Tag Archives: Canada

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Hope, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at multi-unit facility; No injuries reported

A building fire on Park Street was put out quickly thanks to the property’s fire sprinkler system. 

Thirteen firefighters were on scene Tuesday evening (Dec. 3) after a fire broke out inside a multi-unit facility. According to the fire department, the crew arrived to find the building had been evacuated and that the fire had been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.

“This situation could have been worse,” said Deputy Fire Chief Joshua Westcott. “Fire sprinklers saved lives and property tonight.”

The fire occurred in one of the units which “sustained significant smoke and fire damage.” Emergency Support Services (ESS) provided assistant to the resident of his unit and firefighters focused on “ventilating and mitigating water runoff.” As a result, residents were able to safely return back to their units.

No one was injured though one person was treated on scene for smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Richmond Hill, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at cinema; No injuries reported

Police have released new video footage that appears to show two suspects using Molotov cocktails to start a fire inside a Richmond Hill cinema while movie-goers were still inside.

The incident happened at a cinema near East Beaver Creek Road and Highway 7 at around 11:10 p.m. on Sunday.

In the video released by police, two suspects are seen arriving at the theatre in a grey SUV and then walking into its lobby.

One of the suspects then places a bag on the ground beside some movie posters.

At that point, both suspects light what appear to be Molotov cocktails and toss them at the bag, causing it to ignite.

The suspects then run out of the theatre and get into the awaiting SUV, which speeds away from the scene.

The whole incident unfolds in approximately 22 seconds.

Police say that the sprinkler system was activated and extinguished the fire.

“There were occupants in a second-floor theatre, however, there were no injuries,” a press release issued on Tuesday notes.

Police say that the vehicle that the suspect arrived in is a grey Acura RDX that was reported stolen in Toronto two days prior.

Police say the first suspect had a medium build and was last seen wearing black shoes, black pants, a black hooded sweatshirt with a white shirt underneath, black gloves and a mask.

The second suspect is also described as having a medium build. He was last seen wearing white shoes, black pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt, black gloves and a mask.

Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

Apartment Building, Residential

Langford, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system controls fifth-floor fire at apartment complex

Sprinklers prevented a fire in a six-storey Langford housing complex on Saturday night from turning into something much worse, says Langford Fire Rescue Chief Chris Aubrey.

Aubrey said his department was called about 8:30 p.m. to Hockley House on Hockley Avenue, and residents reported smoke on the fifth floor when crews arrived.

There were also some reports of an explosion being heard, which prompted a request for assistance from departments in Colwood, View Royal and Esquimalt.

Langford crews found a fifth-floor unit where a small fire had been controlled by the sprinkler system.

Since it turned out to be a relatively minor incident, the other departments were told to stand down, Aubrey said. “The fire could have been much larger but the sprinklers controlled it.”

He said nothing was found in the suite that indicated there had been an explosion.

“It might have been the sound of the sprinklers activating — sometimes they make a loud bang,” Aubrey said. “And we’re checking to see if there were any aerosol cans or something like that that might have been affected by the fire.”

Residents were evacuated from the 120-unit building but all but one were able to get back inside in a few hours, Aubrey said. One person was checked out by paramedics and did not have to be hospitalized.

The street was reopened by 10:30 p.m.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Bradford, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for apartment fire at senior complex

One person was transported to hospital for precautionary reasons following a fire at a Bradford seniors complex Monday night.

Bradford Fire and Emergency Services crews were called to 100 Miller Park Ave. shortly after 10 p.m. They arrived on scene to find a fire in the bedroom of a third-floor unit.

The department says there was one person in the apartment and they were taken by County of Simcoe paramedics to hospital.

“Sprinklers helped contain the fire to the room of origin,” Fire Chief Michael Rozario said Tuesday morning. “There is water damage in several units below.”

The affordable-housing complex is operated by the Simcoe County Housing Corporation, a division of the County of Simcoe.

Rozario says affected residents are receiving support from the county.

County social housing director Brad Spiewak says water from the sprinkler system damaged three other units, but no residents were displaced.

“Our building fire systems were immediately activated containing the fire to one unit,” he said. “One resident stayed offsite to allow for further cleanup. Social services staff were on-site until Tuesday morning for clean up and to ensure the safety of all residents and work continues today and into this week. All efforts are being made to move affected residents back into their unit as quickly as possible.

“Thankfully, no residents reported serious injury.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Kelowna, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire on fifth floor apartment deck

An apartment building’s sprinkler system kept a minor fire on a fifth floor deck from expanding early Friday morning.

Just before 6 a.m. on Oct. 18, the Kelowna Fire Department (KFD) responded to a call for a structure fire at a six-story apartment building in the 800 block of Leon Avenue. When the initial crew arrived at the scene, no smoke or flames could be seen from the apartment’s exterior.

Upon further review, a small fire was found on a fifth floor deck. The sprinkler system kept the fire from expanding and crews extinguished the rest of the blaze.

The building’s fire alarm went off and everyone evacuated safely. After the blaze was doused, everyone was able to go back to their homes. No one was injured and one person was treated for minor smoke inhalation.

KFD has deemed the fire accidental and it’s no longer under investigation. They responded with three engines, one rescue unit, one ladder truck, and one command unit, totaling 18 fire personnel.

Other - Residential, Residential

Quesnel, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated at housing center

Four people were rescued from a fire at the Bridges Supportive Housing building in Quesnel this (Wednesday) afternoon.

The Quesnel Volunteer Fire Department was called to Elliott Street just before 2 o’clock.

We spoke with Fire Chief Ron Richert on the scene.

“Upon arrival we had a room on the second floor that had an active fire and heavy smoke. Crews were able to act quick and get that person, we had one person transported to G.R. Baker, they were rescued out of the building quite quickly. We did have three people on the third floor that were rescued, and the remaining occupants were quickly evacuated out of the building.”

Richert says the sprinkler system helped to suppress most of the fire, although he says there is some damage.

“We do have quite a bit of water damage on the first and second floors.”

Richert says they had a very quick response from the fire department, BC Ambulance, and the RCMP.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Auto Dealership, Retail

Halton Hills, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system contains fire at car dealership

Georgetown Toyota is open for business today after a sprinkler system helped contain a fire in its service area last night.

Halton Hills firefighters responded to the call at the Guelph Street business around 10:30 p.m., with smoke showing upon arrival.

Initial reports indicate that a battery charger in the service area had caught fire.

The building’s sprinkler system helped keep the blaze and its associated damage isolated.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Winnipeg, MB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at hotel; No injuries reported

A Main Street hotel had to be evacuated late Monday afternoon after a fire broke out.

Crews responded to the 700 block of Main Street just after 4 p.m., where they found smoke inside the building.

The hotel’s sprinkler system was activated, and crews launched an offensive attack.

A ladder truck was used to help evacuate some of the occupants. No one was injured, and residents were able to return to the building after the fire was extinguished.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

St. Johns, NL, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

The effects of a minor fire have displaced several residents of an apartment building in Pleasantville.

Fire crews were called to the building, on Charter Avenue, at about 10:00 p.m. on Monday evening. An unattended pot left on a stove had started a fire in the kitchen of a unit on the second floor. Dean Foley, Platoon Chief with the St. John’s Regional Fire Department, said that while the fire was quickly extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system, water continued to flow for some time, causing flooding in multiple units.

Maintenance personnel arrived to shut off the flow of water to the affected area of the building, which is owned by the City of St. John’s. Foley said that fourteen people in total were displaced from their apartments. The Canadian Red Cross were called to assist those who could not make alternate arrangements for accommodations.

No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Winnipeg, MB, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at apartment building

At 11:36 a.m. on Wednesday, September 4, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service received reports of fire at a two-storey apartment building in the 300 block of Ross Avenue.

When crews arrived on scene, they entered the structure and found smoke inside the building. When they located the fire, the sprinkler system was activated and had already knocked it down.

The building was evacuated because water from the sprinkler system caused damage to the structure. Firefighters helped some residents out of the building, while others self-evacuated.

The City of Winnipeg’s Emergency Social Services team was called to help approximately 44 displaced residents find temporary accommodations. A Winnipeg Transit bus was also deployed to provide shelter for residents.

Paramedics assessed one person at the scene and transported them to hospital in stable condition.

Damage estimates are not available at this time. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.