Tag Archives: Canada

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Delta, BC, Canada – Fire in gymnasium storage area at elementary school contained with help from sprinklers

An investigation is ongoing into what could have sparked an early Saturday morning fire at Delta Manor Education Centre in Ladner. Delta fire responded to the scene just before 3 a.m. Deputy chief Guy McKintuck said the fire was contained to a storage area behind the gymnasium. He said firefighters had the small blaze knocked down pretty quickly, which was also aided by an overhead sprinkler. There is water, smoke and fire damage, but no estimate on the costs for the restoration, he said. The former elementary school serves as a church and also offers adult basic education and ESL classes.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Calgary, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system stops high-rise balcony fire from entering building; No injuries reported

Several floors of a southwest Calgary apartment building were evacuated Saturday night after a fire broke out on an upper storey balcony. Around 9:30 p.m., the Calgary Fire Department responded to several calls regarding visible flames coming off a balcony at the London Tower building in the 8000 block of Horton Road S.W.  Calgary Fire Department Battalion Chief Alistair Tobin said residents in units two floors above and two floors below the fire were evacuated and placed onto city transit buses.

No one was injured and fire crews managed to contain the fire and smoke damage to just one unit. “The sprinkler system worked perfect so it stopped the fire from entering the building much. The patio or the balcony was quite heavily damaged but the suite was protected by the sprinkler system,” Tobin said.  Tobin said residents of six units were not allowed back into their homes last night. Everyone else who was evacuated was permitted to re-enter the building after the fire department completed its air quality monitoring.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Other - Retail, Retail

Langford, BC, Canada – Early morning fire at paint store controlled by sprinkler system

A Langford paint store has its sprinkler system to thank for putting a stop to what could have been a devastating blaze. Flames broke out at Cloverdale Paint on Langford Parkway at around 4 a.m. Monday morning, according to Langford Fire Rescue.

“When we arrived there was heavy smoke showing from the building,” said Asst. Fire Chief Chris Aubrey. “The sprinkler system had just activated and was containing the fire, but we did have to force the front door and make entry, and put the fire out.”

It’s believed the blaze caused the store’s motion sensors to go off, activating the alarm. “Should there not have been a sprinkler system it would’ve been a very significant fire,” said Aubrey.  The cause is not yet known but the fire isn’t considered suspicious, investigators said.  Damage to the building is estimated to be approximately $75,000 and the store will remain closed for an unknown amount of time.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Chilliwack, BC, Canada – Industrial machinery fire contained with help from sprinkler system

A two-alarm structure fire broke out in a Chilliwack industrial park last Friday morning. Chilliwack Fire Department crews from several fire halls were called out to Frontline Machinery Ltd at 43779 Progress Way.  Fire crews were on-scene at about 10:40 a.m. and heavy smoke could be seen venting from a window of the large industrial building.  Once firefighters gained access to the building, they were able to confirm that the sprinkler system had doused the fire.

Welding sparks that ignitied some diesel were believed to be the cause of the fire, according to a worker at the scene, and this was later confirmed by fire department officials.  “The fire is accidental and was started from repair work being done on a piece of heavy machinery,” said Assistant Chief Mike Bourdon.

A welding spark ignited some diesel fuel that had been in a storage container in the warehouse area. “Fire damage was sustained to the piece of machinery with minor smoke and water damage thorough out the unit,” Bourdon added.  They’re taking the opportunity to urge caution with this type of work.

“Chilliwack Fire Department recommends any operations involving open flames or producing heat and or sparks including cutting; welding, brazing, grinding, soldering, etc. should take proper precautions and controls prior to, during, and subsequent to all hot-work operations.”  There were no firefighter injuries.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Alliston, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system helps extinguish intentionally-set fire at Walmart

The Walmart in Alliston will be open for business on April 21 after being closed since April 7 when a fire was set inside the store.

“We are reopening the store tomorrow morning (April 21) at 7 a.m.,” said Alex Roberton, senior director of corporate affairs for Walmart Canada.

The Walmart was closed for clean up after multiple fires were set inside the store on April 7.

The Nottawasaga detachment of the OPP charged a 15-year-old girl with arson in connection with the fires. Police believe the suspect hid inside the store when it closed at 10 p.m.

New Tecumseth firefighters responded and extinguished a fire in the central area of store. The sprinkler system inside the store engaged, helping to extinguish the flames.

Lee Jeyes, operation director for Ontario Walmarts, said a number of things had to be done to make sure the store was safe to reopen.

“The first thing we had to do and address was to work with health department,” Jeyes said.

The health department identified what had been damaged by smoke, he said.

“The majority of the food product and consumable product had been smoke damaged so we had to remove anything that the health department deemed as unsafe,” he said.

He said they took out merchandise that was “unsalable” and destroyed it. They then took the merchandise that could be donated and gave it to Salvation Army and a local food bank.

“We were able to donate almost $700,000 worth of product,” Roberton said.

A final dollar amount for the damages still hasn’t been determined.Jeyes said the sprinkler system only engaged in the fashion department of the store, and not every department experienced smoke damage.

The whole store was cleaned and the past week has been spent bringing merchandise back in.

When the doors open again, some product will still be unavailable.

“Not everything will be available, the majority of the food department and consumable department will be available and fully stocked,” Jeyes said. “We will still be working on some of the general merchandise areas, especially fashion and clothing.”

Jeyes thanked the community for their patience.

Apartment Building, Residential

Halifax, NS, Canada – Suspicious fire in common area of 12-story apartment building extinguished by sprinkler system

Police are investigating two suspicious fires in just 10 days in a common room of a Dartmouth apartment building. The first fire was reported on March 18 at 5:37 p.m. A Halifax Regional Police news release says someone lit something on fire in the common room at Alderney Manor on Alderney Drive. The sprinkler system was activated and the fire extinguished. On Tuesday, there was a second fire in the same common room around 12:44 p.m. Police say some residents of the building tried to put it out but couldn’t and had to call the fire department.  No one was injured in either case.  Police say investigators are looking into whether the fires are related and ask anyone with information about these incidents to call police at 902-490-5020. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers by calling toll-free 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Yellowknife, NT, Canada – Sprinkler system contains fire at hotel caused by young person playing with lighter

A young person playing with a lighter caused Monday’s fire at the Explorer Hotel in Yellowknife.

City officials say a minor lit a book on fire in a room on the second floor, activating the hotel’s sprinkler system.

Fire crews arrived to find heavy smoke in the second floor room, but the sprinkler system had put out most of the fire. Firefighters extinguished the remaining small fire.

No one was hurt in the fire, but there is extensive water damage to the hotel’s second floor and lobby.

Guests were initially evacuated from the hotel during the fire, but were sheltered in the hotel’s conference rooms once it had been put out.

After the sprinklers stopped flowing, they were allowed to return to their rooms using the stairwell.

Guests on the second floor have been moved to rooms on other floors.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Mill Woods, AB, Canada – Activated sprinkler system assist firefighters in containing shopping mall store fire

The Millbourne Market Mall in Mill Woods was forced to close Sunday after a fire in the kitchen of a restaurant. Fire crews responded to Remelies Cuisine in the area of 76 Street and 38 Avenue around 12 p.m. after the sprinkler system activated during a fire.  Firefighters contained the blaze to the kitchen and put it out quickly.  Officials said no one was hurt.  The mall is closed for the rest of Sunday, and the fire is under investigation.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Sherwood Park, AB, Canada – Grease fire at retirement home controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A fire at Silver Birch Court last week resulted in the evacuation of 55 people.  During the evening of Thursday, March 16, Strathcona County Emergency Services responded to a fire alarm at Silver Birch Court, located in Sherwood Park and managed by the Heartland Housing Foundation.

As the alarm was triggered by a grease fire in an occupied unit, it was controlled by the building’s sprinkler system until first responders arrived to fully extinguish the fire. The water from the sprinkler flooded all four floors of the east wing of the affordable housing facility, resulting in considerable damage to the suite of origin; however, due to the rapid deployment of the sprinklers and firefighter response, no smoke damage was seen outside the suite of origin.

Strathcona County Victim Services staff, transit buses, RCMP and Enforcement Services provided on-site support for the evacuated residents of Silver Birch Court, and no injuries were reported. As of Friday, March 17, restoration services were on–site and work is being done to have residents return to their suites as soon as possible.

Other Business

Barrie, ON, Canada – Fire at UPS facility extinguished by single sprinkler

A single sprinkler did the trick, putting out a fire that started in a delivery truck inside the UPS building on Welham Road in Barrie, around four this morning. The fire department was called after employees failed to extinguish the flames.  By the time fire crews got there, the sprinkler had done its job, preventing what could have been a much larger blaze.