Tag Archives: British Columbia

Apartment Building, Residential

Sechelt, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system saves building after discarded cigarette starts fire

Cleanup continues at the Pier 17 building in Davis Bay after a fire last week.

Sechelt Fire Chief Trevor Pike said the May 9 fire started on the deck of the building’s only residential suite when a cigarette butt that had been thrown into a planter smouldered and set mulch and other dry material ablaze around 4 a.m. Pike said the fire ran up an exterior post and beam and was starting to spread through the attic of the building when the sprinkler system kicked in.

When firefighters arrived, the fire in the attic had been suppressed and all that remained was to douse the flames on the exterior.

“That sprinkler system saved the building,” Pike said. “Pier 17 is still here because of the sprinklers.”

The two people in the unit at the time were able to get out safely after being awakened by the smoke alarm.

The businesses that suffered water damage included Gourmet Girl Café and the constituency office of Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons.

Simons said the damage to his office was extensive and they will need to move into a temporary space for as long as four months during repairs.

“I’m looking forward to being part of the FUSE space until repairs are complete at Pier 17,” Simons told Coast Reporter this week.

The Fuse Work Hub was recently opened by the Sunshine Coast Regional Economic Development Organization at Teredo Square in Sechelt.

Constituents will be able to contact the office at the same number: 604-741-0792.

The owners of Gourmet Girl said May 9 via their Facebook page that they did not expect to be closed long. They reopened May 16.

“Thankfully there were no injuries, and we hope to be back up and running in the next few days,” the post said. “If you see a firefighter or other first responders around town, give them a high-five for being so helpful and supportive.”

Pike said the other businesses on the upper floor should also be able to reopen soon.

He said the incident should serve as a reminder that it’s not safe to dispose of cigarettes or other smoking material in planters, as they can often smoulder undetected for hours and then burst into flame.

Apartment Building, Residential

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in knocking down apartment fire

No one was hurt, but an apartment and three businesses have suffered some major damage after a fire Sunday morning near Abbott and Water Street in Gastown. A discarded cigarette lighter seems to have been what started it. Fire crews were called to the unit near Abbott and Water Street, when smoke was reported by neighbours. Dave Rosenlund, Assistant Chief with Vancouver Fire and Rescue says it took time to knock out the flames.

“Crews got there, the sprinkler system had been activated from the building, and combustibles from the suite were on fire at the time when crews entered the suite,” he says. There’s some structural damage to the apartment, as well as water damage to three businesses located below the suite. Rosenlund says it’s a reminder to be cautious if you smoke indoors. “When smoking in your room, just be careful of how you dispose of your matches or turn your lighter on and off,” he says.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Vanderhoof, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at senior care facility; No injuries reported

An early morning fire has forced the displacement of 36 seniors at a care facility in Vanderhoof.

Northern Health says the fire broke out just before 2 a.m. this (Monday) morning resulting in the need to move residents out of three sections of Stuart Nechako Manor.

Spokesperson Eryn Collins says no residents or staff were harmed during or as a result of the fire.

“The Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire. The facility sprinkler system was activated during the event and has caused some water damage to three sections of the facility, necessitating the transfer of clients and patients for their own comfort and convenience.”

She adds the 36 affected residents are currently being housed in St. John’s Hospital and Aspen House (an unaffected section of Stuart Nechako Manor) where they are being kept safe and comfortable while next steps are being arranged.

No word yet on what caused the fire or how severe the damage is.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Arson fire in college classroom building is put out with help from sprinkler system

After fires prompted an evacuation at Langara College yesterday, Vancouver police have arrested and charged an individual. Prior to noon on April 1, first responders received reports of a suspicious fire at Langara College’s West 49th Avenue campus, according to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). A suspect had allegedly entered the college with improvised incendiary devices. At least two of the devices were detonated, causing fires to start, before the suspect fled. According to Cst. Jason Doucette at a VPD news conference held today (April 2), several other devices were left behind. Cst. Doucette said that the VPD’s bomb disposal unit neutralized a third device.

Cst. Doucette stated that sprinkler systems at the building did activate and the Vancouver Fire Department helped to put out the fires. Initially, all classes in the T Building (Science and Technology Building) were cancelled but around 1 p.m., the college evacuated everyone from the campus and also closed its 601 West Broadway campus. Based on information provided by the school and witnesses, the VPD identified the suspect as Nasradin Abdusamad Ali of Surrey, who is a 23-year-old student of Langara College, and alerted other local police agencies. Just after 4 p.m. on April 1, Metro Vancouver Transit Police arrested Ali in Surrey and turned him over to the VPD. Today, the VPD announced that Ali remains in custody and has been charged with one count of arson related to inhabited property and one count of possession of incendiary material. Although Langara College announced at 10:20 p.m. on April 1 that the VPD completed their sweep of the campus, the college’s West 49th Avenue campus remained closed today while the 601 West Broadway campus was reopened.

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

North Okanagan, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at sawmill

Quick-thinking employees and a fire suppression system saved the day at a North Okanagan sawmill Saturday.

The Lumby Fire Department were called to a fire at the Tolko WhiteValley mill at 7:30 p.m.

Fire Chief Tony Clayton said two night watchmen were already dousing the flames with water and the sprinkler system had been activated, saving the day.

“They did a really good job,” said Clayton, adding once fire crews got there they were able to knock down the flames quickly. “They kept it to the area of origin before we got there.”

Clayton said there was potential for the fire to spread and it could have been a lot worse.

The fire has been determined accidental and some mill equipment sustained damage.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Kamloops, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at recycling center

Fire investigators have been unable to determine what caused a fire at the Emterra recycling centre in Valleyview on Tuesday.

Kamloops firefighters were called at about 4:15 p.m. when a pile of cardboard went up in flames behind the Kelly Douglas Road facility.

Investigators know the fire started outside, at the building’s west end, but have been unable to figure out what sparked the blaze, said Kamloops Fire Rescue platoon Capt. Darryl Cooper.

“Talking to Emterra employees, sometimes they will get a lot of mixed recyclables that shouldn’t be in there — chemicals or steel or whatever that [can] cause a chain reaction, but the official cause is undetermined,” Cooper said.

He said fire investigators are typically able to trace the blaze back to a point of origin, but that hasn’t been possible in this case as the fire was spread over a large area containing a lot of debris.

Cooper said the fire started in a large pile of cardboard and led to an active rubber conveyor belt catching fire, which carried some of the fire inside the building.

Those flames were met by the building’s sprinkler system.

“We sent crews in to check for extension, but everything was good,” Cooper said.

Other - Retail, Retail

Mission, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at tire store

Wednesday night’s fire inside the Mission Canadian Tire store is now considered to be suspicious.

According to a press release, the Mission RCMP have opened an active investigation.

Police are seeking any witnesses to the fire and asking them to come forward.

The release asks that if anyone was in the area of Canadian Tire, on London Ave., between 6-7 p.m. during the time of the fire and has dash cam footage, they should forward it to the Mission RCMP Detachment.

Anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious in the area during the time of the fire are also urged to come forward with information.

The fire broke out inside the Canadian Tire store at about 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 30.

Mission Fire Rescue Service was called and quickly responded.

“Crews, when they arrived on scene, found smoke right to the floor, inside the structure,” said Mission fire chief Dale Unrau.

Firefighters located the blaze “within the racking.” It has been “mostly put out” by the in-building sprinkler system, explained Unrau.

“Firefighters completed extinguishing the fire and at this point in time are just ventilating the structure,” Unrau said on Wednesday night.

There were no injuries to report as staff and customers exited the store safely. No firefighters were injured during the blaze.

Unrau said there is no damage to the structure itself but the clean up will take time.

“The sprinkler system did a great job and extinguished the fire, but there’s lots of water throughout the store and smoke throughout the store as well, so I’m sure the building will be out of service for an extended period of time.”

Several hours later, at about 2 a.m. Thursday morning, firefighters were called out to the store again as a second fire began to burn.

“We’re not quite sure why we had another fire break out in there, but when we left after the first one, our fire investigators had already completed their investigation in the initial fire area and our crews that were ventilating the structure had gone through and done a final check with a thermal camera and everything was cold,” said Unrau.

He called it a mystery and noted that the Mission RCMP were on scene throughout the night, watching the structure until the morning when the police investigation team arrived.

Unrau said the fire is “definitely suspicious.”

“I have a big team of investigators digging through the rubble as we speak.”

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Residential

Kamloops, BC, Canada – Arson fire in newly built supportive housing building extinguished by sprinkler system

Police have arrested a 32-year-old man for allegedly setting fire to a room at the newly built Mission Flats Manor on Tuesday night. Kamloops Mounties and firefighters responded to the supportive housing building at 805 Mission Flats Rd. at approximately 10 p.m. RCMP Cpl. Jodi Shelkie said the fire appeared to have been purposely set in one of the rooms of the building and officers arrested a male suspect at the scene.

“Surveillance video shows a male in the area of the fire just minutes before the fire alarm was activated,” Shelkie said. Kamloops Fire Rescue Insp. Kevin Cassidy said the fire began in the washroom of unit 221, on the second floor, where a running propane-powered blow torch was left running up against a wicker laundry basket. He said a sprinkler in the room extinguished the fire, which is considered arson.

No one was injured or displaced by the fire, to which 14 firefighters responded. “Everyone was back in right away,” said Cassidy. The fire was contained to the laundry basket, Cassidy said, noting firefighters checked to ensure there was no extension of flames before clearing the scene.

Shelkie said police are not disclosing whether the suspect is a resident of Mission Flats Manor. The RCMP has sent all investigative information has been sent to the Crown to determine if arson charges will move forward.

Other - Storage / Warehouse, Storage / Warehouse

Kelowna, BC, Canada – Car fire contained by sprinkler system until fire crews arrived

Sunday morning at 2:45 a.m. the Kelowna Fire Department dispatch center received a 911 call reporting three vehicles on fire inside a storage/mechanic bay type structure, in the 3100 Block of Sexsmith Rd.

The first arriving Officer reported smoke coming from the soffit area of the roof.

Crews gained access to the building and discovered a single vehicle on fire with impingement on two others. The sprinkler system had been activated and was able to contain the fire. Fire crews then finished extinguishment, ventilation and overhaul.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by both RCMP and Kelowna Fire Department investigators.

Kelowna Fire Department responded with four engines, one ladder truck, rescue unit, a safety unit and Command vehicle with a total of 17 personnel.

Please check your smoke alarms. They do save lives.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chilliwack, BC, Canada – Kitchen fire in first-floor apartment extinguished by sprinkler system

The Chilliwack Fire Department are reminding residents to “stand by your pan” after a kitchen fire on Saturday. It was that day at approximately 5:30 p.m. when firefighters were dispatched to a reported apartment structure fire in the 45000 block of Wellington Avenue.  Firefighters discovered a stovetop fire in the kitchen of a first floor apartment unit. The fire had been extinguished by the building’s automatic fire sprinkler system prior to the arrival of fire crews  Without a working sprinkler system in place, this fire had the potential of causing extensive fire damage to the home and adjacent units in the apartment building, according to the department.  “The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Please make sure to stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food and always turn off the burner if you leave the kitchen for any reason.”