Tag Archives: Afternoon (12pm-6pm)

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Waterloo, IA – Sprinkler system keeps fire in check at distribution facility

Firefighters extinguished a blaze at a Waterloo warehouse company on Wednesday evening.

The blaze at Standard Distribution’s facility at 2251 Westfield Ave. broke out shortly before 5 p.m. when an outlet used to charge forklifts apparently overheated, according to Waterloo Fire Rescue officials.

The fire started to burn into a wall. An employee noticed the fire and attempted to douse it with an extinguisher, officials said. The facility was evacuated.

The fire triggered the building’s sprinkler system, which held it in check until firefighters finished it off.

Apartment Building, Residential

Clarkesville, GA – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire in apartment

Investigators say a cat is the cause of an apartment fire that occurred Sunday afternoon in Clarkesville.

Clarkesville Fire Department along with other emergency services was called to the Cameron Apartments at 3:10 p.m. for a fire alarm.

According to the release, when fire crews arrived they forced entry into the apartment and found smoke with one sprinkler turned on.

The sprinkler system was reportedly able to put out the fire in the kitchen area. Firefighters were able to contain the fire in the apartment. Officials say the fire did not spread throughout the building or to other apartments.

During the investigation, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire was caused by a cat that was inside the apartment.

The cat allegedly jumped on the refrigerator and knocked a bag off, onto the toaster.

Clarkesville Fire Chief Jason Poole said the cat in question had a history of jumping on the counter to get on top of the refrigerator.

The residents were not home at the time of the fire and all the pets in the apartment were saved by the firefighters.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Boone, NC – Sprinkler system extinguishes classroom fire at high school; No injuries reported

There was minor damage to some classrooms after a fire at Watauga High School on Thursday.

At approximately 4:24 PM the fire alarm and sprinkler system were activated in one of the classrooms on the main level of Watauga High School, according to Superintendent Dr. Scott Elliott.

A stovetop in the classroom was inadvertently activated when items were placed on top of the stove. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire before the fire spread to any other classrooms, according to Elliott.

There was minor fire damage to the walls and cabinetry, and extensive smoke and water damage to several classrooms on two floors. Dr. Elliott said they will spend the weekend getting everything cleaned up and repaired before the students return to class on Tuesday. 

“I am grateful to all the first responders, most especially the Boone Fire Department, and to our own maintenance and custodial staff for their quick response and assistance. Also, it is a good reminder to every single one of us to be careful around stoves and other appliances. This same thing could have happened in anyone’s home or place of work. In this case, we are fortunate that no one is injured and the classrooms can be repaired.” Dr. Elliott said.  

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Columbus, IN – Sprinkler system extinguishes lithium-ion battery fire; No injuries reported

Columbus firefighters were sent to Dorel Juvenile, 2525 State St., on a report of a fire in the building at 5:08 p.m. Monday.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find that an evacuation of the building was in process, said Capt. Mike Wilson. As crews prepared to investigate the incident, representatives of Dorel advised firefighters that a lithium-ion battery had begun to smoke within an office space on the interior of the building.

An interior fire attack crew entered the building and found a large amount of smoke within the facility. Firefighters located the area where the lithium-ion battery was stored and reported that the building’s automatic sprinkler system had activated. Firefighters reported that a fire had occurred in the area of the battery but the fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system by the time firefighters reached the area involved. Firefighters located two additional lithium-ion batteries in that area and removed all three batteries to the exterior of the building.

After shutting down the water supply to the building’s sprinkler system, firefighters set up ventilation fans to aid in smoke removal from the interior of the building. Fire damage to the building was minor in the area where the fire occurred. The fire caused cosmetic damage to one wall near the origin but did not cause structural damage. Due to the activation of the sprinkler system, water damage to the area where the fire occurred was more significant. No damage estimate was provided. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No injuries were reported at the scene.

Hospital/Care Facility, Other - Hospital/Medical

Zion, IL – Fire at Cancer Treatment Center extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire officials say a fire was quickly extinguished by a sprinkler system inside the Cancer Treatment Centers of America hospital in Zion Monday afternoon.

Zion Fire-Rescue District Lt. Ian Kennedy said dispatchers received notification from an alarm monitoring company around 12:23 p.m. Monday for a fire alarm that had been activated at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 2520 Elisha Avenue in Zion.

Firefighters arrived and found light smoke inside the building.

They also found a charred wall and a charred construction utility cart, Kennedy said. One sprinkler head had activated.

An investigation showed that workers cutting some type of material led to a power cord, which was in contact with copper and flammable materials, being damaged and causing the fire.

The fire occurred in an area of the hospital that was under construction, Kennedy said.

No patients or employees were near the immediate location of the incident. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters ensured the fire had not spread, performed ventilation and shut down the sprinkler system.

Zion Fire-Rescue Department Fire Chief Justin Stried said the hospital’s sprinkler system did its job and contained the fire until firefighters arrived and confirmed it had not spread.

Kennedy said it was a concern that there could have been considerable resource needs for patients, families and employees should the fire have turned out bigger than it was.

The Winthrop Harbor Fire Department assisted Zion firefighters at the scene. A preliminary estimate shows there was $5,000 in damage.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Madison, GA – Sprinkler system activated for fire in restaurant kitchen

One of Madison’s most popular restaurants, Ricardo’s Kouzzina, is closed temporarily after a kitchen fire broke out on Tuesday, Nov. 1, damaging floors and essential equipment necessary to operate the upscale eatery.

According to Owner Ricardo Casillas, a gas hose connected to one of the stoves combusted and burst into flames during the end of the lunch rush on Nov. 1.

“It was around 1:30 p.m. when the fire broke out. It got bad but we were able to evacuate all of our customers and employees quickly,” said Casillas.

According to Casillas, the restaurant’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire before it spread too far beyond the kitchen. However, there is also water damage to parts of the kitchen and dining areas due to the sprinklers.

“The fire mostly damaged flooring and kitchen equipment,” said Casillas. “There was also some damage to the floors in the dining area where servers prepare drinks.”

Casillas is hoping to reopen the restaurant to the public by Nov. 17, but is not certain if that is possible.

“That’s the hope, it could be sooner or longer. It’s not really up to me,” said Casillas. “We are working with different contractors on the repairs and replacing equipment. It’s just such a busy time and a lot of contractors are behind. But we are doing everything we can and working hard to reopen to the public as soon as possible.”

Ricardo’s Kouzzina is located at 271 West Washington St. in Madison. The downtown restaurant is known for its seafood cuisine, Italian dishes, and family-friendly atmosphere.

Casillas moved to the United States from Mexico in the 1980s, first to California and eventually finding his way to Georgia in the mid-1990s. He has been a long-time chef in Athens and Madison, operating different restaurant ventures before opening Ricardo’s Kouzzina in 2013. 

Casillas said he is thankful for the community support and patience as he and his staff work to repair the restaurant after the fire.

“We look forward to opening again and getting back to what we do best,” said Casillas.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Baton Rouge, LA – Sprinkler system extinguishes chemical reaction fire

A building along North Boulevard was saved by its sprinkler system Tuesday afternoon when cleaning supplies had a chemical reaction and started a fire. 

According to the Baton Rouge Fire Department, the A1 Professional Services building along North Boulevard was saved by the sprinklers that completely extinguished the fire. 

When firefighters arrived, several floor mats, mop heads and other products were smoldering. 

Fire officials said the fire was contained to products inside the building. 

College/University (on campus), School / University

Coral Gables, FL – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire on university campus; No injuries reported

The Coral Gables Fire Department responded to a blaze on the campus of the University of Miami.

It happened Sunday afternoon after officials said a fire sparked in a science classroom.

According to Coral Gables Fire, the building sprinkler system was able to put out the flames and contain it to its room of origin.

Firefighters said chemicals were involved, so a City of Miami Hazmat team was deployed to monitor air quality as an additional precaution.

Hazmat officials gave an all clear, indicating that the chemicals in the fire were contained and did not spread, and they are no longer present.

No injuries were reported.

Office Building, Other Business

Lapeer, MI – Sprinkler system contains forklift fire at commercial building

Lapeer Fire & Rescue, along with the Elba Township Fire Dept., were called out Monday afternoon at 3:12 p.m. to Hydraulic Tubes and Fitting at 434 McCormick Ave. to a report of a forklift on fire inside the building.

When the first Lapeer truck arrived on scene firefighters found the sprinkler system had activated which contained the fire to the forklift. Firefighters advanced into the building and extinguished the fire without incident, said Lapeer Fire & Rescue Chief Mike Vogt.

“Damage was limited to the forklift, however smoke did fill a majority of the building. One employee was evaluated by Lapeer County EMS for possible smoke inhalation, but was not transported to the hospital.

“This incident is an excellent example of how important sprinkler systems are to businesses,” said Vogt. “The sprinkler system was effective at containing the fire, allowed the employees to exit the building in safe conditions, and limited overall damage to the business. We also are thankful that employees called 911 quickly. Early notification is also a critical step in persevering life and property.”

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Airdrie, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire in commercial building; No injuries reported

On Monday afternoon, September 26, Airdrie’s fire department received a call at 4:04 p.m. for a structure fire in Highland Park Green NE.

“On arrival, fire crews found fire in a large, commercial refuse container near the loading door of a commercial building. A nearby closed overhead door was damaged due to its proximity to the fire but prevented the blaze from spreading to the inside of the building,” stated a city press release.

A single fire sprinkler head inside was activated by heat and smoke and crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and turn off the water to the building’s sprinkler system.

No injuries were reported and the fire is being investigated by the Fire Prevention Bureau. A total of four fire apparatus and 12 firefighters were on the scene.