A fire at the North Point Hollow condominium complex Thursday night caused only minor heat, smoke and water damage, after the condominium’s sprinkler system was activated by the fire, said James Mercready, director of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention. Smoke alarms alerted a neighbor, who called the fire in at 5:25 p.m., he said.
The Pleasant Plains and Silverton fire companies responded and upon arrival, Pleasant Plains Fire Chief David George forced entry into the first-floor unit and found a heavy smoke condition, Mercready said. Upon further investigation, George found a single fire sprinkler activated and spraying water in a bedroom where it appears the fire originated, he said.
“The effectiveness of fire sprinklers has once again been proven as there was only minor heat, smoke and water damage in the affected unit, with no structural damage occurring to the building,” Mercready said.
A fire sprinkler system alarm alerted firefighters to an incident at the Decatur Pines Senior Apartments at 5:22 p.m. Friday. It appeared there had been a fire in the bathroom of the apartment, but it was extinguished by the fire sprinklers.
Firefighters went to the third floor of the building, they found a fire sprinkler flowing water in one of the apartments. A woman was transported to University Medical Center for a first degree burn to one of her arms. A first-degree burn is similar to a sunburn, but a first-degree burn to a senior citizen is considered a serious matter and requires medical attention.
Fire investigators determined the fire was accidental. The woman was trying to use a can of aerosol deodorant, but the push button was not operating properly. The woman used a tool to pry it open, and the can started to spew out product into the air near a small candle burning on a bathroom sink. When the aerosol product reached the flame of the candle, it ignited and caused a flash fire, which lasted for only a second.
The flash fire activated the fire sprinkler, which quickly doused the flames and also sprayed water onto the woman, which probably limited her exposure to the heat of the fire which minimized her burn. Damage was estimated at $1,000 and was confined to the bathroom. There were no other reported injuries during the incident. Seniors that evacuated the three-story apartment building were allowed to return a short time later after firefighters were sure that fire was out.
Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers
