Tag Archives: Afternoon (12pm-6pm)

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Steinbach, MB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at window manufacturer; No injuries reported

There were no injuries from a fire Wednesday afternoon at Loewen in Steinbach.

The Steinbach Fire Department was called to the window manufacturer at approximately 2:30 pm. By then, the building was evacuated.

“Usually if we are getting a call at Loewen there is potential for a large fire,” says Fire Chief Kel Toews. 

Toews says when they arrived on scene they determined the fire was coming from within a wood hopper. 

“It was quickly extinguished,” he notes. “Fire damage was contained basically to that room.”

Toews notes the fire set off the sprinkler system and as a result there is water damage in the room below.

Jon Sawatzky is Director of Product and Marketing at Loewen. He says they are still waiting to hear the official cause of the fire and the extent of damage. But, he says damage appears minimal.

“Our staff did an incredible job of following protocol, which helped to keep everyone safe and we’re already back in operation, we’re thrilled and relieved to say that nobody was hurt,” said Sawatzky on Wednesday shortly after 4 pm.

“We also want to acknowledge and express our gratitude to the Steinbach Fire Department, Southern Health Emergency Medical Services, and the RCMP for the quick response in keeping us safe,” adds Sawatzky.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Rockford, IL – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at high rise apartment building; No injuries reported

The Rockford Fire Department says no one was hurt after a fire in a high-rise apartment building in downtown Rockford Friday.

RFD says firefighters were first called to the Olesen Plaza apartments in the 500 block of N. Church St. at around 4:40 p.m. Friday for the smell of smoke and alarms going off on the third floor of the building.

As first responders were on their way to the scene, people on the third floor noticed water coming from under the door of the apartment where the fire had happened.

As crews got to the scene, they found moderate smoke coming from the window of the third-story apartment. As they got inside, firefighters found a small dire that had been put out by the building’s sprinkler system.

The person living in that apartment was not present at the time of the fire. No residents, pets, or firefighters were hurt during the fire and following evacuation.

Fire crews worked with members of the Rockford Housing Authority, which owns Olesen Plaza, to clear out the smoke and to drain the water after the sprinkler system was shut down.

RFD officials say the fire was caused accidentally by “careless smoking.” Investigators estimate the damage caused by the fire at $65,000.

Olesen Plaza is 14 stories tall and houses around 140 people, according to the Rockford Fire Department.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Ipswich, MA – Sprinkler system activated for car fire at car museum

A close call for the owner of some classic cars in Ipswich after a fire broke out at a storage facility.

Police credit a working sprinkler system with stopping a small fire that started in a Lamborghini from getting much larger and spreading to other cars in the facility, including the one parked right next to it, a 1954 “mint” condition Cadillac.

The alarm came in on Saturday at around noon for firefighters to respond to Clam Town Classics on Old Right Road.

“On arrival, they found heavy smoke coming from a unit housing a number of classic cars,” according to a post from Ipswich Public Safety.

“The source of the smoke was a 1972 Lamborghini, where a fire had started under the hood,” according to investigators. “Heat from the blaze had activated three sprinkler heads above the car, containing the fire to its point of origin.”

Chief Paul Parisi credited crews with “quick and decisive work” and said the sprinkler system prevented what could have been a massive and very costly fire.  The mint-condition Cadillac was not damaged.

“Usually you only have one or two sprinkler heads activated. The fact that three sprinkler heads went off tells you just how much heat there was, yet the fire was contained only to the engine compartment,” Chief Parisi said. “The sprinkler system did just what it’s designed to do. Without it, the property loss would have been much more significant.”

The chief said the sprinklers saved hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property.

“As a business owner watching the bottom line, I didn’t care too much for sprinklers.”  said the owner of Clam Town Classics, George Delaney. “Now I’ve done a 180. After seeing the difference they make, I’m a big fan.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Salt Lake City, UT – Sprinkler system activated for apartment fire

Fire crews responded to a minor apartment fire Sunday afternoon.

According to Salt Lake City Fire Captain Tony Stowe, a single apartment unit caught fire at 761 S 300 East around 12:15 p.m.

Crews arrived and took down the fire quickly.

The sprinkler system activated and helped to extinguish the fire.

The fire didn’t spread into other units but had damages related to evacuating the building.

Stowe said that one woman and child had smoke inhalation, but no other injuries were reported.

The cause and cost of damages are being investigated.

The Red Cross of Utah helped residents who were displaced.

Apartment Building, Residential

Norfolk, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fourth floor apartment fire; No injuries reported

A fire in a waterfront apartment building in Norfolk has – at least temporarily – displaced all of its residents. 

The fire alarm in the building went off at about 4:50 p.m. in “The Roebuck” in the 500 block of Front Street, across the street from the offices of PETA.

We’re still waiting for more official information from Norfolk Fire and Rescue, but the department’s Public Information Officer told us the fire was contained to one apartment and the sprinkler system was activated and caused water damage. 

A producer who works here at 13News Now lives in the building and tells us that the fire appears to have started in an apartment on the fourth floor.

According to our producer, everyone self-evacuated from the building. She also said she was told there were no injuries.

There’s been no word from the building’s management company about the extent of damage and when repairs might take place. We also don’t know exactly how many people were displaced.

This is the second time in two days in which a large number of residents in an apartment building have been displaced by a relatively minor fire. On Saturday, a fire broke out in the kitchen in an apartment the Heron’s Landing complex in Chesapeake displacing several residents. In this instance, the sprinkler system was also activated and caused damage to at least 30 apartments.

This is a developing story. We’ll update it once we get more information.

Apartment Building, Residential

Airdrie, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in four-story apartment building; No injuries reported

A four-story apartment building caught fire on June 1 at 5 p.m. in Canals Crossing, located in southwest Airdrie. No injuries have been reported at this time.

Although no details have been released yet about what caused the fire, a press release from the City of Airdrie stated the fire originated in one suite and resulted in an emergency evacuation of the building. 

The building’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire before Airdrie Fire Department crews arrived on the scene. However, units in the building have been severely damaged by the water from the sprinkler system. 

The Crossfield Fire Department provided standby resources to the nine Airdrie Fire Department firefighters who were deployed to the call. 

The Fire Prevention Bureau will be conducting an investigation to discover the cause of the fire, according to the City’s press release. 

Apartment Building, Residential

College Station, TX – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

College Station firefighters had to force their way inside an apartment to get to a fire. Four people living in two units at the Zone apartments were displaced by the Saturday afternoon fire. A fire sprinkler system was going, which kept a kitchen fire in check. The firefighter’s work included rescuing a dog. No one was inside the apartment where the fire took place.

Apartment Building, Residential

Bedford, NH – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

Bedford fire, and police responded to a call for fire alarms that were activated at 15 Iron Horse Drive, Unit B, on Sunday.

While en route, at about 4 p.m. responding units were advised callers could see smoke from outside the building, and smoke was filling the hallways.

Firefighters arrived and had smoke showing from some of the second-floor windows, and the sprinkler system activated in part of the building. Merrimack firefighters were also requested to respond with additional apparatus and other towns responded for station coverage.

Several people were evacuating the building on their own, and firefighters and police officers went from apartment to apartment, evacuating those occupants that had remained inside the building.

Firefighters made entry into a second-floor apartment that appeared to be the source of the smoke. They located a burning couch that the sprinkler system had mostly extinguished and a heavy smoke condition in the apartment and in the hallway.

Crews removed the couch and pushed it off the second-floor balcony, and opened windows to allow smoke to clear. Fans were used to eject smoke from the apartment and hallways.

A large group of residents watched from the parking lot as firefighters fought the fire, and water poured out of the building from the sprinkler system.

The fire appears to have been limited to a single apartment, but several apartments had water damage from the activated sprinkler system. Bedford fire said many people would be displaced from the large multi-unit apartment building.

The fire was brought under control within about 30 minutes, and it did not appear any occupants or firefighters were injured.

The fire will be investigated by the Bedford Fire Department.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Marshall, MN – Sprinkler system extinguished fire at high school; No injuries reported

On Tuesday, April 11, 2022 around 4:00 pm there was a fire reported in a science classroom at Marshall High School.

The sprinkler system was activated and immediately extinguished the fire.  Superintendent Williams shared, “we are fortunate that no staff members were hurt and that the water damage is contained to one classroom”.  The fire Chief has allowed re-entry into the building.

School and activities will continue as normally planned.

Other - School / University, School / University

Wheeling, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at youth center; No injuries reported

Wheeling Police and Fire information officer Philip Stahl tells 7NEWS that a fire broke out Tuesday afternoon at Youth Services Systems’ McCrary Center on Wheeling Island.

The call came in around 3:45PM for the location at 111 North York Street.

We’re told that it was a one room fire, which triggered the sprinkler system, that did its job to contain the fire. The building was evacuated but people were likely to be allowed back in later in the day. There were no injuries.

Officials do not yet know the cause of the fire, but they will be investigating.

Stay with 7NEWS for updates.