Residential, Townhouse / Condominium Grande Prairie, AB, Canada – Condominium fire confined to one suite by sprinkler system May 21, 2015 viking210 On Sunday, the Grande Prairie Fire Department (GPFD) responded to reports of a fire at Grande Plaza Condos on 92 Avenue, near Resources Road. Firefighters found the alarm system indicating a sprinkler activation on the first floor and then discovered a fire in one of the suites. Tony Lutzmann, the platoon chief on duty, said a heat-activated sprinkler in the suite went off and controlled the fire. “In this case, obviously, there was a large enough fire that there was enough heat to set a sprinkler head off,” he said. The fire was confined to one suite, which sustained smoke and water damage. “Basically, it’s what we call a room and contents fire,” said Lutzmann. “It didn’t spread beyond the suite of origin and that’s what exactly what a sprinkler system is designed to do, is to catch a fire in its early stages and prevent it spreading into a larger, more serious fire.”
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Victoria, BC, Canada – Spontaneous combustion fire in mixed-use building suppressed by sprinkler system May 20, 2015 viking210 The spontaneous combustion of improperly stored or discarded construction materials is suspected in a fire early today in a commercial space on lower Yates Street, reports the Victoria Fire Department. The fire was suppressed by the room’s sprinkler system, according to the fire department. The fire will be ruled accidental and the cause stated as undetermined but the spontaneous combustion of stored or discarded materials remains “a probable cause,” said Victoria Fire Lt.-Insp. Brad Sifert. No one was injured. At 2:14 a.m., Victoria firefighters raced to a fire on the main floor of 524 Yates St., just above Wharf Street. The building, adjacent to Waddington Alley, is commercial on the main floor with condominiums above. The office space was under renovation, with the new owner scheduled to occupy the space in about a week, according to Battalion Chief Dave Bicknell. The floor was being finished with a highly flammable drying oil and it is likely that the fire was the result of spontaneous combustion from the disposal of these materials, Sifert said. Fire crews arrived to find smoke in the commercial space. Firefighters traced the blaze to a small smouldering pile of construction materials and waste including discarded window dressing. “I couldn’t find anything but the garbage,” Sifert said. Sifert interviewed two labourers who had been working on the floor until about 3 p.m. Monday. As part of their normal protocol, the workers said they put the oil-soaked rags in water in pails outside the building. “I can’t rule it out just based on what they’re saying,” Sifert said. “A rag could have been left in there.” Fire crews used a hose line to completely extinguish the fire, which was contained to a one-metre-square area on the floor.
Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill Revelstoke, BC – Sprinklers aid firefighters in suppressing blaze at sawmill May 13, 2015 viking210 A section of a Revelstoke sawmill was badly damaged in an early morning fire Wednesday. Fire Crews were called to the Downie Timber mill just after 6:00 a.m. “Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy fire damage in the millwright area and light smoke on the second floor”, says fire chief Rob Girard. Girard says it took just under an hour for 22 firefighters to extinguish and overhaul the blaze with the mill’s sprinkler system doing most of the suppression work. “I am really pleased with the results of the sprinklers suppression in the fire area. We realize how important this mill is to the community”. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Apartment Building, Residential St. Catharines, ON, Canada – Sprinklers activate during fire at 7-story apartment building April 30, 2015 viking210 Firefighters evacuated the seven-floor apartment building at 5 Louis Ave. Tuesday after a blaze broke out on the fifth floor. About 200 residents were forced from their homes for about six hours until the building was considered safe to re-enter. “There was a lot of smoke that migrated throughout the building — so it had to be ventilated,” Deputy Fire Chief Larry Jones said. “We had to make sure all the units were safe. “We went floor by floor with our air monitoring equipment and kept the fans going until we had zero readings.” The Salvation Army and Red Cross provided the residents with sandwiches and coffee. Two buses from the City of St. Catharines were used as shelter. The Humane Society also attended, to assist with the pets of the residents. Some tenants from the fifth floor will have to wait to re-occupy their units, Jones said. The Red Cross is helping them. “Once we are finished our investigation, cleanup will commence,” Jones said. “The cleanup will focus on getting the displaced tenants back first. I can’t imagine it will be too long. There was some water damage to the floors. We had to isolate part of the sprinkler system so that will have to be repaired. They will have to deodorize and clean the walls. The units — for the most part — are fine.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Montreal, QC, Canada – Sprinklers put out suspicious overnight fire at glass manufacturer April 30, 2015 viking210 Montreal police are investigating a suspicious fire that happened in Anjou overnight. Officers discovered the fire after they responded to a burglar alarm shortly after midnight at a glass manufacturer. Firefighters were called to the scene at Industries Cover Inc., located on Ray Lawson Boulevard, just north of Jarry Street East. The fire was quickly put out by the automatic sprinkler system. The damage was minimal.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Barrie, ON, Canada – Fire contained to equipment room by sprinkler system April 20, 2015 viking210 The Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office has been contacted, following a late night fire at Global Electric Electronic Processing in Barrie. Barrie fire crews were called to John Street on Saturday night, around 10 p.m. to contend with smoke and flames. Officials say a sprinkler system contained the fire to an equipment room until firefighters arrived and extinguished the flames. Staff evacuated the building quickly and no injuries are reported. The OFM will sift through the debris on Monday to determine a cause and damage estimate. A private security firm has been hired to secure the property during the investigation. This is the fourth time in the last 12 months that Barrie fire crews have been called to Geep.
Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing Woodstock, ON, Canada – Fire in laser cutter at machining business contained with help from sprinklers April 19, 2015 viking210 The Woodstock Fire Department said they responded to a structure fire at Harvan Engineering Ltd. Thursday at around 5 p.m. When they arrived, fire crews found that staff had been evacuated and the sprinkler systems had been activated, allowing firefighters to extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire was determined to be the result of a spark from the cutting process melting an oxygen supply line, igniting the oxygen supply and spreading to the machine housing. “This is an excellent example of a building’s life-safety systems minimizing the spread of a fire,” said Woodstock fire’s Deputy Fire Chief Jason Whiteley. “A working and properly maintained sprinkler system prevented the fire from leaving the piece of equipment and potentially destroying the facility.” The Woodstock Fire Department said they would like to remind everyone that all fire and life-safety equipment should be checked monthly and have annual maintenance performed to ensure it will operate when needed.
Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing Toronto, ON, Canada – Arson fire at cabinet manufacturing business extinguished by sprinkler system April 13, 2015 viking210 Police are investigating a case of arson in North York after officers say a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of a cabinet manufacturing business Saturday night. Toronto Fire Services got a call to respond to Modern Custom Cabinets on Chesswood Dr., near Finch Ave. W. and Dufferin St., at about 10:15 p.m. when the sprinkler system was activated at the business. According to Toronto Fire, a small fire in the front office had been extinguished by the sprinkler system when firefighters arrived on scene. Firefighters also found evidence of a Molotov cocktail at the site, but reported minor damage to the building. The store appears to have been closed at the time of the fire, as no one was reported to be inside the building and no one was injured, police confirmed.
Apartment Building, Residential Saskatoon, SK, Canada – Sprinkler extinguishes apartment fire started by unattended candle April 10, 2015 viking210 According to the Saskatoon fire department, just before 2 a.m. fire dispatchers received numerous calls of a fire at 431 3rd Ave. North. Multiple people were found evacuating the multi-story building. Crews made their way to the 12th floor where they found a suite with fire damage. A sprinkler head had already been activated and extinguished the fire. An investigator has determined that an unattended candle was the cause of the fire.
Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill Armstrong, BC, Canada – Sprinklers help control electrical fire at wood mill April 1, 2015 viking210 The sprinkler system and an employee with a fire extinguisher quickly dealt with an electrical fire at the Tolko Industries mill in Armstrong this afternoon. Fire crews responded to what they thought was a structure fire at about 1:25 p.m., Monday, March 30, but it turned out to be an electrical motor fire. “The sprinkler head tripped and they used an extinguisher on it,” Armstrong Fire Chief Ian Cummings says. “It turned out to be very minor.” Fire crews brought out their fans to get the smoke out of the affected building. No one was hurt.
