Tag Archives: Afternoon (12pm-6pm)

Residential, Sorority / Fraternity

Sprinkler system aids firefighters in fraternity house fire (Medford, MA)

A fire began on the third floor of a college fraternity house on Wednesday, October 9, and fire crews are crediting the home’s fire sprinkler system with saving the building.

Somerville Fire Chief Kevin Kelleher said, “It’s a very old house, and without the fire sprinkler system, the fire would likely have spread to the roof.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but early reports indicate that it was an electrical fire. There were no injuries reported.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Sprinklers make the difference in a condo fire on the 17th floor (Grand Rapids, MI)

Fire sprinkler system quickly extinguished a cooking fire on the 17th floor of the River House Condos on Tuesday. A grease fire on the stovetop spread to kitchen cabinets in a condo about 4:30 pm. The sprinkler system put out the flames. Firefighters had to reach the 17th floor to shut off the water, said Grand Rapids Fire Battalion Chief Kevin Sehlmeyer.

***Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by MLive, who focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system ***

Other - School / University, School / University

Fire sprinklers prove worth in college apartment fire (Nashville, TN)

A fire which began in the kitchen of one of Vanderbilt University’s apartment units was quickly extinguished by the building’s fire sprinkler system on the afternoon of Saturday, October 6. The suspected cause of the fire was an unattended pan on a heated stove which then ignited. All of the resident’s were able to evacuate the apartment safely, and no one was injured.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Fire sprinkler douses dryer fire in group home (Las Vegas, NV)

Las Vegas and North Las Vegas firefighters responded to the adult assisted care group home after clothes in a dryer caught fire. The clothes dryer was in a laundry room with an automatic fire sprinkler in it. When the dryer caught fire, the sprinkler activated and kept the fire confined to the dryer. The eight elderly residents were able to escape without injury.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Shopping mall reopens quickly after fire, thanks to sprinkler system (Fort Wayne, IN)

A fire in a storage area at Glenbrook Square set off sprinklers and alarms Saturday, forcing shoppers and employees to evacuate the north-side mall, which was able to reopen several hours later.  At 3:32 p.m., Fort Wayne fire crews were dispatched to the mall at 4201 Coldwater Road, near East Coliseum Boulevard. Sprinklers contained the flames until crews arrived at 3:37 p.m., said Stacey Fleming, a fire department spokeswoman.

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

Sprinkler system puts out fire at hospital (San Bernadino, CA)

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Fire investigators are still looking into the cause of a fire at a hospital on the afternoon of September 21. Fire sprinklers activated and completely extinguished the fire prior to the arrival of fire crews. 

“Sprinkler systems, if they don’t extinguish fires, keep them in check,” Battalion Chief Alan Duggan said. “The sprinklers worked properly and the fire was extinguished prior to our crews’ arrival.”

The facility, which was evacuated, reported no injuries from the incident.

Apartment Building, Residential

Damage minimized at apartment complex thanks to fire sprinklers (Santa Rosa, CA)

Four engines and ladder trucks responded to a fire at a three-story apartment building on September 18. The fire, which started on the patio of a first floor apartment, was contained by the building’s fire sprinklers.