Tag Archives: California

Other - Retail, Retail

Santa Rosa, CA – Sprinkler system helps extinguish fire at pharmacy; No injuries reported

A fire ignited in a debris pile outside of a Rite Aid pharmacy in Santa Rosa early Wednesday morning, spreading into the building and causing an estimated $200,000 in damage.

Santa Rosa fire officials said the blaze was reported at 12:04 a.m. at the store located at 955 Stony Point Road.

When crews arrived, they found a pile of wood pallets and other debris burning against the back corner of the store. Heat from the blaze had shattered the exterior glass windows and doors, allowing flames to spread into the building’s rear storage area.

The flames also spread to the gas meter, igniting an intense natural gas fire that firefighters were eventually able to extinguish with the help of the building’s fire sprinkler system.

The store was closed at the time of the fire and no one was inside the building. Much of the retail area of the store had smoke and water damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Paso Robles, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at restaurant; No injuries reported

Firefighters knocked down a fire at a Paso Robles restaurant on Thursday.

At around 6:52 p.m., Paso Robles Fire received reports of a commercial structure fire on the 800 block of 11th Street in Paso Robles.

Firefighters arrived within minutes and found no evidence of a fire on the outside of the location, which was identified as Taste Restaurant.

Firefighters entered the restaurant and found a small propane torch and cylinder that were burning under a rack in the kitchen.

The cylinder fire spread and ignited flammable items on the shelf above.

The sprinkler system went off before firefighters arrived and prevented the fire from spreading.

Fire officials say the cause of the fire was found to be a faulty connection between the propane cylinder and the torch head. When the fire ignited, the cylinder was dropped and accidentally kicked under the storage rock in the kitchen causing the sprinkler to activate.

The restaurant was evacuated and firefighters spend the next hour repairing the sprinkler system and assisting with water damage.

No one was injured during this incident.

Apartment Building, Residential

Santa Maria, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building

The Santa Maria Fire Department is investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment building Thursday morning.

It was first reported just after 5 a.m. in the apartment complex along the 200 block of North Depot Street.

The fire started inside one of the affordable housing units on the second floor, officials said.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire inside the apartment.

There was significant water damage from the building’s fire sprinkler system, the fire department said.

Some of the residents were displaced by the fire. The local Red Cross is working to find them temporary housing.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Los Angeles, CA – Hotel fire kept in check by sprinkler system

Two people were hospitalized with minor injuries suffered in a fire Sunday on the 22nd floor of the 33-story Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

The fire appeared to be largely in or near a utility or service area (trash receptacle, ice machine, etc.) at the iconic structure, authorities said.

A third person treated at the scene declined further care, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Firefighters were dispatched at 6:49 a.m. to the greater alarm blaze at 404 S. Figueroa St., Humphrey said.

The fire, which was held in check by the structure’s sprinkler system, was under control at 7:20 a.m., he added.

“Staff and patrons who calmly and safely evacuated the iconic building are now being provided hotel access, with patrol below the 22nd floor being allowed to return to guest accommodations,” Humphrey said. “Many of the 113 firefighters assigned to this incident are now working closely with hotel staff to manage residual smoke on floors 22-66 and localized water removal on floors 21 and 22.”

Retail, Shopping Mall

Riverside, CA – Sprinkler system activated for electrical fire at shopping center

An electrical malfunction triggered a fire at a Riverside shopping center that caused $15,000 in property damage to one business and left a firefighter with minor injuries, officials said Tuesday.

The blaze was reported at 7:20 p.m. Monday at 11070 Magnolia Ave., near La Sierra Avenue, on the city’s west side.

Riverside Fire Department Battalion Chief Garrett Coryell said nearly two dozen firefighters arrived to find a “working structure fire in the front office” of one of the businesses.

The fire was fully contained within 20 minutes to the room of origin and was traced to a failed electrical component, he said.

The building’s anti-fire sprinkler system activated during the blaze, causing some water damage, Coryell said.

He said one crew member suffered unspecified minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.

Residential, Single Family Home

Napa, CA – Garage fire contained by sprinkler system

The residents of a Napa house escaped injury after a fire began in the garage before dawn Monday, according to Napa Fire.

Firefighting crews were dispatched at 4:37 a.m. to Lugo Lane near Saratoga Avenue, where they found smoke filling a garage that had been converted to living space, according to Napa Fire spokesperson Matt Colburn. A firefighter used a circular saw to cut a hole in the garage door, which was disabled and could not be rolled open.

A sprinkler system contained the flames to the garage, and firefighters stayed at the scene for about 2 ½ hours putting out remaining hot spots in walls, Colburn said.

A person in the garage area heard an alarm sound and notified other residents, and all were able to leave the home uninjured, according to Colburn.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Monday’s residential fire was the second in the city to be contained by sprinklers in less than 24 hours, according to Napa Fire. Shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday, a sprinkler system helped put out flames inside an apartment at a senior housing center in the 1400 block of Redwood Road, although the resulting water flow forced about 10 other units to be vacated.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Santa Rosa, CA – Fire at senior housing center extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A small fire Sunday morning at a senior housing center was squelched by the sprinkler system, but the resulting flooding displaced several residents, according to Napa Fire.

The fire department was notified of a sprinkler activation and water-flow alarm at the building in the 1400 block of Redwood Road, according to Napa Fire spokesperson Matt Colburn. After the first engine company at the scene saw smoke in a hallway, other firefighters were called to the building, Colburn said.

Sprinklers doused the fire inside an apartment, but about 10 other units had to be vacated due to the resulting flow of water, according to Colburn, who said firefighters stayed for more than four hours to help clear out the water. No injuries were reported.

The cause remains under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Riverside, CA – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at hotel; No injuries reported

A man was taken into custody for allegedly setting fire to his room at a hotel in Riverside.

Firefighters were sent to the Hyatt Place hotel at 3500 Market St. at 10:09 p.m. Monday regarding “reports of (an) occupant in a hotel room trying to burn down his room he was occupying,” the City of Riverside Fire Department said in a statement.

“Firefighters arrived to find the hotel being evacuated, light smoke on the second floor and the hotel room door locked with a fire sprinkler activation,” the statement said.

“The environment was safe for RPD officers to assist firefighters with opening the door and securing the hotel room. Firefighters discovered a small fire in the hotel room extinguished by the fire sprinkler system.”

The suspect was not in the room but was found in the building and detained by Riverside police officers. His name was not immediately released.

Firefighters assisted hotel staff with water removal from several hotel rooms and a hallway. Four hotel rooms were affected by the water from the fire sprinkler system. Damage was estimated at $100,000, the fire department reported.

About 50 occupants were evacuated from the structure but were allowed to re-occupy their rooms by about 11 p.m., the fire department reported. Hotel management accommodated occupants who were displaced by the water damage to other unoccupied hotel rooms.

City of Riverside Fire Department Arson Investigators responded to the scene and working with RPD conducted an investigation that is still ongoing.

There were no injuries.

Department Store, Retail

Napa, CA – Sprinkler system activated for clothing fire at Kohl’s; No injuries reported

Firefighters were called to the Kohl’s in downtown Napa after a fire briefly flared inside the store late Wednesday afternoon, according to Napa Fire.

At 4:38 p.m., the city fire department was notified of a fire that broke out in a rack of clothes inside the men’s section of the store at 1116 First St., according to Capt. Erik Mortimore. Napa Fire units began arriving at Kohl’s within two minutes, and about 30 customers, alerted by smoke alarms, evacuated the building along with employees, he said.

Firefighters entering the store found a light haze of smoke inside, and learned that two sprinkler heads had activated above the clothing rack, which was extinguished within 10 minutes, according to Mortimore. Although fire hose lines were pulled into the building, no outside water was used on the fire, he said.

Fire crews entered to shut off the sprinklers and prevent further flooding, and the last remaining crews left the scene at 7:26 p.m., according to Mortimore.

“We got off pretty easy given what it could have been,” he said Wednesday night.

No injuries were reported to customers, staff or firefighters.

Napa Police officers went to the scene along with Napa Fire units, said Mortimore. The cause of the fire remained under investigation Wednesday night.

Kohl’s was expected to remain closed Thursday as work continues to clear water out of the building, according to Mortimore.

Apartment Building, Residential

Los Angeles, CA – Sprinkler system activated for apartment fire

Firefighters, with an assist from an indoor sprinkler system, knocked down a fire inside a Westchester apartment building Sunday.

The blaze inside a building at 7140 S,. Flight Ave. was reported at 4:48 p.m., Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Nicholas Prange said.

The department sent 28 firefighters to the scene and extinguished the flames in under 25 minutes, Prange said.

Firefighters used covers to protect belongings from water damage from the sprinklers, he said. Firefighters will remain on site to air out the building with mechanical blowers, he said.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remained under investigation.