Tag Archives: arson

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Las Vegas, NV – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Walmart

Fire investigators believe a Sunday night fire at the Walmart Supercenter on at Charleston and Decatur boulevards was “intentionally set.”

The fire started just before 8 p.m. in the rear of the store in the paper towel aisle creating a large amount of smoke. According to Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, automatic fire sprinklers quickly helped douse the flames.

When fire crews arrived at the scene, people were already in the process of evacuating the store. One person was injured when they tripped and fell during the evacuation. That person was treated by paramedics and transported to the hospital.

Damage was estimated at $200,000, mostly due to smoke damaging items in the store. Structural damage was estimated at less than $10,000. Firefighters and employees of Walmart worked quickly to make sure water from the sprinkler system did not damage the store further.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Newark, DE – Sprinkler system douses hotel fire, ruled arson; No injuries reported

A fire at a Newark hotel has been ruled a case of arson.

The fire was reported just after midnight Saturday at the Red Roof Inn on South College Avenue, Delaware state Fire Marshal’s investigators said.

Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder personnel, along with crews from neighboring companies, responded.

The building’s sprinkler system doused the flames, the alarm system activated, and hotel guests got out safely.

Investigators determined the fire was deliberately set, and they’re urging anyone who knows anything about the incident to call the state Fire Marshal’s Office’s New Castle Division at 302.323.5375 or email at [email protected] also callers may call Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1.800.TIP.3333.

Information offered to investigators will remain confidential.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Kitsap, Wa – Arson fire contained to room of origin by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A 15-year-old Port Orchard male teen was arrested on suspicion of arson on Wednesday, hours after a fire at Marcus Marcus Whitman Middle School caused significant damage.

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating whether others were involved, Lt. Earl Smith said.

The call began as a burglar alarm early Wednesday. Smith said officers found evidence of forced entry and fire inside the building. Since they didn’t know if suspects were inside, law enforcement provided cover to fire crews as they battled the blaze.

South Kitsap Fire and Rescue was aided by fire crews from Bremerton, Central Kitsap and Navy Region Northwest and officers from the Port Orchard Police Department, SKFR said in a post on social media. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also has taken part in the investigation.

“Thankfully, there were no injuries,” said Amy Miller, spokeswoman for South Kitsap School District.

Smith said damage to the building was “significant.” A photo posted on social media by the sheriff’s office shows scores of ceiling tiles on the floor near the school’s entryway. South Kitsap Fire & Rescue reported that the fire was contained to the room of origin by the sprinkler system.

The school has been closed since March 16 along with all other schools in Washington state to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Detectives arrested the suspect with the help of a K-9 tracking team shortly before noon on suspicion of first degree arson and second degree burglary. He was interviewed Wednesday afternoon at the Kitsap County Juvenile Detention Center regarding whether he had accomplices, Smith said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Salisbury, MD – Sprinkler system controls apartment fire intentionally set by tenant; No injuries reported

The Maryland State Fire Marshal says a Salisbury man has been charged with intentionally setting a fire at his apartment Friday night. 

According to the fire marshal’s office, crews with the Salisbury Fire Department responded to an automatic fire alarm call shortly before 11:30 p.m. at the Pine Bluff Village Apartments on Riverside Drive. While on their way, officials say the call was upgraded to a building fire.

Once on scene, crews says people were already evacuating. The fire was in a second floor apartment, being controlled by the building’s automatic fire sprinkler system. It took about 45 minutes to bring the fire under control.

The fire marshal’s office arrived on scene, and crews said they determined it was incendiary. Investigations determined the tenant was responsible for setting the fire in the apartment.

The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office arrested 38-year-old Alan Jackson Banks III at a nearby convenience store. Banks was charged with first-degree arson and reckless endangerment. 

There were no reported injuries. 

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Winnipeg, MB, Canada – Confirmed arson fire stopped from spreading at hotel thanks to fire sprinkler system

The city says firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at a hotel in the 1800 block of Wellington Avenue around 3:19 p.m. on Friday. While crews were responding, the city said further reports were made to 911 that there was a fire in one of the suites.

Firefighters found smoke in the first floor hallway of the hotel and began an offensive attack. The city said the fire was under control very quickly, thanks in part to the hotel’s automatic sprinkler system that had activated and stopped the fire from spreading.

Other areas of the hotel had some minor smoke and water damage. The city said there are no damage estimates at this time.

All the people in the hotel were able to self-evacuate, and one person was assessed by paramedics on scene but did not need to go to the hospital. There were no other injuries reported.

Police confirmed that the fire was a result of arson. 

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Louisville, KY – Sprinkler system contains fire after man sets trash can in dorm at U of L on fire

 A man was arrested Saturday after police said he started a fire inside a University of Louisville dormitory bathroom. 

According to an arrest report, police took Antonio Spuria, 18, into custody after witnesses and evidence pointed to him setting a 55-gallon garbage can on fire around 2 a.m. Saturday inside the men’s restroom on the second floor of Miller Hall Dormitory, located on U of L’s Belknap Campus. 

Multiple students were inside the dorm at the time of the fire, and the building had to be evacuated for several hours while crews with the Louisville Fire Department cleaned up and repaired its sprinkler system, according to Spuria’s arrest report. 

Spuria was booked at Louisville Metro Corrections around 2:30 p.m. Saturday and was charged with first-degree arson and wanton endangerment, according to his arrest report. 

Other Business, Place of Worship

Sacramento, CA – Fire sprinklers keep arson church fire from spreading

Two Sacramento-area churches were damaged late Tuesday and early Wednesday morning in fires believed to be started by an arsonist.

The first fire was reported at 11:56 p.m. at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church at 14th Avenue.

Several windows were kicked in at the church and fire was set to an administrative office and library.

“It’s wasteful, that’s what it is. Somebody that don’t got nothing to do and the devil is busy nowadays. We was fortunate it’s just this amount of damage,” said church trustee and head of maintenance Richard Heidelberg.

A fire sprinkler system kept the blaze from spreading but caused major water damage in several offices.

“We have a lot of water damage and just two places with smoke damage, but all of our offices in our administration wing, all those are flooded out and the carpet and everything and down the hallway into finance and then it started into the church but it stopped,” said Heidelberg.

One firefighter suffered moderate burns during the initial fire attack and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

As firefighters were battling the blaze, an arson investigator en route to the call spotted a suspicious person and ultimately made an arrest.

They believe that suspect is responsible for both church fires.

While it will take major restoration and construction to get the Central International Church open, Heidelberg is confident his Baptist church will be back in service on Sunday.

“A lot of work to do, a lot of work to do. We’ll be back running for Sunday, that’s a guarantee,” he said.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Regina, SK, Canada – Boy sets fire to paper towel aisle at superstore, fire sprinklers keep fire at bay; No injuries reported

A 12-year-old boy is scheduled to appear in court Thursday in connection with a fire that started in the paper towel aisle of the Rochdale Walmart in Regina’s north end.

The boy has been charged with arson, the Regina Police Service said.

Police and fire trucks rushed to the store around 8:30 p.m. CST on Tuesday, after smoke was reported in the building. Staff and shoppers were evacuated from the building.

“The building was filled with a really thick, bad-smelling smoke,” said Jordan Blodgett, who was at a Tim Hortons near the store and saw the fire response.

Taylor Deis was at Walmart at the time and confirmed the fire was coming from the paper towel aisle. She captured a quick video before staff and customers had to leave.

Fellow shopper Michelle Morrow never saw the source of the fire, nor did she hear a fire alarm.

Her only indication that something was wrong, aside from the smoke, was a man speaking unclearly over the intercom telling people to “get out.”

Morrow said she wasn’t impressed by the evacuation methods.

Blodgett took video of the scene outdoors, showing a smokey haze floating from the Walmart entrance and red fire truck lights flashing.

Regina police say firefighters put out the fire and cleared the building. Fire Marshal Randy Ryba said investigators were on scene until about 1 a.m. assessing the situation. 

He confirmed the fire was started in the paper towel section of the store. The building’s sprinkler system kept the fire at bay until fire crews arrived on the scene, he said.

“I’m not sure if it was a lighter or match, but that’s all it took,” Ryba said. “It did cause a great deal of smoke and water damage throughout the store.”

Ryba said Walmart is assessing the damage and said it would be “a great deal of time” before the store can reopen.

When contacted by CBC News, Walmart said once the necessary clean-up and repair work is completed, the store will reopen. In the meantime, staff at the Rochdale location will be working in nearby stores.

Police say no one was injured.

Police said the investigation was assisted by management and security staff at the store, who made surveillance video available.

Other Business, Place of Worship

Longmont, CO – Early morning suspected arson fire at local church controlled by sprinkler system

An arson investigation is underway after police say a man broke into a historic church in Longmont and set it on fire.

Police say a man broke into the CENTRAL Longmont Presbyterian Church on Kimbark Street at 5:40 a.m. on Sunday. Fire investigators say suspect used accelerant to start the fire. The fire caused more than $5,000 in damage, but the alleged perpetrator was caught on camera.

As the sun filtered through the trees along Kimbark Street Sunday, the sound of mallets tapping lightly on a table could heard in a peaceful rhythm.

“The weather is beautiful today,” Carol Duarte with the Northern Colorado Caledonia Pipe Band said.

The Northern Colorado Caledonia Pipe Band was holding an outdoor lesson, after police say a man set fire to the church where they hold practice.

“Any time anybody is disrespectful or vandalizes someone else’s property it’s a sad thing,” Duarte said.

In the surveillance video a man can be seen peering into the glass door, near the Recovery Café area of the church. Then he readjusts his scarf to cover his face and that’s when police say he broke in.

“Like all our faith communities, they do incredible work in our community all the time. So it breaks our heart when our churches get targeted,” Jeff Satur, Longmont Deputy Chief, said.

Police said the suspect poured an accelerant on the floor, that some said smelled like gasoline, and took off. Officers credit the sprinkler system and fire crews for their quick response.

The church, which was built in 1905, suffered extensive damage. The band members said they will continue to improvise and have confidence the church community will be resilient.

“It’s a very vibrant church with a lot of programs that a lot of people benefit from,” Duarte said.

Police are hopeful someone will recognize the man in the video and help them make an arrest. If you have any information, call Longmont Police Dispatch at 303-651-8501.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Huntsville, AL – Sprinkler system helps contain fire in craft department of Walmart

Shoppers were evacuated from the Walmart on Sparkman Drive after a fire started in the craft department on Thursday morning.

Huntsville Police asked for the public’s help to identify a man wanted for questioning in connection with the Walmart fire and for a second fire that happened at Michaels on Airport Road on Thursday. They said that thanks to a tip on their post, the man was identified.

Police say Robert Charles Makowski is charged with two counts of first-degree arson. Makowski is currently being held in the Madison County Jail and bond has not been set at this time.

Captain Frank McKenzie with Huntsville Fire & Rescue (HFR) said around 9:15 a.m. firefighters were called to the store on a report that a rooftop AC unit was on fire. When officials arrived, they learned the arts and crafts department caught fire and the sprinklers went off.

People were evacuated into the store parking lot and the store was closed when firefighters arrived.

Capt. McKenzie says that the area that burned was roughly eight feet in length, six feet deep, and ten feet tall. He says there is standing water in the building that covers approximately 12,000 square feet.

Walmart was closed on Thursday.

The Sparkman Drive Walmart told WHNT News 19 they re-opened at 8 a.m. Friday.

The fire department is still investigating the fire.