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

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Coventry, RI – Early morning fire at business controlled with help from sprinkler system

Several businesses in Coventry were damaged Wednesday morning after a small fire triggered the emergency sprinkler system. The fire started at about 2:30 a.m. inside a building at 577 Tiogue Ave. The fire scorched an exterior door, but the sprinkler system kept the flames from spreading until fire crews could arrive at the scene.

Several businesses sustained heavy damage from the amount of water used by the sprinkler alarm. Central Coventry Fire District Chief Peter Lamb said the fire was accidental but would not comment on the cause. Nobody was in the building when the fire broke out.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Rapid City, SD – Fire at Safeway store held in check by sprinkler system; Store opens next day

According to a release from the Rapid City Fire Department, firefighters were summoned about 5:44 a.m. on Christmas Day to a fire alarm at the Safeway store, at 2120 Mount Rushmore Road. A fire in the deli area had activated two sprinkler heads, which kept the fire down until firefighters could douse the flames.

Some produce had to be discarded because of smoke exposure, and Oliver White, the department’s spokesman, said there was a small amount of water damage, but he added that the sprinklers were effective in keeping the small fire from spreading. The store was able to open the next day.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Shawnee, KS – Sprinkler system helps minimize damage in fire at Hy-Vee store

Shortly before 7 a.m. Saturday, a fire broke out in the deli kitchen area of the Shawnee Hy-Vee. Firefighters say workers were setting up for the morning buffet, when a hot steno lighter was put in storage. It spilled and caught fire.  Employees tried to extinguish the fire and a sprinkler inside the store did activate.  Fire Marshall Cory Sands says the fire was put out fairly quickly, but there is extensive smoke damage throughout the store.  Sands says all opened food will be thrown out, with a value of about $300,000.

A quick staff response – and sprinkler activation – helped save over $1 million in food and items. The store was evacuated, and no injuries were reported.  The Department of Agriculture has been called. They will have to inspect the store before it re-opens. Sands says he expects the store will be able to re-open this afternoon.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Pelham, AL – Equipment fire at manufacturing plant contained by sprinkler system

A Wednesday morning fire at a Pelham plant sent one employee to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Fire crews responded to a call at Coosa Composites LLC at 105 Pardue Road at 7 a.m. Plastic material and a piece of machinery caught fire, but it was mostly contained by the plant’s sprinkler system, according to the Pelham Fire Department.

Other Business

Easton, MA – Fire at team sports apparel company is minimized with help from sprinkler system

The fire at Pop Tops Sportswear, 10 Plymouth Drive, was reported to the Easton Fire Department about 6:52 a.m. when the fire alarm was tripped.  Pop Tops manufactures and sells custom team uniforms, apparel, work wear and promotional products.

When firefighters arrived, smoke was coming from the building. The 100×200-square-foot warehouse was filled with thick, heavy smoke, said Easton Fire Captain James Walsh. It took firefighters about 10-15 minutes to locate the fire inside the building.

“The toughest part was locating it because of the smoke conditions. The building was full of smoke.” Walsh said. “There was zero visibility.”

The blaze started inside of a room where equipment is cleaned. Walsh said one of the pieces of equipment ignited the fire.  The sprinkler system went off inside the building soaking some of the company’s merchandise.

“A lot of merchandise was ruined,” Walsh said.  The Stoughton and Raynham fire departments also responded to the scene and the Brockton Fire Department provided station coverage for Easton, Walsh said.

Given the materials inside the building – including clothing and chemicals – the fire could have been a lot worse, Walsh said.  “Everything worked well. The sprinkler system worked well, the alarm system went off. The guys were able to get in there quick and knock it down,” Walsh said.

Other Business

La Crosse, WI – Sprinkler system credited with controlling early morning fire at corrugating business

Firefighters are crediting a sprinkler system for controlling a business fire in La Crosse.  According to the La Crosse Fire Department, they were called to Badger Corrugating on Green Bay Street in La Crosse around 4:45 Tuesday morning.

Upon arrival, crews found smoke throughout the entire building, but the sprinkler system was controlling the fire.   There were no injuries but the building suffered moderate smoke and water damage.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Perryville, MD – Sprinklers credited with quelling blaze in senior community building

Investigators are crediting a residential sprinkler system for quickly extinguishing a kitchen fire inside one of the 92 units at a four-story senior community building in Perryville on Monday morning, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Fire officials also reported that one person, who they identified as Jeffrey Coudon, required medical treatment after suffering “minor smoke inhalation.”

The blaze started about 5:30 a.m. in the kitchen of a one-bedroom apartment on the third-floor of the Fairgreen Senior Community in the 100 block of Greenway, fire officials said. Investigators blamed the blaze on “unattended cooking on the stove,” fire officials added.

“The fire was quickly extinguished by the residential fire sprinkler system, effectively protecting the lives of occupants in the building. Water damage was sustained to the first and second floors, as result of the activation,” said Deputy State Fire Marshal Joseph Walters, lead investigator.

About 15 firefighters with volunteer fire companies from Perryville and Perry Point brought the small fire under control in approximately 1 minute, having received advance help from the sprinkler system, fire officials reported.

Other - Retail, Retail

Nashville, TN – Early morning fire at Anthropologie store extinguished by sprinkler system

Fire crews responded to a one-alarm fire at women’s clothier and life-style brand business Anthropologie in Green Hills early Tuesday morning.  Firefighters were called to the store, located at 4031 Hillsboro Pike in the Hill Center Green Hills, around 6:30 a.m.

Fire officials told News 2 the fire began when a display near an outlet caught on fire. The store’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire by the time firefighters arrived.

The fire was contained to the display but inventory was damaged by water from the sprinkler system and smoke. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Cranbrook, BC, Canada – Suspicious fire at middle school limited by activated sprinkler system

The investigation into a fire at Laurie Middle School is ongoing, as school district staff have shut down the building for repairs stemming from a rooftop fire.  Cranbrook RCMP along with Fire and Emergency Services responded to the blaze early Wednesday morning, as fire fighters extinguished the blaze and police assisted with an investigation into the cause.

While authorities haven’t determined what started the fire, it is considered suspicious by the RCMP.  Anyone who has information about the fire is encouraged to call the Cranbrook RCMP at 250-489-3471 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

The Southeast Kootenay school district has closed Laurie Middle School for Thursday and Friday, however, class will be back in session on Monday, Nov. 16.

“The fire damage was limited to the exterior of the building, but it did trigger our sprinkler system, so we didn’t get any fire inside the school because our sprinkler systems worked like they’re supposed to work,” Rob Norum, treasurer with School District 5, said.

While staff and contractors are cleaning that area up to reopen on Monday, the gym was much harder hit.

“The gym is a different story. We’ve got water inside some of the walls and in some of the insulation in the ceiling and some water underneath the floor,” said Norum. “We don’t know the extent of the damage there, but we’re getting that assessed to see if we have to do any major renos.

“We’ve already had an engineer in; he’s going to continue to look at the building to make sure we don’t have any structural issues. We’ve had an air quality expert in and he’s cleared the building.”

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Valdosta, GA – Fire at night club put out by sprinkler system

The Valdosta Fire Department responded to a fire call early Saturday morning, before dawn, at Club Deja Vu. Reports stated the sprinkler system in the club operated as designed, extinguishing the fire before the fire department arrived.

Fire crews opened the building, removing smoke and turned off the sprinkler system. Damage was estimated to by $10,000.  The club was closed at the time of the fire, per reports, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.