Tag Archives: California

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Half Moon Bay, CA – Sprinkler system contains fire at beach house; No injuries reported

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Fire officials performed a full evacuation of the Beach House at Half Moon Bay after an early-morning fire erupted in the hotel’s laundry room.

Automatic alarm systems at the luxury hotel alerted fire personnel around 5:30 a.m. to a structure fire spreading on the first floor. Six fire crews responded to the scene and evacuated about 30 guests and hotel employees from the premises.

The first responders to the fire found that the automatic sprinkler system at the hotel had contained most of the blaze.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Battalion Chief Clayton Jolley said the fire was likely triggered by the water heater in the laundry room and then spread to other combustibles such as linens and baskets lying around the area.

Jolly estimated the cost of the damage from the blaze to be around $15,000, primarily due to water damage caused by the hotel’s sprinkler system.

Guests were allowed to return to their rooms by 6:30 a.m.

In 1996, the unfinished structure of the Beach House hotel was destroyed in a suspicious fire that started in the building just days before the sprinkler system was installed. The fire completely wrecked the structure, causing $2.5 million in damages.

Investigators treated the fire as an arson case, which officially remains open to this day, although no suspect has ever been identified.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Folsom, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at hotel; No injuries reported

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There’ll be extensive cleanup ahead for the Hampton Inn in Folsom after a fire sparked in a hotel room Sunday.

According to Folsom Fire Department, the fire started in a fourth floor hotel room.

While the fire was extinguished,  the sprinkler system left behind water damage in several rooms and floors. Fire officials ultimately described the damage as moderate and added that no one was injured.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but officials said there’ll be “extensive clean up” due to the sprinkler system.

A front desk representative at the hotel said the water damage was minimal and the hotel got an OK from the fire department to let everyone back into their rooms. They said they don’t see the incident interrupting business.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Redding, CA – Sprinkler system activated for electrical fire at theater; No injuries reported

The Redding Fire Department responded to an electrical fire inside the Axiom Repertory Theatre in Redding early Wednesday morning.

Around 6:40 a.m. the Redding Fire Department responded to the theatre on Bechelli Lane.

According to theatre officials, there were no injuries, and NorCal Corals, the aquarium retailer next door, has not been damaged. RFD said the Axiom was unoccupied at the time of the blaze.

The executive director of the Axiom Theatre Nancy Hill, said they don’t know exactly how it happened, but the sprinkler system did its job, and now they will deal with the water damage.

RFD said the cause of the incident was determined to be a electrical failure or malfunction.

Apartment Building, Residential

Mountain View, CA – Sprinkler system activated for laundry room fire at apartment complex

Residents of a Mountain View apartment complex were forced to evacuate yesterday afternoon when a fire broke out in the building’s laundry room. According to a social media post from the City of Mountain View Fire Department, the emergency call occurred at 3:51 p.m. from the 800 block of N Rengstorff Avenue. All tenants managed to leave the building unharmed before the arrival of the fire crew.

The first engine company reached the scene within three minutes of dispatch, encountering smoke on the third floor and heavy smoke in the laundry room. With the laundry room’s sprinkler system already engaged due to the heat from the blaze, firefighters were tasked with ceasing the water flow, ensuring the fire had not spread, and starting the overhaul process.

Authorities stated that the active sprinkler system aided the fire’s quick containment, which effectively isolated the flames to the laundry room. “Firefighters discontinued the water flow from the sprinklers, confirmed there was no fire extension into the building,” noted the Fire Department’s post. Salvaging operations were initiated to minimize water damage to affected areas, including two second-floor apartments directly beneath the laundry room.

The cause of the fire, which was successfully extinguished without injuries, was a clothes dryer that overheated due to lint accumulation. The Fire Department estimated the damages to the building and contents amounted to $40,000. During the incident, the Mountain View Police Department temporarily closed a lane on N Rengstorff Avenue to facilitate fire unit operations.

As a reminder for residents, the City of Mountain View Fire Department pointed to guidance from the National Fire Protection Association on dryer safety: “The NFPA recommends that your dryer be installed and serviced by a professional, never use a dryer without a lint filter, clean the lint filter after each load of laundry and ensure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted when the dryer is operating.”

Office Building, Other Business

Mountain View, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Google office

An office building at Google’s Mountain View campus caught fire on Tuesday evening, resulting in approximately $200,000 worth of damage.

The blaze was reported at approximately 5:18 p.m. in a two-story building at 2081 Stierlin Court in Mountain View, the Mountain View Fire Department said in a Facebook post. Fire crews arrived on the scene approximately five minutes later after 25 employees had self-evacuated.

Fire personnel located smoke coming from a computer lab, where an overhead sprinkler had been activated. Crews were able to turn off the sprinkler and “remove water and smoke from the affected office space” without damaging the electronics.

Officials believe the lab caught fire after an “unattended electrical component” overheated on a workbench, the fire department said. Firefighters extinguished the fire and recharged the sprinkler system.

Google officials will be in charge of restoring the facility, the fire department said. The company did not respond to SFGATE’s request for comment.

Self-Storage Facility, Storage / Warehouse

Los Angeles, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at storage facility

A fire on the fifth floor of the Extra Space Storage facility in Westchester was extinguished in 26 minutes Monday evening.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was notified for the fire by the building’s automatic fire alarm system at 8:14 p.m., according to department spokesman Brian Humphrey. Firefighters responded to 5555 W. Manchester Ave., between Aviation and Airport boulevards, where they found flames coming from one unit in the seven-story building.

The fire was extinguished at 8:40 p.m.

Humphrey said the blaze was held in check by a fire sprinkler system and firefighters are in the process of salvage, protecting the building’s contents and water removal.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Sonora, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at waste management facility

A fire inside a Cal Sierra Waste Management Transfer Station building in East Sonora early Sunday triggered an automatic deluge sprinkler system that helped keep the fire from spreading throughout the structure, though the station was closed to the public Monday.

Firefighters from multiple agencies responded to the fire just after 6 a.m. Sunday in the 19300 block of Industrial Drive in Mono Village, south of Mono Way, east of Sonora, Tuolumne County Fire posted to Instagram. A total of 11 engine crews, one ladder truck, two hand crews, three water trucks, and one bulldozer responded.

They found heavy smoke and active fire in the waste facility building, and the sprinkler system was already active and flowing. Firefighters remained on scene with Cal Sierra Waste Management representatives for several hours to ensure the fire was completely out.

The Tuolumne County Public Works Department said late Sunday that the transfer station would remain closed to the public Monday and is expected to resume normal service Tuesday.

“Residential and commercial curbside collection services are not affected by this closure and routes will be serviced on their regular schedule,” the department stated.

For more information, call Cal Sierra Waste Management at (888) 558-0616.

Tuolumne County Fire said agencies that responded to the fire early Sunday included Twain Harte Fire, Tuolumne City Fire, Sonora City Fire, the Cal Fire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit, and Cal Fire units from San Bernardino, Tulare, and and San Benito-Monterey. The out-of-town crews are helping cover parts of Tuolumne County.

Apartment Building, Residential

Arcata, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at multi-unit apartment building

On August 6, 2024 at 7:00 P.M. Arcata Fire District units along with multiple other fire, law enforcement and EMS agencies were dispatched to a reported commercial structure fire at 4975 Valley West Boulevard.

Arcata Police officers in the area had arrived first and reported smoke coming from a single apartment of a two-story multi-unit apartment building. The police officers immediately began evacuating occupants of the building. Arcata Fire District units arrived on scene and found an apartment with heavy smoke and active fire. The automatic sprinkler system had activated and was preventing the fire from spreading beyond the original apartment.

Due to the size of the structure and potential for threat to life, Arcata Fire District requested Humboldt Bay Fire, who already had an engine responding to assist, dispatch their ladder truck for additional specialized equipment and staffing. The Arcata Fire District units that were at scene attacked the fire, performed secondary searches and confirmed the building was completely clear.

The fire was controlled in about 10 minutes. Arcata Fire personnel ventilated smoke from the building.

While evacuating the structure, Arcata Police officers located an occupant who was suffering from smoke inhalation. The patient was assessed and treated by ambulance personnel at the scene.

The Arcata Fire District Volunteer Logistics responded with salvage equipment to allow fire personnel to remove water, expediting the ability of occupants to re-enter the building. Arcata Fire District personnel conducted an investigation of the cause of the fire, which is undetermined at this point and remains under investigation.

Damages to the building are approximately $10,000. Arcata Fire District would like to thank its allied partners for all of their assistance as the fire had potential to develop into a major incident. Arcata Fire was assisted by Blue Lake Fire, Fieldbrook Fire, Humboldt Bay Fire, Arcata Police Department, Arcata-Mad River Ambulance, Cal Fire Emergency Command Center in Fortuna, and Pacific Gas and Electric.

Arcata Fire would also like to recognize the importance of smoke alarms and automatic extinguishing systems. Combined, these systems allow for early notification which most certainly saves lives and reduces fire spread.

Self-Storage Facility, Storage / Warehouse

Fresno, CA – Sprinkler system activated for lithium-ion battery fire at storage facility

Firefighters were able to contain a fire at a storage facility in Fresno Monday morning.

Firefighters were called to the Dakota Park RV Storage on Dakota Avenue near Highway 99 for a fire alarm at the facility.

When firefighters arrived they found smoke coming from a commercial-sized storage unit and requested additional resources.

The storage unit contained a large amount of property including lithium-ion batteries, which are believed to have caused the fire.

With help from the fire sprinkler system, crews were able to keep the fire contained to the single storage unit.

About 20 other units were impacted by smoke.

Lithium-ion batteries provide power for devices like our smart phones and laptops, e-scooters, and e-bikes. The batteries store a lot of energy in a small amount of space. Fresno Fire public information officer

Josh Sellers says always keep safety in mind. “Always use the appropriate charging device tat came with the instrument. If you need a replacement get a replacement from the manufacturer,” Sellers said.

As a reminder, the National Fire Protection Association recommends removing lithium-ion batteries from their chargers once charging is complete and storing these batteries at room temperature whenever possible.

Apartment Building, Residential

San Diego, CA – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at apartment building

San Diego Police are looking for a man suspected of starting a fire inside a downtown apartment building early Tuesday morning.

At around 2 a.m., SDPD officers and San Diego Fire-Rescue Department crews were dispatched to the apartment on 1453 Fourth Ave. after a woman reported a man setting things on fire in the building.

The fire inside set off alarms, which forced tenants to evacuate from the building. ABC 10News learned one man was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

As the building’s sprinkler system put out the fire, responding firefighters helped prevent most of the water damage from the sprinklers.

Officers forced their way into the apartment where the fire started, but the suspected arsonist was not inside.

Police questioned the woman who called 911 to report the incident; her relationship to the suspected arsonist was unclear.

A description of the man was not immediately available.