Tag Archives: California

Department Store, Retail

Fresno, CA – Elevator machine room fire at J.C. Penney store held in check by sprinkler system

The J.C. Penney store at Fashion Fair Mall closed for business Sunday after an electrical fire prompted its evacuation.  Firefighters got to the store at 11:15 a.m. after smoke started flooding the area inside, Fresno Fire Capt. Brian Price said.

The damage was contained to the elevator equipment room where there was wire damage, Price said, and the sprinkler system already had the fire “in check.”

The fire was put out, and fire personnel worked on getting the system back in working order. The store is still closed, but Price said store staff said they hoped to reopen Monday morning.  “They’ve got some significant cleanup to do,” Price said.

 

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Irvine, CA – Fire at metal finishing business held in check by sprinkler system

Firefighters worked 25 minutes Sunday to extinguish a blaze at a metal finishing company. The blaze was reported around 2:30 p.m. at Electrolurgy Inc. at 1121 Duryea Ave., said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.  Thick black smoke from the fire was visible on the 405 freeway, he added.

A sprinkler system in the business kept the flames in check and firefighters extinguished the blaze around 2:55 p.m., Concialdi said. An OCFA hazardous materials team responded because chemicals in the business were involved.  The cause of the fire is under investigation and damage estimates were not immediately available.

There were workers in the business when the fire broke out, but they managed to escape without injury.

Seven firefighters initially entered the building to extinguish the blaze and were decontaminated at the scene, Concialdi said. They were not injured. An OFCA hazardous materials team wearing protective gear later went into the business to determine what kind of chemicals were inside, said Concialdi.

It was determined the fire reached vats of liquid chromate, Concialdi said. A total of 40 firefighters responded.

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

Modesto, CA – Sprinkler system extinguishes suspicious overnight fire at Planned Parenthood

The Modesto fire and police departments are investigating a suspicious, but apparently small, fire at the Planned Parenthood Modesto Health Center on McHenry Avenue early Wednesday.

Signs on the doors of the center said it would be closed Wednesday, and a spokeswoman said staff members are assessing fire damage and working to reopen as soon as possible.

At about 3:25 a.m., one fire engine was dispatched to a water-flow alarm sounding at the 1431 McHenry Ave. center, said Battalion Chief Jesse Nicasio of Modesto Fire. When additional reports came in from passers-by of flames and smoke coming from the building, the call was upgraded to a commercial working structure fire and additional resources were sent, Nicasio said.

“Engine 5 found a broken glass door, the fire alarm sounding and fire sprinkler activation,” he said. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire, but crews ensured it was out, Nicasio said.

Information was not immediately available as to where in the two-story building the fire started or what damage was done.

Residential, Single Family Home

Orcutt, CA – House fire contained by residential sprinkler system; No injuries

Santa Barbara County Fire responded to a fire in a two story house fire at 896 Calle De La Rosa Sunday afternoon.

At 2:45 p.m. firefighters responded and found smoke coming from the home’s conjoined laundry room and office.

Officials say, it appears as though a computer in the office caught on fire.

The house, part of a new development in the area, had a sprinkler system installed in the room.

The sprinkler in the room was triggered by the heat and smoke, doused the fire with water, and was able to keep the flames contained to that room.

Residents were in the home at the time, but they all got out safely.

Fire investigators are currently looking into how the computer ignited.

Apartment Building, Residential

San Rafael, CA – Sprinkler system limits spread of apartment fire

Three apartments sustained water damage in a one-alarm fire Sunday in San Rafael, a San Rafael battalion chief said.  The fire was first reported at 9:24 p.m. at 960 Lincoln Ave.

When firefighters arrived, they found a sprinkler had extinguished the fire in one apartment and firefighters went to work to limit water damage, Battalion Chief Kyle Hamilton said.

The apartment where the fire started is probably uninhabitable, which would displace one person, Hamilton said. The other two units are probably habitable, he said.

Residential, Single Family Home

Ventura, CA – Fire in single family home contained by residential sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Crews responded to a fire at a home Friday afternoon in Ventura, officials said.  The incident was reported fire just after 3:50 p.m. in the 100 block of South Dunning Street, according to the city of Ventura Fire Department.

Upon arrival, crews found a fire in the kitchen on the second floor of a home and had it extinguished within 10 minutes, officials said. A sprinkler system was activated as a result of the fire and contained it, but caused water damage on both floors of the residence. Three adults were displaced as a result of the fire, officials said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  There are two homes on the property where the incident was reported, authorities said. The fire was in a house behind the main house, authorities said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Apple Valley, CA – Fire at cement plant held in check by sprinkler system

A blaze that erupted at a local cement plant injured two firefighters before it was extinguished early Tuesday morning. Apple Valley Fire Protection District Fire Marshal Jason Nailon told the Daily Press the flames took about an hour to extinguish. The fire was believed to have been caused by possible static or dust explosions at the plant, but remains under investigation.

Reports of a blaze at a building in the Cemex plant in the 25200 block of Black Mountain Quarry Road were received around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said. Nailon said the blaze involved the plant’s alternate fuels that power their kilns, which are made up of wood chips, pistachio shells and tire chippings.

It is believed a minor explosion started the blaze, but the building’s sprinkler system kept the fire in check until firefighters arrived. “When we got there, the fire was almost out because of the sprinklers,” Nailon said, “but the rafters appeared to be burning. It turned out to be an accumulation of dust up on the rafters that was still burning.”

About 17 to 20 firefighters responded, including four engines from AVFPD and two from the San Bernardino County Fire Department. It took about an hour to bring the fire under control, Nailon said.

One firefighter reported an ankle injury while another suffered from heat exhaustion while combating the blaze. Nailon said some Cemex employees were at the site as well, but they reported no injuries. Estimated damages to the building are not yet known, but Nailon said the concrete construction and sprinkler system protected the building from further damage.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Irvine, CA – Fire at uniform rental business contained by sprinkler system

A fire damaged Irvine business Prudential Overall Supply Saturday night, Orange County Fire Authority Captain Carlos Huerta said. Firefighters responded to the blaze on Aston Avenue at 7:09 p.m.

“Fortunately, the building had a sprinkler system that kept the fire in check,” Huerta said. “The fire was under control within 30 minutes.” Damage to the one-story building was minimal, Huerta said. “It was a contents fire that was contained to the rear of the structure,” he said.

Prudential Overall Supply provides uniform rentals to employers, according to its website. Huerta said there were no injuries, but he did not know if the building was vacant at the time the fire started.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

City of Industry, CA – Arson fire at paper goods warehouse held in check by sprinkler system

An arson fire scorched an Industry warehouse packed with paper goods Wednesday, authorities said. The fire was first reported about 2:45 a.m. at a 55,000-square-foot warehouse in the 700 block of South 5th Avenue, Los Angeles County fire and sheriff’s officials said.

Though largely “kept in check” by the building’s sprinkler system, firefighters battled the stubborn blaze for nearly two hours until it was declared extinguished, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Randall Wright said. No injuries were reported.

But firefighters determined the scene of the fire appeared suspicious and called in investigators from the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Arson-Explosives Detail, Wright said. “The cause is arson,” sheriff’s Detective Cynthia Valencia said. It appeared the arsonist spread gasoline around in the rear portion of the warehouse before lighting it on fire.

The intent of the arsonists appeared to be to destroy the building, but they were thwarted by the businesses’ fire-suppression system, she added. “(The) sprinkler system did a great job,” Valencia said.

Preliminary estimates of the damage caused to the warehouse, as well as the paper plates, paper cups and other similar items stored inside ranged between $300,000 and $500,000, the detective said.

A subleased portion of the warehouse, which is used as a packaging business, was unscathed, she said. Investigators continued seeking clues Thursday, and trying to determine who would want to torch the warehouse, Valencia said.

The arsonists were described only as two men, driving a sedan. “The owner is very cooperative,” Valencia said.  Firefighters remained at the scene until about noon, Wright said.

Any witnesses, or anyone who saw anything suspicious early Wednesday morning is asked to contact Detective Valencia at the sheriff’s Arson-Explosives Detail at 323-881-7500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.