Tag Archives: California

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

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.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

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.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

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.

Other - Residential, Residential

Santa Barbara, CA – Electrical fire at homeless shelter extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

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A small fire at the Transition House homeless shelter in Santa Barbara was kept in check by fire sprinklers Tuesday evening, but the resulting water flow caused damage to the facility’s child-care area, according to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.

A single engine crew responded shortly before 7 p.m. to the shelter at 421 E. Cota St. after the shelter’s fire alarms began ringing, said fire Battalion Chief Robert Mercado.

Initial investigation did not reveal any sign of a fire, Mercado said, but crews were unable to gain access to the building.

A few minutes later, they noticed water coming out the building, which indicated the fire sprinklers had activated, Mercado said, adding that light smoke was seen coming from one of the doors.

A full structure-fire response was then ordered, with additional engines and a truck dispatched to the scene.

“After gaining entrance to the building, we found that a small fire had been suppressed by the sprinkler system,” Mercado said. “The sprinklers did their job, and were able to keep the fire in check.”

Occupants on the second floor of the building were evacuated, but were later allowed to return.

A Santa Barbara City firefighter helps salvage water-soaked items from the child-care area at the Transition House homeless shelter on Tuesday evening following a small fire. (Peter Hartmann / Noozhawk photo)

An investigator found a small fire, likely electrical in nature, in the child-care area of the building, Mercado said.

“A lot of water got into the child-care for infants and toddlers,” Mercado said. “A lot of baby-related items and toys and play mats were soaked. It doesn’t like like they will be able to have children in there tomorrow.” 

He estimated the overall damage at less than $10,000.

No injuries were reported.

Residential, Single Family Home

Napa, CA – Sprinkler system activated for dryer fire in home

A family was displaced when a dryer caught fire in a home closet on the 200 block of Walnut Street Monday night, the Napa Fire Department reported.

The fire triggered a ceiling sprinkler. A resident emptied two dry chemical extinguishers on the blaze, which was reduced in size by the time a fire engine arrived less than four minutes later, the department said.

The residence sustained smoke and water damage that required the residents to find other quarters, Napa Fire said.

The cause of the dryer fire is under investigation. Most dryer fires involve lint build-up or dryer overloading, officials said.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

San Carlos, CA – Sprinkler system prevented fire from spreading in commercial building

San Mateo County Fire Department crews battled a 2-alarm fire at a commercial building in San Carlos early Tuesday morning, according to fire dispatch and reports.

The blaze was first reported at 6:01 a.m. at 642 Quarry Road in San Carlos. Redwood City fire crews also responded to the scene and reported on Twitter that the building’s sprinkler system prevented the fire from spreading further.

Crews said the cause of the fire was under investigation and additional information was not immediately available.

Restaurant

San Diego, CA – Arson fire at restaurant in Gaslamp District put out by sprinkler system

A 21-year-old Marine was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of starting a fire that resulted in $25,000 in damage a restaurant in the Gaslamp District, authorities said.  The blaze at Blue Point Coastal Cuisine at 565 Fifth Ave. near Market Street was reported around 1:45 a.m. and was quickly doused by the building’s sprinkler system, San Diego Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Monica Munoz said.

Investigators determined that the fire was started in the back of the restaurant, which was closed at the time, by an allegedly intoxicated man who was not an employee of the eatery, Munoz said. The suspect came in through an open door, started vandalizing the restaurant and set a few fires in the back, Munoz alleged.  Police identified the suspect as Austin Kokin, a Marine Corps corporal. He was arrested near the eatery and booked into the San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of burglary, arson, carrying a concealed dirk or dagger and vandalism, San Diego police public affairs Officer Billy Hernandez said.

Retail

Sonoma, CA – Overnight fire at nail salon quickly suppressed by sprinkler system

A blaze in a nail salon in downtown Sonoma was quickly extinguished, mostly by the salon’s sprinklers, on Monday night.  Fire crews responded to the fire in Nail Pro at 201 W. Napa St. around 10:45 p.m., according to Spencer Andreis, battalion chief with Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue Authority.  “When we arrived, the business was charged with smoke. It was starting to come out the front door,” Andreis said. “Crews forced entry through the front door and went to the back of the business” where the fire was burning, he said.

“The sprinkler system did its job. It took a minimal amount of water to suppress the parts that were still on fire at that point,” Andreis said. The fire involved just one room in the back of the nail salon.  Water from the firefighting efforts leaked out of the attic and under the floors, damaging two adjacent businesses, Chinese restaurant Happy Garden, and a hair salon,

There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Andreis said.  A fire broke out in the same nail salon two or three years ago, according to Andreis.  Heather Sarno, property manager of Crosspoint Realty Services, which manages the property, said it is usually the case that the insurer of an individual business must pay for fire damage, though “it depends on what the fire inspector determines to be the cause.”

Retail

Santa Maria, CA – Arson fire at discount store held in check by sprinkler system

Arson is suspected in a fire at the Fallas department store in Santa Maria Tuesday night that forced employees to flee and activated the store’s sprinkler system causing major damage to inventory.  The fire started just after 10:00 p.m. with Santa Maria firefighters arriving within minutes to find smoke billowing out of the roof of the building in the Town Center West shopping center.  Employees were working in the store at the time of the fire and managed to evacuate the building without injury.  Investigators believe the fire started on the second floor of the two-story building and by the time firefighters made it there, the building’s fire sprinkler system had activated.

“Fire sprinklers did keep the fire in check which allowed our crews to fully extinguish it”, said Santa Maria Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Mike Farmer, “we went into salvage and overhaul operations
after that to remove the smoke and lessen the water damage as much as we could.”

Water from the fire sprinklers damaged clothing, household goods and other items in the store which is expected to remain closed on Wednesday for the cleanup.

Investigators from the Santa Maria Fire Dept. and the Santa Maria Police Dept. are investigating the suspected arson fire.

Residential, Single Family Home

Napa, CA – Garage fire at home suppressed by automatic sprinkler system

Napa Fire responded at 3:30 p.m. Monday to a reported structure fire in a home at the corner of Maximilian Court and Jefferson Street in north Napa only that the fire, located in a detached garage, had been extinguished by an automatic sprinkler system before they arrived, Capt. Steve Becker said.  Damage was confined to a cluster of items in a corner of the garage, Becker said.  This is another example of an automatic sprinkler, mandatory in new construction in Napa since the 1980s, reducing fire loss, he said.