awaiting paramedics.

The fire was quickly extinguished and contained to the single unit. The fire did not extend to any additional units but the apartment immediately below the fire was impacted by water from the sprinkler system.

A fire investigator determined the cause of the fire to be improper storage of smoking materials.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Frisco, TX – Fire at senior living community contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

The Frisco Fire Department on Monday announced an investigation into a fire that started in an apartment at the Watermere at Frisco independent senior living community, located at 4220 Cotton Gin Road.

The fire was contained in the apartment of origin due to the activation of the fire sprinkler system, the department stated. Dispatch was alerted by the alarm company of a ‘water flow’ alarm at 9:36 a.m. Sunday. The first unit arrived three minutes later. Frisco Fire responded with two engines, one ladder truck, and one battalion chief on the initial assignment due to it being an alarm investigation in a specialty risk structure, the department stated.

During the investigation by the first arriving unit, smoke was found in the building.

Additional units were requested as a working fire was declared. The fire, located in an apartment on the second floor, was kept small and not allowed to grow as rapidly due to the fire sprinklers that had activated when the fire began, the department stated. A total of 15 units and 35 personnel were dispatched to the fire. Eight units and 22 personnel were used to help mitigate the incident.

No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Utilities to the apartments damaged by fire or water have been shut off. Watermere a Frisco is a four-story independent senior living community.

Apartment Building, Residential

Quincy, MA – Apartment balcony fire kept in check by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A woman and her two dogs were kept safe from harm Monday morning after a pile of trash on her apartment’s third-floor balcony caught fire.

Quincy firefighters responded to a fire alarm Monday morning in Building F of the apartment complex at 500 Falls Blvd. A fire sprinkler was right above where the fire started and kept it under control until firefighters arrived, officials said. 

“They were storing some rubbish out on the deck on the third floor and it caught fire,” Quincy Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Gorman said. “They don’t know what was in there that could have caught, they don’t smoke or anything, but it just caught fire.”

Gorman said the woman was home with her pets when she smelled the smoke. She immediately left the building with her dogs and called the fire department. Firefighters were already on their way when she called because an alarm had come into the station, Gorman said. 

The building was evacuated, nobody was injured and damage was minimal. 

“There was very little damage. … The cards all lined up and everything came out right. Nobody got hurt and there was no damage, it was a best-case scenario,” Gorman said. 

The deputy chief said those living in the apartment were lucky for the outcome.

“It was the exact same scenario as the building across the street a few years ago that actually burned down,” he said. “It was the same thing. … They were very lucky.”

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Herndon, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes countertop fire; No injuries reported

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue were called out early Monday morning for the report of a fire in the Herndon area of the county, according to a post on the department’s official Twitter account.

Units were dispatched around 7:22 a.m., after a passerby reported a fire at building in the 2400 block of Centreville Road, according to the tweet. A fire sprinkler extinguished a small blaze on the countertop in the building. After determining that the fire had not extended, crews remained on the scene for remove smoke from the building.

Investigators determined the cause of the fire was an electrical event involving a power strip. No injuries were reported and damage was estimated to be $6,000.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Portland, ME – Fire at high school contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A fire that broke out early Sunday morning on the third floor of Westbrook High School was contained by an internal sprinkler system and by firefighters who scaled ladders to gain access to the classroom where it originated.

The sprinkler system at the unoccupied Stroudwater Street school activated, preventing the fire from spreading from the classroom to the rest of the wing, the Westbrook Fire Department said in a news release posted on its Facebook page.

Fire crews manning Engine 4 encountered heavy smoke and fire coming from the third floor upon their arrival. The fire was reported at 4:59 a.m. Firefighters entered the building and were able to quickly locate the source of the fire.

Engine 4 positioned the truck ladder to connect to the third floor. A hose line was stretched across the ladder and crews on the inside used the hose to bring the fire under control. Photos posted on Facebook show two exterior classroom windows that had to be broken to gain entry. The exterior walls of the classroom were charred by the heat.

An investigation revealed that the cause of the was electrical in nature, likely due to the improper use of an extension cord with a window air conditioner, according to the fire department.

The fire department received mutual aid from the South Portland Fire Department, the Portland Fire Department and the Gorham Fire Department. Falmouth and Scarborough sent units to cover the city’s fire stations.

No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Minot, ND – Sprinkler system extinguishes apartment fire; No injuries reported

Crews responded to a small fire in a fourth floor unit of the Artspace Lofts apartment complex in downtown Minot Wednesday afternoon, and a person was detained in the investigation, according to the Minot Fire Department.

Capt. Aaron Peterson said the call came in at 1:15 p.m. of the fire, and the apartment’s sprinkler system put the fire out.

Crews ventilated the building for smoke. Peterson said one tenant on the third floor was temporarily displaced due to water damage and is being set up in a hotel.

Peterson said no one was hurt.

Your News Leader has reached out to Minot Police for more information on the person detained and the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Evansville, IN – Fire contained by sprinkler system at shredding facility; No injuries reported

The Evansville Fire Department is investigating a business fire that took place on Wednesday evening.

EFD crews were dispatched to Piranha Mobile Shredding on Franklin Street on Wednesday after an alarm service reported a sprinkler system activation at the business.

The fire department says crews arrived at the business around 7:00 p.m. and found a heavy haze inside the building.

The fire involved a baler, where EFD says most of the fire was contained by the sprinkler system.

No injuries occurred as a result of the fire, and no structural damage was reported.

EFD says the fire remains under investigation at this time.

Apartment Building, Residential

Temple, TX – Apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Temple Fire & Rescue responded to a fire that almost displaced a family this Wednesday morning, July 21.

At 3:27 a.m. Temple Fire & Rescue dispatched to an apartment complex located on 2012 S. 31st St.

Three residents occupied the apartment, 2 adults and a child, and 16 personnel arrived on the scene along with The Temple Police Department and Temple EMS.

It was determined that the unit’s sprinkler system had extinguished the blaze. Additional apartment units received water damage from the sprinkler system as well.

Investigation revealed that the fire began with an unattended candle, and the fire department issued a warning on candle safety:

• Always keep a burning candle within sight.
• Keep candles away from anything combustible.
• Put candles out of reach of children.

“Fortunately, this situation did not result in further harm to anyone inside the home,” Public Information Officer Santos Soto said.

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