Tag Archives: California

Retail, Shopping Mall

Riverside, CA – Arson fire at shopping mall extinguished by sprinkler system

A homeless man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of starting a small fire at the Galleria at Tyler in Riverside.  The fire was reported about 8:45 a.m. in a part of the mall that is under construction. Riverside Fire Investigations Supervisor Ray Mendoza said the fire was extinguished by the mall’s sprinkler system, but part of the mall was still evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The fire alarm closest to the fire was in test mode, which caused a delayed response from city firefighters. Mendoza said it’s common for fire alarms to be in test mode in buildings under construction.
When firefighters did arrive at 1299 Galleria at Tyler to investigate the extinguished fire, which caused about $5,000 in damage, they determined it was intentionally ignited.  Mall security told firefighters they knew where the suspect, 28-year-old Brian Haugh, was at the time.  Hough was arrested on suspicion of arson and taken to the Robert Presley Detention Center, where bail is set at $35,000.

Auto Dealership, Retail

Riverside, CA – Fire at vintage car restoration business limited by sprinkler system; Welding sited as cause

Welding equipment set fire to a vintage car at a Riverside auto repair shop causing $150,000 damage, city fire officials say, though a sprinkler contained the flames until firefighters arrived. The blaze was reported at 6:05 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, inside a 1952 Chevy that was being restored at DMCG Inc., 1860 Chicago Ave., in Freeway Industrial Park. “A guy was welding and ignited the upholstery of the rear seat,” said Acting Capt. Brandon Mollicone. Smoke and water damage also affected several adjoining businesses, Battalion Chief Bruce Vanderhorst said in a written statement. Fire crews finished extinguishing the flames, then used exhaust fans to clear smoke out of the building, and squeegees to remove the water. No one was hurt.

Residential, Single Family Home

Riverside, CA – House fire caused by short-circuited microwave oven controlled by sprinkler system

A microwave oven short-circuited, igniting a nighttime kitchen fire that displaced four Riverside residents and caused $4,000 damage to their home, city fire officials say. The blaze was reported at 9:49 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, along the 6400 block of Logan Court, just north of Arlington Avenue and about a mile southwest of Riverside Muncipal Airport.

“The home’s sprinkler system kept the fire contained to the kitchen,” Battalion Chief Jeff DeLaurie said in a written statement. The crews of two fire engines and two ladder trucks fully extinguished the flames by 11:16 p.m. No one was hurt. American Red Cross volunteers were summoned to help shelter the residents until water and electrical service can be restored to the house.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

San Diego, CA – Sprinklers help contain kitchen fire at Chinese restaurant; No injuries

A kitchen fire damaged a Chinese restaurant in Rancho Bernardo Tuesday afternoon and prompted evacuations of the eatery and several adjacent businesses.

The non-injury blaze erupted about 3:45 p.m. at Chef Chin, 11828 Rancho Bernardo Road, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Aided by built-in sprinklers, firefighters were able to contain the flames to the kitchen, attic and roof of the restaurant and had them under control within 35 minutes, SDFRD spokesman Lee Swanson said.

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

Santa Barbara, CA – Residence hall fire controlled with help from sprinkler system

Around 200 Westmont students were displaced Monday when a fire broke out inside a storage closet at one of the college’s dorms, leaving a student with burns to his feet, according to school officials.

Firefighters responded to Page Hall at 955 La Paz in Montecito early Monday evening to reports of the fire and found heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the three-story building.

The Montecito Fire Department says a second-alarm response was then requested due to the number of people in the building that could be in harms way.

The students were evacuated and the fire controlled, with the help of a fire sprinkler system, by 6:15 p.m. The injured student was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

School officials say power was out at the dorm and students were being set up with alternative housing for the night. Some reportedly stayed on cots in Murchison Gym and others stayed at the homes of faculty and staff.

No student rooms were damaged by the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  Westmont’s fall semester began August 29.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Redlands, CA – Sprinklers keep large warehouse fire from spreading

Redlands Fire crews responded to a commercial structure fire in the 9400 block of California Street at about 10:40 a.m. Sunday. Upon arrival crews discovered the large Lamps Plus warehouse to be filled with smoke. Reports from workers indicated that a propane powered floor sweeper was involved with fire.

Crews initiated an aggressive fire attack and found the sweeper and adjacent storage racks to be well involved with fire. The building’s sprinkler system assisted in preventing the fire from spreading throughout the warehouse.

The fire was extinguished within 15 minutes after the Fire Department’s arrival. There were no injuries reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Damage to property and contents exceeded $250,000. The property manager reported that more than $40,000,000 worth of product was saved.

Redlands Firefighters were assisted by the Loma Linda Fire Department.

Office Building, Other Business

San Luis Obispo, CA – Office building fire kept in check by sprinkler system; No injuries

Firefighters responded to a fire that burned through the stairs in the back area of a San Luis Obispo office complex Sunday morning, said San Luis Obispo City fire Chief Garret Olson.

Just after 11 a.m. firefighters responded to smoke in the area of the 1200 block of Higuera Street, Olson said.

Firefighters arrived on scene at the two-story office complex and found a small fire in the back area that had burned through the stairs and down into the office area. A fire sprinkler overhead held the damage in check until firefighters arrived, Olson said.

The fire damage appears to be confined to the stair area, and there is smoke damage throughout the building, he said.

The cause of the fire is undetermined and appears to be accidental, San Luis Obispo City fire Engineer Mathew Polkow said. He added that the fire appears to have started inside of the staircase.

No one was injured in the fire.

 

Residential, Single Family Home

Turlock, CA – Residential garage fire kept from spreading to home by sprinkler system

The Turlock Fire Department responded to a fire early Sunday morning that was sparked by a malfunction in a refrigerator in the garage.  The residents were all able to get out of the home safely, thanks in part to their smoke alarm and residential sprinkler system, the fire department reported.

The fire was reported shortly before 5:30 a.m. Sunday at 1882 Moonbeam Way.  The first engine to arrive at the scene found smoke coming from the garage area of the two-story home.

Firefighters found the fire in the garage coming from a refrigeration unit. The fire was kept from spreading to the house by the residential fire sprinkler system. Turlock firefighters went to work, stretching fire hose, ventilating the home, extinguishing the fire, and performing a search to ensure the home was clear of any other occupants or pets.

“Quick extinguishment prevented thousands of dollars worth of damage to the home,” said Turlock Fire Chief Robert Talloni.  The fire spread to some nearby storage items and a vehicle parked inside the garage.

Turlock Fire responded with two chief officers and four Engine companies. Turlock Rural and Ceres Fire Department provided city coverage during the fire.

The fire department said the event was a good example of the benefits of having a working smoke alarm. “The residential sprinkler system and working smoke detectors were instrumental in giving the family time to safely escape the home,” the fire department stated in a news release.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Nursing Home/Senior Living

Antioch, CA – Fire at senior memory care facility controlled by single sprinkler

Nearly 40 people were displaced after electrical smoke activated a fire sprinkler Tuesday afternoon at a senior living center.  A fire was reported around 2:57 p.m. at Hillcrest Memory Care Living at 825 East 18th Street, said Contra Costa County Fire Inspector Steve Aubert. No injuries have been reported.

An individual was working in a maintenance room when smoke from an electronic device activated the fire sprinklers in the building. The incident was under control around 3:30 p.m. The senior living center cares for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, said Contra Costa County Fire Marshal Robert Marshall. The small electrical fire was controlled by a single sprinkler head.

“If there was a bigger fire in there, we would have had a much bigger problem and possibly fatalities,” Marshall said.  Aubert said the water damage impacted 39 tenants.  They were “relocated to a different center because it’s going to take some time to clean up the area,” he said.

Apartment Building, Residential

San Francisco, CA – Sprinkler system activates to help control arson fire at apartment

Burglar sets shoe on fire in cooking pot during SF break-in — The burglar caused damage to the apartment Thursday by setting a shoe on fire in a cooking pot and triggering the residence’s sprinkler system to go off, officials said Friday.  The break-in occurred just before 8 p.m. at an apartment in the 1100 block of Laguna Street in the Western Addition.

“They put the shoe in the pot and set it on fire,” said Officer Carlos Manfredi, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department.  The burglar entered the apartment through a back window, Manfredi said.