Tag Archives: Afternoon (12pm-6pm)

Residential, Residential High Rise

Santa Rosa, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire on 12th floor high-rise unit; No injuries reported

Several residents of a high-rise apartment building in Santa Rosa were displaced on New Year’s Eve after a fire broke out in one of the units, according to the Santa Rosa Fire Department.

Just after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, firefighters responded to a fire at the Bethlehem Tower apartment building at 801 Tupper St.

Firefighters found heavy smoke coming from one unit on the 12th floor, prompting calls for more backup. A fire sprinkler had activated and helped contain the spread of the fire.

Ten fire engines and two fire trucks were on the scene. Fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze using hose lines.

Residents from the 12th floor to the lower floors were evacuated and evaluated for medical complaints. No one was injured.

Several apartment units were impacted by water damage. The American Red Cross came to the scene to help displaced residents find temporary housing.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Westmont, IL – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire at restaurant; No injuries reported

A fire that started in the kitchen of a Westmont restaurant Tuesday night spread to the roof due to grease, according to fire officials.

The blaze broke out around 4:30 p.m. at Belly Delhi, located at 653-657 Cass Ave. Fire crews got to the scene within three minutes and controlled the flames within 20 minutes, a news release said.

By 5:17 p.m., the fire had been put out completely. No one was hurt in the blaze.

The building’s sprinkler system helped control some of the blaze, which broke out at Belly Delhi Tuesday night.

Fire officials say a preliminary investigation suggests the fire started in the restaurant’s stove before extending through a grease chute and onto the roof of Belly Delhi.

In addition to fire crews from Downers Grove Darien, Clarendon HIlls, Hinsdale, Oak Brook and Tri-State, the DuPage County Health Department also responded to the fire.

“We want to thank all our neighboring fire departments for assisting with this call,” West Department Deputy Chief Tom Frank said in a statement.

Fire officials say an investigation is underway.

Other - Residential, Residential

Kelowna, BC, Canada – Fire extinguished by sprinkler system before fire crews arrived

The Kelowna Fire Department was called to the Samuel Place supportive housing building Tuesday afternoon for a minor fire.

The blaze was sparked shortly before 2 p.m. at 280 McIntosh Road, according to assistant fire chief Dennis Craig, and was contained to a single unit.

The building’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived and Craig says crews acted quickly to shut off the water to limit damage to the rest of the building.

A resident of the building tells Castanet residents of the floor where the fire occurred have spent the afternoon mopping out their rooms.

Craig says nobody was displaced due to water damage, but the unit where the fire occurred is uninhabitable for now. The people living there, however, have been moved to another unit within the same building.

Craig says the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but he recommends that anyone who receives electronics for Christmas with lithium-ion batteries, like e-bikes, should follow manufacturer advice when charging.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Asheville, NC – Electrical fire suppressed by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

An electrical fire was reported at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, Tuesday afternoon.

According to Biltmore officials, a small fire started this morning in a mechanical room at Biltmore Winery during scheduled electrical work. The fire happened before the Winery opened for the day to guests.

The Winery’s fire sprinkler system suppressed the fire until the Asheville Fire Department arrived on scene and fully extinguished it using fire extinguishers.

The Winery was evacuated, and no employees or guests were injured. One contractor was evaluated treated for a minor injury and was not transported.

The Buncombe County Fire Marshal will investigate.

There is no word on any damage at this time.

The Winery, including the Tasting Room, Shop, and Wine Bar, will be temporarily closed today, Dec. 30.

All other areas of Antler Hill Village are open and accessible to guests.

Apartment Building, Residential

Brattleboro, VT – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at apartment building

A fire at an apartment building on Elliot St. displaced multiple residents Saturday afternoon after sprinklers contained the blaze but caused extensive water damage.

The fire happened just before 2 p.m. at 107 Elliot Street, the fire department said. Crews found a fire contained to a single apartment on the sixth floor of the building.

The sprinkler system put the fire out but caused significant water damage to 17 additional apartments, according to the fire department.

Two people suffered minor injuries and were evaluated at the scene before being taken to a nearby hospital, the fire department said.

Brattleboro emergency crews received assistance from Chesterfield Fire, Keene New Hampshire, Guilford Fire and other nearby units.

Multiple people were displaced from their apartments because of the water damage, the Brattleboro Fire Department said. The American Red Cross and the Brattleboro Housing Authority are providing temporary housing solutions and support services.

Restoration efforts are underway in the damaged units. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Other - Retail, Retail

Stowe, VT – Sprinkler system suppresses fire at retail store

A retail store at Stowe’s Spruce Peak Village was damaged after a fire broke out on Christmas Eve.

Stowe Fire Rescue was dispatched just after 5 p.m. Wednesday after a fire alarm was activated at First Alpine Chair Co. Chief Ed Webster said crews arrived to find smoke and a small fire in the basement of the building that had been largely suppressed by the building’s automatic sprinkler system.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire and ventilate the building. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but officials believe it is related to improper storage.

Webster said there was limited damage because of the automatic sprinkler system.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Jamestown, ND – Sprinkler system activated for fire at event center; No injuries reported

The Jamestown Fire Department responded on Monday, Dec. 22, to a report of a sprinkler system being activated at Hidden River Acres Event Center, according to Lt. Grant Christianson.

Four units and 18 firefighters responded to 901 4th Ave. NW at about 12:45 p.m. Monday.

When firefighters arrived, they found smoke inside the Hidden River Acres Event Center, Christianson said.

“Two guys went in and noticed it wasn’t hot in there, and then saw the sprinkler head was going off, so they shut the sprinkler system down and then just ventilated the structure from smoke,” he said. “The system put the fire out. It did what it was supposed to do.”

Christianson said the building received minor smoke damage, and the ice machine was also damaged.

Christianson said the cause of the fire was from the ice machine malfunctioning.

No injuries were reported.

Firefighters were on scene for about an hour.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Milwaukee, WI – Fire at assisted living center quickly contained by sprinkler system

A fire in one unit of an assisted living facility occurred on Milwaukee’s north side on Dec. 12.

The fire took place at an assisted living facility at North 46th Street and West Hampton Avenue in one unit of the building around 5 p.m. First responders took one person to the hospital due to smoke inhalation and another for a separate medical need.

The fire was contained by the building’s sprinkler system and responding firefighters, said Milwaukee Fire Department Deputy Chief Travis Jones.

“If it weren’t for the sprinkler system, it probably wouldn’t have turned out the way it did,” Jones said.

Firefighters were able to force the door open to the unit with the fire and rescue the one occupant, he said.

The fire department received its first call for the fire at 5:05 p.m. and an initial unit arrived four minutes later, he said. By 6:03 p.m. the department completed its initial response to the fire.

Department fire investigators and the Milwaukee Police Department were called to the scene to determine the fire’s cause and the extent of the damages remains under investigation, Jones said.

The department called on the Red Cross for assistance for at least one resident, Jones said. A spokesperson for the Red Cross did not immediately respond to comment on the extent of the organization’s work.

In a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said “all other occupants able to return.” He credited the building’s sprinklers and firefighters for the outcome.

“Fantastic outcomes,” his post said.

Sprinklers in Milwaukee’s residences have taken on increased focus in the last year, after one of the worst fires in the city’s history took place and killed five in May. That fire occurred in an old apartment building that did not have sprinklers, which is allowed due to its age.

Nearly 70% of Milwaukee’s high-rise buildings were constructed before sprinklers were required by state law, city officials said previously.

Lipski has pressed for changes to state law that would require sprinklers in these buildings. However, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Republican from Rochester who owns rental properties in Whitewater, said it’s unlikely lawmakers would mandate sprinklers after that fire.

State Sen. LaTonya Johnson introduced a package of bills in November that would allow the city to mandate them and offer landlords grant funds to help pay. Those bills have been referred to assembly committees, but it remains to be seen if they move any further.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Chicopee, MA – Fire at automotive facility controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Chicopee fire crews were called to a second-alarm fire at the Tsubaki Automotive facility on Lonczak Street Thursday afternoon.

According to the Chicopee Fire Department, calls came in shortly after 3:15 p.m. reporting a fire at 106 Lonczak Street.

When firefighters arrived, crews learned the fire had begun inside a piece of the company’s machinery. The building’s sprinkler system had already activated and was helping to control the flames as responders entered.

Firefighters were able to bring the situation under control quickly, and no injuries were reported. Thursday’s incident marks the second fire at the location in recent months.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Chesapeake, VA – Sprinkler system activated for small fire inside mall; No injuries reported

A small fire inside Greenbrier Mall prompted a full evacuation Tuesday afternoon, after multiple 911 callers reported flames inside a second-floor retail store.

Chesapeake Fire Department units were dispatched at 12:56 p.m. for an initial commercial fire alarm. The call was quickly upgraded to a commercial structure fire when dispatchers received additional reports of an active blaze inside the mall.

Firefighters from Engine 14 arrived to find a small fire burning inside Rootz, a retail store on the mall’s upper level. According to officials, the store’s automatic sprinkler system activated and successfully controlled the fire before firefighters reached the scene.

The mall was immediately evacuated, and power was shut off to the impacted areas as crews worked to ensure the flames were fully out. No injuries were reported.

The affected store sustained minor smoke and water damage, while several areas on the first floor, directly below the fire, also experienced water damage from the sprinklers. Light smoke spread into the main body of the mall, prompting ongoing ventilation efforts. Norfolk Fire & Rescue assisted with its LUF60, a high-capacity ventilation fan designed for large buildings.

Greenbrier Mall will remain closed for the rest of Tuesday, though its anchor stores are allowed to stay open. Mall officials expect to resume normal operating hours on Wednesday morning, pending any updates that will be shared on the mall’s website and social media channels.

Investigators determined the fire was accidental.

Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers