Tag Archives: California

Rohnert Park, CA – Sprinkler system credited with keeping house fire from spreading

One person was treated Saturday night for smoke inhalation suffered in a house fire that firefighters said was partially doused by the house’s sprinkler system. 

The fire was reported about 10 p.m. Saturday in the University District subdivision, Rohnert Park Fire Cmdr. Aaron Johnson said in a statement. Smoke was seen coming from the garage there. 

Firefighters arrived to see the sprinklers working. The fire, in the corner of the garage, was contained in about 10 minutes, Johnson said. 

The house’s sprinkler system is credited with keeping the fire from spreading. 

One resident of the house was treated for minor smoke inhalation, Johnson said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Vallejo, CA – No injuries in middle-of-night apartment fire contained by sprinkler system

More than 40 people were displaced after a major fire broke out early Saturday at a four-story apartment building in downtown Vallejo, officials said.  The blaze struck about 12:30 a.m. at a building on the 500 block of Georgia Street called Kimberly Apartments, according to the Vallejo Fire Department. There were no injuries.

The fire was quickly contained to one of the units in the building, officials said.  The building’s sprinkler system activated in the fire, the Fire Department said.  Crews remained on scene throughout the morning to douse any hot spots.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. shut down the gas and electrical power to the building. The structure is red-tagged — meaning tenants may not return to their units — until repairs are completed, the Fire Department said.  The Red Cross provided temporary housing vouchers to the displaced residents, officials said.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Sacramento, CA – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in extinguishing restaurant kitchen fire; Apartments above restaurant unaffected

A stove top fire at Localis restaurant in midtown Sacramento on Tuesday morning was contained to the kitchen by firefighters, but mop up from smoke and water damage could sideline the dining spot for several days.  Firefighters were called to the eatery on S Street at 21st Street at 9:07 a.m. when a passerby saw flames inside the business coming from the stove top, said Sacramento Fire Battalion Chief Jim Edmiston at the scene.

No one was inside the building at the time and apartments above the restaurant were not affected by the small blaze. The restaurant said in a statement on its Facebook page: “Its true, we had a small fire in the kitchen early this morning. Everybody is fine and there was minimal damage. We are closing tonight and will reopen tomorrow. We could really use your support this week to recoup from the closure.

Nearby Broadway and downtown fire crews punched through the locked entrance, and with assistance from the restaurant’s sprinkler system they knocked down the flames in about 30 minutes, but firefighters remained on scene to clean up the damage from smoke and water left behind.  “Our goal is to try to get them back in business ASAP,” Edmiston said.  Once cleanup is complete, health inspectors will come in to determine when the restaurant can reopen, Edmiston said.

Berkeley, CA – Fifth floor apartment fire held in check by sprinkler system

Berkeley Fire Department responded to a fire at 2310 Fulton St. — which was determined to have been caused by a dryer that caught fire — after receiving a call at 6 p.m. about smoke billowing out of the apartment complex, according to BFD spokesperson Keith May.

May said the fire broke out on the fifth floor of the building, and firefighters put it out “within minutes.” He added that the fire did not cause any injuries to civilians or firefighters.

“The sprinkler system kicked in and held it in check,” May said. “Once (firefighters) made entry and found out where the smoke was coming from, they just immediately put it out.”

BFD responded to the fire by dispatching four engines, a truck company, a battalion chief and an ambulance, according to May.

May said the location where the fire broke out is still an “active scene.”

Modesto, CA – Sprinkler system gives firefighters a big leg up on blaze at cabinet company

A fire-suppression system worked well Tuesday morning at a business off Yosemite Boulevard and Mitchell Road, likely saving firefighters a lot of work and the building a lot of damage.  The fire was in a dust-collection hopper on the exterior of Sierra Casework, on the 200 block of Spenker Avenue. The company is less than half a mile from Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District Station 31 on Mitchell Road.

Initially, there was heavy smoke from the fire, Stanislaus Consolidated Capt. Mark Jacobs said. But the sprinkler system kicked in and quickly knocked down the flames, and the smoke had largely dissipated upon crews’ arrival.

“We have several of these cabinet shops in our district,” Jacobs said, “and these (dust fires) are pretty common. Throughout the cabinet shop are a bunch of vacuum systems, and the main port sucks all the dust out here and they discard it.

To ensure the fire was out, firefighters used a ladder truck to get on the roof and to the door of the collection hopper. Opening the door, a firefighter called down that there still was a small amount of fire. The door was shut so as to not feed the fire oxygen while a hose line was carried up the hopper’s built-in ladder. Then firefighters made quick work of fully extinguishing the fire.

Santa Maria, CA – Sprinkler system contains house fire to bedroom, according to firefighters

A fire sprinkler system helped contain a blaze in a Santa Maria residence on Wednesday night.  At 8:40 p.m., personnel from the Santa Maria Fire and Police departments and American Medical Response were dispatched to the 200 block of East Inger Drive for a structure fire.  The blaze was kept in check by the fire sprinkler system, with the flames contained to a bedroom, according to firefighters.  One person was being evaluated medically by AMR paramedics, firefighters said.  Additional details were not immediately available.

Crescent City, CA – Apartment fire put out by sprinkler system; Man rescues elderly woman from smoke-filled apartment

Crescent City Fire and Rescue officials are acknowledging a local man for his efforts in removing a woman from a burning apartment Tuesday night. According to a release from Interim Fire Chief Bill Gillespie, firefighters responded to a structure fire at 1000 Scenic Creek, Scenic Creek Apartments, to find a downstairs apartment with heavy smoke inside. Gillespie said the apartment’s sprinkler system had also been activated.

“Arriving crews also found that an elderly victim had been removed from the smoke-filled apartment by neighbor Daniel Hungerford,” the release said. “The rescued occupant was suffering from smoke inhalation.” An ambulance was requested and oxygen was administered to the patient.

Mr. Hungerford told fire officials he heard a neighbor yelling “smoke” and ran to the apartment door. “When he opened the door, there was smoke down to the floor,” the release said. “He stated that he saw the victim’s hand in the smoke and rushed in to grab her. He was able to remove the victim just as the fire department arrived on scene.

The building’s sprinklers put out the fire, which appeared to have been caused by smoking materials nearby an oxygen tank and tubing, which ignited the tubing. The sprinkler and alarm systems were reset so other tenants could reenter the building.

“Crescent City Fire & Rescue would like to remind our community that oxygen and open flames and smoking materials do not mix,” the release states. “Oxygen can rapidly accelerate fire and flame spread. Oxygen-fueled fires can also cause significant
injury. Please be safe when using oxygen.”

Officials estimated the damage of the fire to have been about $10,000 and the name of the elderly woman pulled from the apartment was not released.

Fresno, CA – Arson fire extinguished with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

The Fresno Fire Department is asking for help Tuesday identifying whoever set fire to a Fresno elementary school classroom on Saturday night.

Around 7:45 p.m., a fire burned inside a classroom of Edith B. Storey Elementary School at 5250 E. Church Avenue.

The fire caused major fire and smoke damage.

The sprinkler system helped extinguish the fire, but it caused water damage to the classroom and to the teacher’s supplies and books.

The suspect(s) used an object to smash a small window on the door of the classroom and made entry into the classroom, the Fire Department said. While inside the classroom the suspect(s) set multiple fires that caused the damage.

The fire Saturday was the second arson fire at the location within 24 hours, the Fire Department said.

Anyone with information should call the Fire Department Arson Hotline at 559-621-2776.

Stockton, CA – Sprinkler system keeps semitrailer fire from spreading into warehouse at packaging company

The cause and origin of a two-alarm fire Sunday night that burned two semitrailers, a train car and the roof of a nearby packaging warehouse in east Stockton remains under investigation today, according to the Stockton Fire Department.

The fire was called in at 8:17 p.m. as a warehouse fire, but when crews arrived they observed two semitrailers fully involved with flames extending to the nearby warehouse operated by Pflug Packaging at 1203 N. Gertrude Ave. in an industrial area north of East Fremont Street. A boxcar on a rail siding just west of the trailers also burned.

A Pflug spokeswoman said the impact of the fire on operations was “minimal.” No one but security personnel were on site at the time, the fire affected an empty corner of the large warehouse and the structure’s sprinkler system kept flames from spreading to palletized boxes inside.

Firefighters had the blaze under control within 30 minutes, the Fire Department reported. Department spokesman Jeff Whitlock said six engines, two truck companies, two battalion chiefs and the chief’s operator responded to the scene. The last unit remained for mop-up until about 10:45 p.m. No injuries were reported.

Fresno, CA – Restaurant fire knocked down by sprinkler system

A popular Northeast Fresno is closed until repairs can be made after the fire broke out on Sunday.

Patrons of Five Restaurant at Champlain and Perrin were saddened to see one of their favorite spots to eat and drink was forced to shut down.

The fire erupted two hours before it was going to open. It started near the pizza oven and spread into the attic.

Smoke filled the entire building but without a sprinkler system in place, the outcome would have been much worse.

Fresno City Battalion Chief Bob Van Tassel explained, “I would figure that particular building probably would have burned to the ground.”

Van Tassel added if the sprinklers didn’t knock down the flames, the fire would’ve threatened neighboring buildings. Still, the smoke and water damage was extensive.

Van Tassel said, “I think the early estimates around $300,000 although there’s probably a substantial loss I’m sure to the business. As you’re aware, it’s a well-established business in the community.”

In a message posted on Facebook, owners Pat and Marina LaRocca said, “On behalf of our FIVE family, we would like to thank our friends, family, and community for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We are doing everything necessary to speed up the process of reopening our family restaurant.”

Five Restaurant was preparing for another busy day.

Operations Manager Nicole Fitzgerald said it was just controlled in the kitchen when we had to evacuate. It definitely surpassed the kitchen.”

Four employees were evaluated for smoke inhalation at the scene. One was taken to the hospital to be checked.