Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Yuma, AZ – Restaurant kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system July 12, 2017 viking210 The Yuma Fire Department said Saturday at about 7:30 am an audible fire alarm was reported going off at the Yuma Palace restaurant, 350 East 32nd Street, by a Yuma Police officer patrolling in the area. Yuma Fire Department personnel arrived and confirmed the alarm was signaling water flow to the fire suppression sprinkler system, they also found the smell of smoke coming from the building. The business had not opened for the day and there were no employees on the property. Firefighters forced entry into the kitchen area finding a sprinkler head was flowing water over the stove area. The water flow was shut down and a fire investigator was called to the scene. It was found that a pot of water had been accidently left heating on the stove top when the business had closed. The water boiled away and the heat ignited material around the cooking surface. The heat from this fire triggered the sprinkler head over that cooking area, stopping the fire spread and extinguishing it. Fire sprinkler systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them. Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute. Even small fires can cause significant damage to property and endanger those nearby. Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat activate, not those in the rest of the room, building, or complex. Sprinkler systems save lives and protect property.
Other Business Mesa, AZ – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in commercial building fire April 6, 2017 viking210 Fire damaged a portion of a commercial complex in Mesa on Wednesday morning, Mesa fire officials said. The fire occurred in the 1700 block of West Baseline Road, just east of Dobson Road, said Deputy Chief Forrest Smith of the Mesa Fire and Medical Department. Two suites in the complex were damaged in the fire, which forced the evacuation of several other businesses, Smith said. Firefighters had the blaze under control in 22 minutes, Smith said, adding that a sprinkler system helped stop the fire from spreading to other suites. “These are important and why fire departments advocate for buildings to be sprinklered,” he said. “They certainly can save lives and property.” Crews from the Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe fire departments also responded.
Residential, Single Family Home Lake Havasu City, AZ – Fire at duplex home contained with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported February 10, 2017 viking210 Lake Havasu City firefighters responded to a fire at a duplex in the 2700 block of Bluewater Drive Sunday afternoon. The fire was reported by the neighbor of the duplex. Four engine companies, a battalion chief, and two fire investigators responded to the fire and gained control of the fire in 16 minutes. The occupant of the duplex unit that was on fire was sleeping and woke up due to water flowing from the fire sprinkler system. No injuries were reported. Crews remained on the scene an additional hour conducting an investigation of the incident. Damages were confined to the unit that was on fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Yuma, AZ – Fire in snake habitat at local business is put out by sprinkler system February 9, 2017 viking210 The Yuma Fire Department said a business fire may have originated from a large snake habitat where a four-foot long ball python died. Officials said on Sunday just before 1:30 p.m., a passerby reported seeing water coming from a building at 4221 East 30th Place occupied by SunRay Electric. Yuma Fire Department personnel arrived to find that there had been a fire inside that had been extinguished by the building’s fire suppression sprinkler system. Firefighters ensured the fire was out and shut down the water flow to the system. The fire was found to have originated in a large snake habitat and the cause is under investigation. It was stopped from spreading beyond the habitat and extinguished by the fire sprinkler system. A four-foot long ball python died in the fire. The fire damage was limited to the area of the habitat. There were no employees at the business at the time of the fire.
Apartment Building, Residential Tempe, AZ – Sprinkler system keeps first floor apartment fire in check; No injuries reported February 3, 2017 viking210 Tempe fire crews responded to an apartment fire Thursday evening, officials said. According to the Tempe Fire Department, the fire occurred in a first-floor unit of a three-story apartment complex at 1100 E. Apache Blvd. Officials said the automatic sprinkler system kept the fire in check until crews arrived. The fire did not extend to any other part of the building, and there were no injuries, said officials. It is unknown how many people will be displaced, officials said. The cause is under investigation.
Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant Tucson, AZ – No injuries as sprinkler system contains hotel fire started by prayer candle January 31, 2017 viking210 Fire officials say a prayer candle caused a fire in a Tucson hotel room on Monday, Jan. 30. According to a news release from the Tucson Fire Department, fire crews were dispatched to the hotel in the 700 block of W. Starr Pass Boulevard, near I-10 shortly after 8:30 a.m. and the fire was under control by 8:44 a.m. The surrounding area was evacuated as firefighters extinguished the fire in a ground-floor room. The fire department credits the hotel’s sprinkler system with keeping the fire from spreading before the firefighters arrived. There was no one in the room, which is used by hotel staff, when the fire started. No injuries were reported. Fire damage was contained to the one room and Code Enforcement is working with the hotel to determine whether other rooms were affected. Damage estimates have not yet been determined.
Residential, Single Family Home Bullhead City, AZ – Garage fire contained by residential sprinkler system December 19, 2016 viking210 A Katherine Heights garage fire late Monday night was contained by a sprinkler system, the Bullhead City Fire Department said Tuesday. The alarm came in at about 10:40 p.m., department spokeswoman Lorrae Viles said. Crews were called to an address on Power Line Road. Viles said they found water flowing out of the garage, but no active fire. Battalion Chief Craig Stephenson reported that it appeared that the fire had started in a small plastic trash can next to an old sofa. The residence was equipped with an overhead sprinkler system that was activated and extinguished the fire. If the system had not been in place, Viles said, the blaze could have gotten out of control and caused considerable damage.
Retail, Shopping Mall Phoenix, AZ – No injuries as sprinkler system knocks down fire at Guitar Center December 9, 2016 viking210 The sprinkler system was the hero of the day after a fire broke out at a Guitar Center off of I-17 and Peoria Avenue overnight Wednesday. Phoenix fire officials said sprinklers put out most of the flames before crews arrived. The Guitar Center has water damage, but fire officials said had the sprinklers not been in place, the story could have gone much differently. The Guitar Center doesn’t have a fire wall, meaning the flames could have easily spread to surrounding businesses in the strip mall. Luckily, no one was injured. Detectives will now investigate what cased the fire to break out.
Apartment Building, Residential Payson, AZ – Grease fire in apartment complex suppressed by single sprinkler October 30, 2016 viking210 A family is out of their home after a grease fire Monday night. The fire started around 8 p.m. after a teen living in the home put oil in a pan to fry pinwheels and then walked away. When the 14-year-old returned to the kitchen, the pot of oil had boiled over and started a fire on the stovetop. The fire was making its way up the wall and to overhanging cabinets when a single sprinkler in the kitchen was activated. When firefighters arrived, the sprinklers had already doused the fire. Battalion Chief Jim Rasmussen said the sprinkler saved not only the kitchen, but likely stopped a larger fire from damaging the whole apartment complex at 209 S. Ponderosa St. Rasmussen warned residents not to leave anything unattended when cooking. If heating oil, start on a medium setting and increase the heat as needed. Do not start on the highest setting. If a grease fire does start, cover it with a lid if you can safely do so without burning yourself, Rasmussen said. Do not put water on it. No other sprinklers in the apartment came on. Firefighters shut the single sprinkler off when they arrived. Rasmussen estimated it ran for about 15 minutes before crews shut it off. That works out to about 120 gallons of water. Firefighters helped clean up the water in the unit until a clean up crew arrived. Rasmussen said water damage to the unit would likely keep the family out of the home for a week. The Red Cross will provide the family with assistance. The unoccupied unit below suffered water damage to its ceiling
Other - Retail, Retail Phoenix, AZ – Suspected arson fire at tattoo shop knocked down by sprinkler system October 25, 2016 viking210 Wolfskin Ink tattoo shop is the victim of a suspected arsonist who allegedly threw some kind of accelerant at the front window causing a fire to break out. It happened early Wednesday morning. According to fire officials, there is surveillance video of a single person getting out of a car, lighting something and throwing it at the front window. Luckily for the shop owner, the accelerant hit a metal grate and bounced off causing most of the fire to stay outside of the business. However, a table inside did catch fire but a sprinkler system was able to knock the flames out before firefighters arrived. Wolfskin Ink owner, Reynay Perkins, says she has no idea why someone would do this. “We haven’t had any problems with anyone recently,” Perkins said. Perkins says the tattoo shop has operated near 17th Avenue and Bell Road for the past two years. The company was founded in her backyard with her husband Jubel and then it grew from there. The suspected arson comes at a rough time. Her husband was murdered near 18th and Adams streets in late August. Police are still searching for a suspect in the case. As for the suspected arson, Wolfskin Ink did suffer mostly water damage, but Perkins says the shop could be up and running by early next week. “Everyday is another curve ball. Just gotta keep running with the punches,” Perkins said.
