Tag Archives: Early AM (5am-7am)

Santa Barbara, CA – Sprinkler system keeps restaurant fire from spreading

A working sprinkler system prevented a fire from spreading at a Santa Barbara restaurant early Monday morning. Santa Barbara City Fire officials said three fire engines were sent to the first block of East Anapamu Street at 5:39 a.m. for a report of smoke inside the building. Smoke was seen from outside the restaurant. Once firefighters forced their way into the building, they found the source of the fire to be in the kitchen.  Food accidentally left on the stove is believed to be the cause of the fire.  The sprinkler system activated and left two inches of water on the floor. Firefighters worked to get the water out of the restaurant.   Officials said the smoke and water damage is estimated at $10,000.  No injuries were reported. 

Red Wing, MN – Sprinkler system douses third floor apartment fire; No injuries

The Red Wing Fire Department responded to an early-morning structure fire Friday, Dec. 30 at at 325 Plum St.

Firefighter/paramedics arrived at the scene within two minutes of receiving a call about a fire/water flow alarm and found smoke in the building.

Firefighters forcible entered the apartments and found a small fire on the third floor, which had been extinguished by the sprinkler system prior to the department’s arrival.

All residents were evacuated from the building. All but three residents were allowed back into their apartments. The local Red Cross was on scene to provide housing assistance to tenants displaced due to damage.

Apartments on the third and second floor as well as the church on the ground floor sustained moderate water damage. The third-floor apartment also suffered minor fire and smoke damage.There were no injuries.

The Red Wing Fire Department, Red Wing police, Red Wing public works responded to the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Butte, MT – Sprinkler system praised for minimizing fire damage at off-campus housing

A sprinkler activation system successfully limited the damage after an early-morning house fire broke out at off-campus Montana Tech student housing at 1038 Missoula Ave. on Friday.

At 5:42 a.m. Friday, firefighters quickly extinguished the fire in apartment 1032 and kept it from spreading to the interior of the apartment and adjoining apartments.

The fire originated in an exterior barbecue used the previous evening, according to Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department responders.

One of three male occupants suffered from smoke inhalation and was treated, and A-1 Ambulance transported him to the hospital, according to a county press release.

The fire damaged exterior siding, two large exterior windows, the front door, and an overhead awning. It resulted in water damage, but the sprinkler system confined the fire to the exterior and kept it from engulfing the entire residential complex, saving lives and limiting property damage, according to the report.

Fire crews cleared the scene after 7 a.m. Responders included the BSB police and the Big Butte Fire Department.

“We thank Montana Tech for having a properly installed and maintained automatic fire sprinkler system,” said Assistant Fire Chief Brian Doherty.

Total cost damages to the involved structure were minimal, he said. A-1 Ambulance transported the injured civilian to the emergency room. His condition is unknown.“

This is a great sprinkler success story. The facilities sprinkler and alarm systems did their jobs,” said Doherty.

“There were no fatalities, minimal amounts of property damage, and after some minor clean-up, this apartment should be back up and running quickly. This is a great example of how sprinklers save lives; they are efficient, effective, and essential in protecting both lives and property.”

Friday afternoon, cleaners from Dayspring Restoration were tearing out damaged carpets and cleaning up smoke damage. Workers Matt Popham and Patrick Hennessey estimated the cleanup would take two weeks to a month. 

Kenosha, WI – Cooking fire at care center put out with help from sprinkler system

Residents of a care center displaced by water damage from a sprinkler system were able to move back into the facility Tuesday evening.

According to a spokesman from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, residents of the Kenosha Care Center I, 6024 18th Ave., were housed at the Dayton Care Center, 521 59th St., during the day on Tuesday.

They were allowed to move back into their residence after 7 p.m. on Tuesday.Operators of the Care Center could not be reached for comment.

According to the Kenosha Fire Department, a kitchen stove was being used for heat in the facility, and that set off the sprinkler system at about 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The fire department estimated that about 15 people were temporarily displaced. Some reportedly made temporary use of a bus provided while firefighters dealt with the initial fire call in order to stay out of the weather.

According to state records, the facility, which appears from the street to be a typical two-story home. It is licensed to care for up to 21 residents, and to care for people who are developmentally or physically disabled, terminally ill, mentally ill, suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, or people in transition from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

Henderson, NV – Golf course clubhouse fire held in check by sprinkler system

Authorities in Henderson say a cigarette discarded near an outside laundry chute is to blame for an accidental fire at a golf course clubhouse.  Fire Department spokeswoman Kathleen Richards says the large two-story building’s fire sprinkler system kept the fire in check until crews arrived in response to an alarm early Saturday morning.  No smoke or fire was visible when the first crew arrived, but firefighters found the fire burning in an exterior wall and attic of the SouthShore Golf Course clubhouse in the Lake Las Vegas area.  An alarm monitoring service reported the incident after a sprinkler system’s water flow alarm was activated. The business was closed at the time and there were no injuries. Damage was estimated $60,000.

 

Washington, D.C. – Early morning laundry fire at Capital Hilton controlled with help from sprinkler system

A small fire at the Capital Hilton in D.C. sent guests out into the streets Tuesday morning. Fire crews were called to the hotel at 1001 16th Street about 5 a.m. after the fire in the laundry room activated the sprinkler system.  No injuries have been reported.  Guests have returned to their rooms.  Investigators will determine the exact cause of the blaze.

Kent, WA – Early morning fire at transit station parking garage contained with help from sprinkler system

A vehicle fire briefly shut down the Kent Station parking garage early Wednesday morning and delayed a few Sounder trains. The fire about 6:10 a.m. on the fourth floor of the garage, 301 Railroad Ave. N., set off an automatic fire alarm, said Kyle Ohashi, spokesman for the Kent Regional Fire Authority.  Firefighters saw heavy grey smoke coming from the fourth floor and initially upgraded it to a commercial fire due to the unknown source of the fire, Ohashi said. Once on the fourth floor, they found a car fire that the building sprinkler system helped contain. The cause of the fire is unknown.  Kent Police also responded to the call as officials closed the garage until the fire was out.  Sound Transit delayed several trains from entering Kent Station because of the garage closure and fire. Once emergency personnel opened the garage, trains ran again.

Dillingham, AK – Sprinkler system credited with containing fire at University of Alaska-Fairbanks

An early morning alarm called Dillingham’s Volunteer Fire Department to the UAF Bristol Bay Applied Sciences Building Thursday. The building, across the street from the main campus, is known by most as the Old Napa Building.  Fire Chief Norman Heyano credited the sprinkler system with containing the fire, which crews helped extinguish. He said there was light water and smoke damage.  The fire appeared to have been caused by one of two boilers in a utility room. Volunteer firefighters were off the scene a little past 6:00 a.m. Maintenance crews were working to repair damage later in the day, and campus staff appeared to be back to work as usual Thursday.

 

 

Hillsboro, OR – Apartment fire caused by resident smoking in bed is limited by sprinkler system; No injuries

An apartment’s sprinkler system is credited for limiting the damage of a mattress fire early Friday morning.  Hillsboro Fire and Rescue say the fire started in a unit at Wyndhaven Apartments on SW Edgeway Drive. A woman told officials she was smoking in bed and fell asleep. The sprinkler system in her unit put out the fire but caused damage to furniture in the apartment and seeped into the apartment downstairs. Other resident’s in the complex fled. No one was injured.  The total damage of the fire is estimated at $5,000.

Bozeman, MT – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in suppressing fire at Dollar Tree store

A fire in the back storage room at the Dollar Tree in Bozeman early Tuesday morning has forced the store to close for several days. At 4:23 a.m., Bozeman firefighters were dispatched to the West Main Street business, where employees had been stocking shelves for the holidays. The sprinkler and alarm systems were triggered, said Deputy Fire Chief Trish Wolford, but no one was injured. Her investigation Tuesday said the cause of the fire was “undetermined,” but it was probably accidental, she said.

A steady stream of would-be customers on Wednesday were stopped at the front door by a small sign reading “closed today due to fire.” An employee inside said he had nothing to say to the Chronicle. Asked if the store would be open on Thursday, he said “No, it’s gonna be a couple of days.” The lights were on inside and water was pooled on the aisle floors; the windows were fogged from the humidity. The employee said he was waiting for restoration company employees to arrive.