Tag Archives: California

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Perris, CA – Fire at plastics recycling plant dampened by sprinkler system

A fire erupted on Monday, April 8 inside a plastics recycling plant in Perris, causing damage to the interior and roof before it was contained. The non-injury blaze was reported about 11:45 a.m. at Global Plastics on Malbert Street, near Goetz Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

Multiple engine crews were sent to the location, where automated sprinkler systems activated inside the structure, helping dampen the flames by the time firefighters arrived, according to reports from the scene. The building was safely evacuated. A battalion chief said the fire extended from the workspace to the rooftop, but the blaze was completely contained by 12:15 p.m. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Los Angeles, CA – Fire in suspected illegal drug lab in apartment building is put out by sprinkler system

An explosion inside a Koreatown apartment building prompted the evacuation of the all residents and left one man injured and in custody Tuesday morning. Firefighters responded about 12:30 a.m. to reports of a small explosion inside a building in the 800 block of South Ardmore Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The explosion occurred as the suspect was trying to make a type of narcotic and sparked a fire inside the apartment that was extinguished by a fire sprinkler system, NBC4 reported. All residents were evacuated but were later allowed back into their apartments. The man suffered a minor injury to a leg and was later arrested, NBC4 reported. No other injuries were reported. The Los Angeles Fire Department was investigating the cause of the explosion, the LAPD said.

Other / Not Specified

San Mateo, CA – Sprinkler system helps keep arson fire from spreading inside building

San Mateo police are asking for help identifying two people seen in an alley where burning garbage cans threatened a building early Thursday morning. Police and firefighters were sent at 3:23 a.m. to the first block of Second Avenue, near South El Camino Real, and determined that a group of garbage cans were burning next to a building. Officer Michael Haobsh said the building sustained damage when the fire melted a window a bit and set off the building’s sprinkler system. The fires were deemed suspicious and an arson investigation was begun. Police said some businesses are providing surveillance video of the area and anyone else who has video they can provide is asked to get in touch with police right away.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Corona, CA – Warehouse fire contained with help from sprinkler system

A fire Friday in a Corona warehouse containing aircraft parts damaged the upper half of the structure, but was prevented from spreading thanks to the work of firefighters and the building’s automatic sprinkler system.

The non-injury blaze erupted about 12:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Olympic Drive, near Rimpau Avenue, according to the Corona Fire Department.

Deputy Chief Chris Cox said that malfunctioning electrical gear sparked the fire in the attic of the warehouse, which was discovered by night shift workers, who attempted to stop the flames with an extinguisher.

According to Cox, Corona and Riverside fire personnel arrived within a few minutes and found the building’s emergency sprinkler system already in operation, suppressing the flames.

The blaze was knocked down in a half-hour, Cox said, estimating the value of contents saved at $3 million.

Residential, Single Family Home

Redlands, CA – Home office fire contained by residential sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A residential fire sprinkler did its job, activating moments after a fire began and likely saving a home from catastrophic damage and a family from potential injury or loss of life.

Redlands Firefighters responded to reports of a structure fire in the 700 block of Creekside Drive shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday, March 14.

Medic Engine 262 arrived to find all occupants of the home already evacuated and light smoke coming from the residence.

The fire, which began in an office inside the residence, was contained to that room thanks to activation of the fire sprinkler. Firefighters assisted the homeowner in changing the sprinkler head to keep the system active and with salvage operations to limit the water damage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage from the incident is estimated at approximately $80,000.

The Redlands Fire Department would like to remind residents to check your smoke alarms regularly, and practice exit drills in the home with your family.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Cherryland, CA – Sprinkler system extinguished fire at assisted living center

One resident of Landmark Villa Senior Residential & Assisted Living center in Cherryland suffered smoke inhalation in a fire early Friday morning. The victim was transported by ambulance to the hospital for treatment.

The Alameda County Fire Department responded to the cooking fire at 4:17 a.m. The building’s sprinkler system doused the flames before firefighters arrived.

Water damage is reported in the room where the fire started and the room below it. The fire started on the third floor.

Cherryland is in unincorporated Hayward.

Other - Storage / Warehouse, Storage / Warehouse

Salinas, CA – Fire in storage unit building controlled with help from sprinkler system

Salinas firefighters doused flames at a storage unit building at Bridge and Lake streets early last Friday. The fire was reported around 8:24 a.m. No one was injured in the fire and firefighters had it under control in about half an hour. The building’s automatic sprinkler system was activated before firefighters arrived and helped keep fire under control, Acting Battalion Chief Keith Emery said.

It’s unclear whether the fire originated outside the building or inside, Emery said. The cause remains under investigation. Jose Luis Hernandez is a nearby business owner and he alleged that the fire was started by people camping along the railroad tracks and trying to stay warm. This was the second fire that he said his employees reported in the last two days. Emery said firefighters respond to about two fires near railroad tracks daily.

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Palo Alto, CA – Sprinkler system activated in fire at Stanford residential building

Note: On January 19, 2000, a fire in a dormitory at Seton Hall University tragically took the lives of three students and injured many more. The residence hall did not have a sprinkler system.

At around 7:00 p.m. on Sunday night, some residents of Studio 1 at the Escondido Village residential complex were evacuated after a cooking fire contained to one apartment set off a sprinkler. A Studio 1 resident said that she and a group of other residents were not permitted to re-enter their complex for one hour and 20 minutes, and stayed at the nearby Community Graduate Center instead. At approximately 8:20 p.m., the alarms stopped ringing and students and visitors began to re-enter the complex, the resident said. The Palo Alto Fire Department had no additional information to offer as of Monday evening.

Department Store, Retail

Paso Robles, CA – Sprinkler system held fire in check at Lowe’s Home Improvement until fire crews arrived

A fire started inside the Lowe’s Home Improvement in Paso Robles on Saturday night.

According to Paso Fire Battalion Chief  Scott Hallett, a fire started in the rear of the building, in the receiving and storage area of the store around 8:30 p.m.

Multiple resources responded alongside Paso Robles Fire including CAL FIRE and Atascadero Fire Department.

The fire was “held in check” by the sprinkler prior to the arrival of firefighters, Hallet said.

Crews worked about three hours, working on smoke evacuation and water removal. Hallet reported the fire caused minor damage to merchandise and damage to storage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Taking the damage into account, Lowe’s Home Improvement is likely to reopen on Sunday, Hallett said.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Santa Monica, CA – Sprinkler system keeps high rise building fire from spreading

A Santa Monica high rise by the beach caught fire last Monday night before Santa Monica and Los Angeles firefighters put out the blaze, according to the Santa Monia Fire Department (SMFD).

On Monday, February 11, at 7:15 p.m. SMFD Engine 2 responded to the Shores Apartments at 2800 Neilson Way to investigate a fire alarm activation. Upon their arrival firefighters discovered smoke billowing from an apartment balcony on the 10th floor of the 17-story high rise building. Additional resources were immediately requested, bringing in all SMFD resources as well as aid from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, which were kept from spreading to the common hallway of the building thanks to an activated fire sprinkler head, according to the SMFD.

“A challenging component to this high-rise fire incident was keeping the dozens of impacted residents safe and out of harm’s way. Firefighters used a combination of sheltering occupants in place until the fire was brought under control, as well as systematically evacuating those who could be, safely out of the building,” SMFD Captain and Public Information Officer Patrick Nulty said in a press release. “Thanks to a functioning fire alarm and fire sprinkler system, residents were alerted to begin evacuating immediately and the fire was kept from spreading.”

According to the department, it took 33 firefighters approximately 19 minutes to suppress the flames, which were confined to the kitchen and living room area. There was extensive water damage to several units below the fire from the fire sprinkler. No injuries to residents or first responders were reported. The resident of the apartment where the fire occurred was not home at the time of the fire, and was displaced as a result of the damage. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.