Tag Archives: Canada

Apartment Building, College/University (on campus), Residential

Kelowna, BC, Canada – Overnight fire at university apartment complex doused by sprinkler system

An apartment building at UBCO was evacuated early Monday as the result of a fire. The fire was reported at around 12 a.m. in a unit at Discovery Avenue at UBCO.  “First in Engine reported smoke and sprinkler activation in a second floor unit at this location,” Platoon Captain Kelly Stephens said.  He said the cause of the fire was bedding and a mattress placed against a baseboard heater, and added that fire sprinklers had doused the fire before it could spread.  The lone occupant of the unit managed to escape unharmed.  Water damage was contained to the second floor unit and six units below.  All affected students have been allowed to return to their units.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Winnipeg, MB, Canada – Fire in shopping mall food court extinguished by sprinkler system

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is investigating the cause of a fire in the food court at City Place early Tuesday morning. Firefighters were called to the City Place mall at 234 Donald Street just before 1:45 a.m.  An official with the fire department said the sprinkler system had extinguished the fire before crews arrived, but there was a lot of smoke that had to be removed from the area.

The food court is open.  Manchu Wok, where the fire appears to have occurred, has cracked glass and smoke damage.  There were no injuries.  There is no damage estimate at this time.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Mississauga, ON, Canada – Restaurant fire kept in check by sprinkler system; No injuries

Mississauga Fire is at a scene of a restaurant fire on Shepherd Avenue in the Cooksville area.
Emergency crews responded to a call at approximately 6:11 p.m. for a fire that originated in the kitchen of a restaurant in the area.
The sprinkler systems had been activated and the fire was extinguished by the time the firefighters arrived.
There are no injuries reported.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Gatineau, QC, Canada – Fire at seniors’ residence put out by sprinklers; No injuries

Gatineau firefighters concentrated on assisting residents of a seniors’ centre early Thursday after a sprinkler system was able to douse a small blaze.

Fire alarms sounded at about 4:30 a.m. at the residence on 250 St. Raymond Blvd.

A number of residents were temporarily moved for security reasons and may be displaced for a few days, officials say.

There were no injuries. First indications were the fire may have been caused by smoking materials.

Other - Residential, Residential

Victoria, BC, Canada – Fire at homeless shelter extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries

Victoria Fire crews and police were on scene at the Central Care Home at 844 Johnson Street after a fire broke out late this afternoon.

The shelter, operated by the Portland Hotel Society, is home to many former residents of Victoria’s tent city.

Emergency crews responded to a report of smoke coming from a suite on the fourth floor just after 4 p.m.

Upon arrival, crews confirmed that the fire had been extinguished by the sprinkler system.

But there is extensive water damage in parts of the building.

Fire officials say no one should be displaced because there are empty units that can be used to house those affected.

There is no word yet on what caused the fire and there were no reports of any injuries.

Other - Retail, Retail

Moncton, NB, Canada – Sprinklers activate to help stop fire at Salvation Army Thrift Store

Staff and customers — and even a goldfish — were evacuated from a Salvation Army Thrift Store in Moncton Saturday after a fire broke out in a backroom storage area.

Three large bins of clothing were on fire when Moncton firefighters arrived on scene at about 6:15 p.m., said platoon Chief Paul Bruens.

“The fire grew quickly and intensely and activated the building sprinkler system,” he said.

The fire was out with about 15 minutes, Bruens said. Most of the damage was from water and smoke.

“The thrift store quickly filled with smoke so it took a little while to safely ventilate the building to make sure occupants could return.”

There were no injuries, Bruens said. Firefighters went so far as to take a fish bowl from one of the offices.

“Everybody got out safely,” Bruens said. “Even the goldfish.”

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in extinguishing hotel fire

Firefighters have extinguished a blaze that broke out early Wednesday morning at the Regent Hotel in Vancouver.  Vancouver Fire and Rescue spokesman Capt. Jonathan Gormick says crews were called out shortly after 4 a.m. to the fire, which started in a suite of the hotel, located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

When they arrived, firefighters found heavy smoke in the building and a small fire contained to one suite, with the sprinkler system activated.  Hastings Street was shut down between Columbia and Main while firefighters put out the blaze, but has since reopened.

No one was injured. Gormick says at this time the fire does not appear suspicious.

 

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

Richmond Hill, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system controls overnight fire at medical sleep clinic

A dozen patients at a Richmond Hill sleep clinic got a rude awakening early Tuesday morning when a small fire roused them from their beds.

Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services responded to the fire in the Oak Ridges Medical Centre at 13291 Yonge St. at 2:43 a.m. Tuesday.

On arrival crews encountered smoke coming from the restaurant in the rear of the building.

Firefighters helped remove 12 people from the stairwell and sleep clinic area, according to Richmond Hill’s fire chief Steve Kraft.

The flames were partially extinguished by the sprinkler system and fire crews extinguished the remaining fire.

“There were no injuries. It was a small fire that was kept in control with the sprinkler system of the building. Our crews arrived and they assisted getting some people out that were at the sleep clinic,” Richmond Hill deputy chief Bryan Burbidge said.

“We got the people out first and then went back in to finish extinguishing the fire and then remove the smoke.”

The patients were fine during the ordeal, despite the early wake-up call, Burbidge said.

“They were fine, other than lack of sleep,” he said.

While the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, it is not considered suspicious, Burbidge said.

Twenty firefighters, the chief officer and York Regional Police and paramedics worked to resolve the incident.

The medical building was expected to be fully operational this morning with the exception of the cafeteria.

Oak Ridges is in northern Richmond Hill, just south of Aurora.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Victoria, BC, Canada – Stove fan fire in high-rise apartment building doused by sprinkler system

A small fire in an apartment building on Fisgard Street will likely have residents of least a few units looking for somewhere to stay tonight. Crews were called to the 12-story Hudson Mews building at 780 Fisgard just before 8 p.m.

People living in the 120-unit building were forced out as firefighters arrived and searched for the cause. It turned out to be a fire in a stove fan on the fifth floor of the building.

“When crews arrived on scene, they found that a suite on the fifth floor had had sprinkler activation,” said Victoria Fire Department Acting Battalion Chief Mark Robertson.

“it was caused by a small fire in a hood vent.” The fire doesn’t appear to have caused much damage but it set off sprinklers.

“The fire has been extinguished but there was quite a bit of water damage to the suites below,” said Robertson.  City of Victoria Emergemcy Social Service attended to take care of any residents that were unable to return to their suites.

The building’s management team assisted with contacting their repair contractors and organizing their residents.  Those who could return home were allowed back in about 45 minutes later.

The building opened in May 2014.

Other - Storage / Warehouse, Storage / Warehouse

Montreal, QC, Canada – Suspected arson fire at food distribution business put out with help from sprinkler system

Montreal police say they believe an overnight fire at a Saint-Leonard food distribution store was arson.  Fire crews were called to the business on Magloire Street near the corner of Lafrenaie Street around midnight.

When the firefighters arrived at the scene, they saw that a window in front of the store had been broken and noticed an accelerant had been thrown inside, said Montreal police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils.  The sprinkler system helped put out the fire quickly, so damage was minimal.  No one was hurt and so far police have no suspects.