Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill Revelstoke, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system helps contain electrical fire at timber mill September 1, 2016 viking210 The sprinkler system at Downie Timber Mill was crucial in containing a fire that broke out at the business on Tuesday night, Aug. 30. Revelstoke Fire and Rescue Services (RFRS) responded to the fire, following a 911 call, at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Fire chief Rob Girard reported that the fire was electrical, possibly sparked by one of the large air compressors. With 17 personnel from the Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services responding to the fire, it was out in less than 30 minutes with no injuries. “Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke pouring from the rear of the compressor building and sprinklers activated,” Girard said. “We immediately ventilated and had an attack crew enter the structure for the fire attack.” There were no occupants in the building at the time and dealing with the fire was made easier due to the installed sprinkler system. “The sprinkler system in the mill did a great job containing the fire to the area of origin,” Girard said, “without sprinklers this fire would have been a completely different matter for us.” “Our hats are off to the great staff and management at Downie Timber Ltd. who helped us when we first arrived right through to mop up,” Girard said. “We all realize how important this facility is to the community.”
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential Gibsons, BC, Canada – Early morning fire at assisted living complex doused by sprinkler system July 15, 2016 viking210 Eighty-five residents of Christenson Village in Gibsons had to be evacuated early Saturday morning after a fire in one of the units. The Gibsons and District Fire Department said a toaster was left on a stove top, which was accidentally turned on. Fire officials said the building’s sprinkler system kicked in and quickly doused the fire. Julie Williams of the Good Samaritan Society, which runs Christenson Village, said the damage is still being assessed and they can’t say when the person who lives in the unit where the fire broke out will be able to return. Williams adds that the Society is thankful for the quick actions of its staff and the local fire department in dealing with the incident.
Apartment Building, Residential Campbell River, BC, Canada – Storage locker fire at apartment building knocked down with help from sprinkler system July 8, 2016 viking210 No injuries were reported, but there is smoke and water damage in a storage locker room and adjacent living units after a fire in a multi-unit apartment building in the 300 block of Dogwood St. on Tuesday. “At 9:45 a.m., Campbell River fire crews responded to a report of alarms ringing and fire inside a multi-unit apartment building, and they arrived to find a smoke-filled hallway on the first floor with an active fire inside a storage locker room at the end of that hallway,” deputy fire chief Chris Vrabel said in a press release. “A water sprinkler suppression system had activated and prevented a much more serious situation, which enabled the entry crew to quickly knock down the remaining fire.” The majority of residents were allowed back into the building by 11:30 a.m. The cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time.
Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Victoria, BC, Canada – Fire at Indian restaurant contained by sprinkler system June 9, 2016 viking210 Patrons of Saaz will be able to enjoy the restaurant’s south Indian cuisine again, perhaps as early as June 30, an owner said Wednesday. Co-owner Raj Gupta said building assessors and insurance adjusters are only beginning to look over the fire and water damage, estimated at $150,000. But Gupta said Saaz, at 535 Yates St., near Wharf Street, could reopen as early as the end of the month if damage is not too extensive and repairs and renovations can be completed. Nobody was injured. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Gupta said he has received a number of calls from people sad to the hear news of the fire. “Hopefully, everything will come back,” he said. The fire broke out just after 11 p.m. Monday, after the restaurant, which opened in 2013 and specializes in the cuisine of southern India, had closed for the night. Price’s Alarms alerted firefighters to an alarm on the premises, while someone called 911 reporting possible flames. Victoria police also advised the fire department of flames seen from the rear of Bastion Square. Firefighters arrived and broke down a nearby door, smashing out the glass. The restaurant’s sprinklers had activated and kept the fire contained, said Battalion Chief Dave Bicknell, and firefighters were able to extinguish the flames within minutes. The fire started in an area used as a busing station and for storage, he said. According to the Victoria Fire Department, the fire began in an area used as a busing station and for storage. A few hours after the Saaz blaze, a small fire was reported at 701 Esquimalt Rd., across from Dalton Street in Vic West. Victoria firefighters responded about 3 a.m. to the report of smoke in the building. Upon arrival, crews found light smoke in the basement and the ground floor of the apartment building. It turned out a chair in a common area of the basement had been smouldering. The apartment’s manager discovered it and moved it to the rear parking lot. Fire crews removed the smoke with fans. Residents were able to return to their suites once the smoke had cleared.
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Port Alberni, BC, Canada – Sprinklers limit spread of fire that started outside elementary school May 6, 2016 viking210 A fire that broke out in a motor home parked at E.J. Dunn Elementary School just before 7 p.m. today (May 5) caused only minor smoke and water damage to the school building itself. E.J. Dunn will be open tomorrow (May 5). “It started at the motor home and spread to another car,” said Port Alberni Fire Department Deputy Chief Wes Patterson. Three Port Alberni trucks and one Beaver Creek Volunteer Fire Department truck responded to the blaze, along with one RCMP car and an ambulance. “There’s water damage from the sprinkler that’s gone off and a little smoke damage inside and then the front entrance doors [are damaged] but all in all it was very lucky. The building and the controls and the sprinkler system did what it was supposed to do which limited the spread of the fire. Structurally the school is fine.” Patterson said that the motor home belonged to one of the workers at the school but that the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. One person was taken to West Coast General Hospital as a result of the blaze, he added. “One person was taken to the hospital but not necessarily by B.C. Ambulance. I don’t know the extent of his injuries at this point.”
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Enderby, BC, Canada – Arson fire in school bathroom extinguished by sprinkler system April 21, 2016 viking210 RCMP are continuing their investigation of a fire at AL Fortune Secondary School in Enderby earlier this month. Cpl. Kevin Kwast said the fire has been determined as arson. “It looks like it was set with toilet paper and Post-it notes,” said Kwast, adding police want to interview a student, but could provide no more details because the student is a minor. Enderby Fire Chief Kevin Alstad said the fire started in the girl’s washroom and was put out by the sprinkler system. “There was smoke damage throughout the building,” said Alstad. “The washroom was pretty much a write off.” While the fire was limited to the washroom, smoke forced the evacuation of students and staff. The school was closed for two days before students could return to class
Apartment Building, Residential Richmond, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system knocks down apartment fire possibly caused by Molotov cocktail April 20, 2016 viking210 Richmond RCMP is investigating a suspicious fire late on Sunday evening in City Centre which is thought to have displaced up to eight families. Shortly after 11 p.m. the Mounties were called to the 5800 block of No. 3 Road to assist Richmond Fire-Rescue with a fire on the sixth floor of an apartment building. Fire crews had arrived earlier to find heavy smoke coming from the sixth floor. The Richmond News understands a Molotov device had been thrown on the floor and the fire was knocked down by the sprinkler system. Residents of the apartment claim this is the second time in a week that the building has been targeted, adding that a smoke bomb was let off and offensive graffiti was found. However, according to the RCMP, the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but is being treated as suspicious. “We are greatly relieved no one was injured,” said Richmond RCMP’s Cpl. Dennis Hwang. “We are currently reviewing surveillance footage and conducting interviews with witnesses. “One of our specially trained fire investigators is working with our counterparts from Richmond Fire-Rescue.” Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact Cpl. Kevin Lin immediately at 604-278-1212. To leave a tip, email Richmond_Tips@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). No injuries were reported, but several families were unable to return to their homes due to water damage.
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Enderby, BC, Canada – Sprinklers activate in suspicious fire at secondary school April 14, 2016 viking210 It’s back to school Tuesday for high school students at A.L. Fortune Secondary in Enderby following a fire in the girls’ washroom. About 250 students and teachers were evacuated around noon on Friday after the fire broke out and caused overhead sprinklers to come on. The fire is considered suspicious. A restoration company was called in immediately after the fire was doused to clean up the mess. However, reparation work forced the school to remain closed on Monday. “We are pleased to have our students and staff returning to the important learning that takes place at A.L. Fortune every day,” said Carl Cooper, director of instruction. Not all the classrooms will be open tomorrow. Cooper said one wing of the school will remain closed for a few more days, including a couple of classrooms, for construction of a new wall after asbestos was discovered in the mud used for drywall. “Since the washroom and one classroom wall were damaged by fire and water, and the mud was no longer encapsulated, an environmental services company, Apex EHS Services, was brought in to assess the hazardous materials,” said Alice Hucul, spokeswoman for School District 83. “The asbestos was removed on Monday to WorkSafe B.C. standards. Air quality was monitored throughout.” The district has been unable to supply an estimate of damage caused by the fire. The RCMP continue to investigate the incident.
Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill Smithers, BC, Canada – Arson fire at sawmill controlled by sprinkler system April 7, 2016 viking210 A 49-year-old man is reportedly in police custody, in connection with two fires at the Pacific Inland Resources sawmill in Smithers. RCMP and the Smithers Fire Department were called to the mill shortly after 10pm last night. Fire chief Keith Stecko says mill employees activated fire supression systems quickly. “PIR has a sprinkler system in its building so the system quickly detected the fire and was able to control it; when we arrived we put out some spot fires, but the sprinklers largely did the work,” he said. Stecko says it appears some sort of accelerant was used — and there was considerable damage. “We’re estimating between $50,000 to perhaps $100,000; we are currently investigating what was used to start the fire, so we’re not sure at this point what it was,” he said.
Residential, Townhouse / Condominium Kelowna, BC, Canada – Sprinklers help knock down flames in early morning townhouse fire March 21, 2016 viking210 An early morning structure fire in Kelowna has caused damage to at least one suite in a three storey townhouse. The Kelowna Fire Department received a call about the fire around 6:28 a.m. on Friday. When crews arrived on scene they spotted a fire on the roof of a townhouse on Ambrosi Road. Firefighters managed to knock the fire down quickly and the building sprinkler system helped to extinguish the flames. There were no reported injuries as a result of the fire but one suite was affected and an adjoining suite suffered water damage as well. Emergency Support Services is now assisting the residents with any support services they may require. The cause of the fire has not been released.
