Tag Archives: Afternoon (12pm-6pm)

Apartment Building, Residential

Norwalk, CT – Sprinkler system assist firefighters in controlling apartment fire; No injuries reported in 54-unit complex

Dozens of residents were displaced when fire broke out at a condominium building on Richards Avenue in Norwalk Monday. Officials from the Norwalk Police department said firefighters responded to a large fire at a condominium complex at 100 Richards Avenue around 4:30 p.m.

The 54-unit complex had to be evacuated as firefighters spent hours trying to control the fire. Flames were limited to one section of the building, but water from the sprinkler system and fire fight left all of the units close to uninhabitable.

Everyone who lives in the building got out safely and firefighters were able to rescue several pets, including Heather Smith’s dogs Annie and Mabel.  “I feel a little sick to my stomach. Right now I’m just glad to have these guys,” Smith said.

Firefighters from Norwalk, Rowayton and Darien all responded. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  The Norwalk Fire Department and Red Cross are assisting the victims and looking for donations. Gift cards or checks can be mailed or dropped off to the Norwalk Fire Department C/O Deputy Emergency Management Director Michele Deluca at 121 Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk CT 06854.

Other Business

East Longmeadow, MA – Fuel oil fire caused by truck explosion limited with help from sprinkler system

Investigators have determined an explosion that injured an employee at a Shaker Road truck and equipment repair business Monday afternoon was sparked by static electricity inside the tank of an oil delivery truck. The W.B. Hill employee suffered only minor injuries even though the force of the blast blew out two metal overhead doors, Fire Chief Paul Morrissette said.

“He lucked out, it could have been disastrous,” Morrissette said, adding that approximately nine other employees in the area escaped injury. The injured employee was treated at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and released, Morrissette said.

Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal’s office, said the blast, which was reported about 1:30 p.m., caused approximately $500,000 in damage to the tanker and the building, located at 305 Shaker Road. Morrissette said the explosion occurred as employees tested a repair on the home heating oil delivery tanker by pumping liquid from the tanker.

“Somehow or other the hose had moved or dislodged and when it did it created a static charge,” he said. The hatchway on top of the tank, known as a manway, was open at the time and explosion. “When it flashed it just went straight out,” Morrisette said. “The truck itself didn’t explode.”

After the explosion, the fuel in the tank continued to burn until the facility’s sprinkler system was able to cool it enough to put it out, Morrissette said. Heavy smoke was pouring out of the building when firefighters arrived. Firefighters from the Longmeadow Fire Department and the Shaker Pines Fire Department in Enfield provided mutual aid. Wilbraham firefighters provided station coverage.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Elgin, IL – Residential high-rise fire put out by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A kitchen fire was reported in a northwest suburban high-rise building Monday afternoon in Elgin.  At 12:55 p.m. fire crews responded to reports of a kitchen fire with sprinkler activation on the fifth floor of a high-rise building at 104 S. State St., according to a statement from the Elgin Fire Department.  A resident who went down to the second floor told crews she had smoke in her apartment, fire said. Crews located a cooking fire on the stove that had spread to the cabinets and was extinguished by the sprinkler system.  Firefighters ensured the fire was put out, shut off the activated sprinkler, evacuated smoke from the building and checked on residents as needed, fire said. Water accumulation is being removed by the building maintenance crews. Total damages total $5,000, fire said.

Office Building, Other Business

Henderson, KY – Fire during AA meeting contained by building’s sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A fire broke out an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting place during a session Monday afternoon. No one was injured.  Henderson Fire Chief Scott Foreman said firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 401 Hoffman Drive around 12:40 p.m.  “It started in the suite where the AA meetings are held,” he said. “We understand there was a meeting in progress, but everyone got out safely.”

Foreman said the cause of the fire is unknown at this time.  “The fire was contained by the building’s sprinkler system and flames were contained to the AA suite,” he said. “There were some flames visible at one time.”  Foreman said there is smoke and water damage throughout several of the businesses contained in that building.

Apartment Building, Residential

Palo Alto, CA – Sprinkler system extinguishes kitchen fire at 88 unit affordable housing complex

Seven residents were displaced by a kitchen fire at the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto on Saturday evening that resulted in significant water damage, a fire official said.  Crews responded to the 88-unit affordable housing complex, located at 33 Encina Ave., around 5:30 p.m. where a fire was reported on a second-floor unit, Deputy Fire Chief Catherine Capriles said.  Sprinkler heads extinguished the fire by the time crews were at the scene and residents had already evacuated, she said.  The fire was caused by unattended cooking oil on a hot plate, according to Capriles.  Residents in the involved unit and others below were displaced by the blaze, which left a significant amount of water damage, she said. The American Red Cross was called to assist seven people.  The fire left an estimated $50,000 to $60,000 in damage, Capriles said. No injuries were reported.

Other Business

Schenectady, NY – Casino kitchen fire contained with help from sprinkler system; Operations resume quickly

Rivers Casino & Resort was evacuated for about an hour Sunday afternoon after a small kitchen fire.  Schenectady fire crews responded about 1:30 p.m. after a cooking fire at Mian restaurant set off the casino’s alarms and sprinkler systems, according to Deputy Fire Chief Don Mareno.  The casino was evacuated and patrons were able to return about 2:25 p.m. “Operations are normal at Rivers Casino today, following a minor kitchen fire that was quickly resolved,” a Rivers spokesman said in an email.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Greensboro, NC – Motel fire caused by cigarette doused by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Sprinklers doused a fire inside a motel room and kept it from spreading to others, firefighters said. Firefighters responded about noon Saturday to the In-Town Suites at 501 Americhase Drive for a reported fire. Chief Jim Boggs with the Greensboro Fire Department said some of the fire trucks that were en route were called off because the sprinklers took care of the fire. He said the fire was accidental and caused by a cigarette.

“It was controlled pretty quickly,” he said. The fire was contained to one room at the motel which had 133 guests at the time, including the one in the damaged room, according to a fire department news release. The occupant of the damaged room had to be relocated. Boggs said there was some fire and water damage to the room. No injuries were reported. To avoid such fires, the department urges people to use fire safe cigarettes, smoke outside and not smoke when sleepy or after having consumed medicine or alcohol. Firefighters also say people should check furniture before going to bed to make sure smoldering cigarette butts have not fallen out of sight.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Halifax, NS, Canada – Fire on 26th floor of high rise apartment building controlled by sprinkler system

Fire crews responded to reports of a fire at Fenwick Tower in Halifax on Wednesday. They were called at about 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday after a fire broke out on the 26th floor. Deputy Chief Roy Hollett says the building’s sprinkler system controlled the fire, and firefighters were able to put it out completely. Power was shut off to the building and there is water damage from the 26th floor and below. While the Canadian Red Cross was called in to prepare emergency shelter for residents, the city said late this afternoon that the decision had been made to allow tenants to remain in the building. Power is being restored one floor at a time, while building electricians make repairs.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Honolulu, HI – Fire in 37th floor high rise condo extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire at a new luxury tower condominium in Kakaako was extinguished today by an activated sprinkler, a Honolulu Fire Department spokesman said. Firefighters received a call at about 3:45 p.m. from a person on the 37th floor of Keauhou Place, 555 South St., about smoke coming from the floor above, said Honolulu Fire Capt. David Jenkins. Firefighters arrived to find a kitchen fire that was extinguished by an activated sprinkler. Jenkins said there was some water damage from the sprinkler, but it was “positively way better than structure fire damage.” A damage estimate and the cause of the fire were under investigation. The 43-story luxury tower with units priced from about $400,000 to $1.4 million opened to residents in late October.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kenosha, WI – Apartment dryer fire suppressed by automatic sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A dryer fire set off sprinklers at a Kenosha apartment complex which led to damage in several units Monday afternoon.  The Kenosha Fire Department was called to Kenosha Commons, 5502 60th St., around 1 p.m.  Battalion Chief Matthew Haerter said the fire was inside a dryer, eventually breaking out and spreading into the laundry room of a second-floor apartment.

“Once it did enter the room, it came into contact with a sprinkler head, which set off the apartment’s sprinkler system due to the heat. It suppressed the fire,” Haerter said.  The apartment was filled with smoke from the fire and the action of the sprinkler system extinguishing it.

Four occupants in the affected apartment evacuated with no injuries. The department did evacuate multiple tenants within the building, and also sheltered in place some tenants who had mobility issues to keep them safe.

The Red Cross worked to find shelter for less than a dozen displaced residents. The total affected was not immediately known as the Red Cross was working with building management directly, Haerter said. At least four apartments were affected by the fire itself or water damage below the apartment where the dryer was located.

“This is the second sprinkler-suppressed fire within a week for the department, with the last at Virginia Towers,” Haerter noted. “It shows that it obviously helps us to have working sprinkler systems which can be used in extinguishing a fire.”  No one was reported injured during the incident.