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

Other - Storage / Warehouse, Storage / Warehouse

Atlanta, GA – Sprinkler system activated for hazmat situation at storage facility; No injuries reported

Fire officials said Tuesday that an early-morning fire call in Marietta actually had been a hazmat situation at a building on Industrial Park Drive that has since been taken care of.

According to Cobb Fire, which assisted the Marietta Fire Department on scene, a sprinkler system went off inside the building around 5:30 a.m.

When they arrived at, they discovered that “a chemical reaction of an organic acid-based compound had generated enough heat to activate the sprinkler system.”

Cobb Fire’s crews and a hazmat response company “assessed the scene and began remediation efforts.”

The fire service said no employees were in the building at the time of the situation, there were no injuries and no surrounding businesses required evacuation.

The incident occurred at 980 Industrial Park Drive, which appears to be an RV storage location ran by the company The RV Loft.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Phoenix, AZ – Sprinkler system extinguishes 10th floor fire in university dorm

Students living in the Taylor Place Residential Community on the Downtown Phoenix campus woke up to an alarm and sprinklers early Saturday morning after a fire broke out in one of the dorm rooms on the 10th floor of tower one.

The fire was caused by an electrical surge in the dorm room, which activated the water sprinkler system, according to an emailed statement from University spokesperson, Jerry Gonzalez. All residents were told to evacuate the towers and wait outside until it was safe to return.

The sprinklers “promptly extinguished the fire” and all residents evacuated the building safely, Gonzalez said.

Mary Neale, a freshman studying sports journalism who lives on the 11th floor, said she heard people running down the hallways knocking on doors, alerting residents to evacuate. Neale said students rushed down the stairs and waited outside Taylor Place while the authorities cleared the fire.

Due to flooding caused by the sprinklers, students living on the 10th floor have been relocated to the Downtown Phoenix Hampton Inn until their rooms have been completely restored. Gonzalez said in the statement there are about 30 students staying in the off-campus lodging. While there is no exact timeline for when students will be able to return to their rooms, University housing will notify them when the rooms are ready.

Gonzalez said the University is currently drying the impacted rooms and will be working with other students who were affected by the water sprinklers and will help them replace items that were damaged.

Michael and Anthony Yero, both freshman sports journalism students, were the occupants of the room that caught on fire. Michael Yero said authorities told him that his electrical razor was plugged into an outlet and caused a surge. One of the sparks fell onto a towel, which ignited and spread to his laundry.

“Its been a couple of days just figuring out what I can do and managing school and work at the same time,” Michael Yero said. “It’s been a busy couple of days trying to get back to normal.”

Michael Yero said the fire from the surge and water from the sprinklers damaged much of his and his brother’s belongings including a laptop, camera, camera lenses and clothes. But even with the damages and having to move, Michael said that throughout the experience he and his brother have “tried to look at the good side of things.”

He said that even when they learned it was their room that was affected by the fire, they were and continue to get through by supporting each other and doing what they can do to move forward. 

“When we first heard it was our room we looked at each other and we said that we are there for each other and have each others’ backs,” Michael said. “We’re supportive of each other throughout the whole way.”

According to Michael Yero, the University provided him and his brother gift cards for essentials and will provide a stipend to replace their damaged items. He said that despite not being in his dorm, living in the Hampton Inn has been a “great time” and it has provided him the opportunity to spend more time with his friends.

“ASU has been been very helpful,” Michael Yero said. “(The University) team did a great job in responding to the situation. They were very kind in giving money to help us out and accompany us and comfort us. They did a great job.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Milford, MI – Sprinkler system activated for vehicle fire at GM; No injuries reported

A fire occurred inside an engineering lab at the GM Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan over the weekend.

General Motors is now investigating the cause of the fire. According to a report from Detroit Free Press, which cites a statement by Brighton Area Fire Authority Chief Mike O’Brian, the fire started on Sunday around 6:30 a.m. local time.

GM’s fire brigade was the first to notice smoke coming from the building and called 911. Brighton and Milford firefighters responded and were able to quickly extinguish the blaze. According to O’Brian, the fire was largely extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system by the time firefighters arrived on the scene.

“It was a vehicle that started the fire,” O’Brian said. “How it started? We don’t know that. That’s under investigation. There were no injuries. There was smoke throughout the structure and we worked with GM to get the smoke evacuated.”

Employees are expected to return to work at the lab later this week.

According to GM spokeswoman Maria Raynal, the fire was related to the “12V system” on a “development vehicle.” However, although the automaker declined to specify whether the development vehicle in question was all-electric or an internal combustion engine, Fire Chief O’Brian did recently make a statement to WWJ Newsradio 950 outlining the hazards of EV development, saying “You’re gonna see a lot more events that when there’s a fire involving an electrified vehicle or an energy stored system. You’re going to see a lot more protection of the exposures in allowing the fire event to burn itself out or to consume itself.”

The GM Milford Proving Ground first opened in 1924 as the industry’s first dedicated automobile test facility, and now includes 4,800 staff and 142 buildings, as well as 132 miles of test roads.

Recently, General Motors was faced with a lawsuit levied against the automaker by Milford residents accusing GM of contaminating the local drinking water.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Knoxville, TN – Fire in hotel room extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A Crowne Plaza hotel located on West Summit Hill Drive was evacuated early Monday after a small fire on the seventh floor that the sprinkler system extinguished, according to the Knoxville Fire Department.

KFD crews were dispatched to the hotel at 6:09 a.m. Monday for an activated fire alarm with sprinkler activation and Knox County E-911 dispatchers also received a call about the fire reporting smoke and flames on the seventh floor of the hotel. On arrival, KFD firefighters made their way to the seventh floor and discovered that the sprinkler system had put out the fire in one of the rooms, which was unoccupied.

KFD said all hotel occupants of the whole building were evacuated as a precaution. The Initial investigation revealed that the fire was quickly put out by the sprinkler system and did not appear to spread any further than the room of origin.

The hotel room has sustained heavy smoke damage, KFD said, and hallways and other common areas of the hotel sustained water damage. The building has been turned over to building maintenance. No injuries were reported.

This fire is currently under investigation by KFD officials.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Lafayette, IN – Sprinkler system extinguishes electrical fire at hotel

A malfunction of an electrical device has been determined as the cause of a hotel room fire early Jan. 16 in Lafayette.

According to the Lafayette Fire Department, firefighters responded to a call at about 6:30 a.m. Jan. 16 to the Courtyard by Marriott, 150 Fairington Ave., for a reported fire inside a hotel room.

When firefighters arrived, the fire had been extinguished by the hotel’s sprinkler system inside the room, which had been occupied. Fire officials said the occupants were able to escape the room. There were no reported injuries to the occupants or other guests in nearby rooms.

Fire officials said heat from the fire activated a single head from the building’s sprinkler system and doused the fire, preventing the spread of flames to other areas of the room or hotel.

Officials said firefighters ensured the blaze was extinguished, had not extended to other areas of the building and shut down the activated sprinkler system.

The Lafayette Fire Department credits a self-closing door, and the building fire sprinkler system with containing, extinguishing and limiting the damage and amount of toxic smoke created by this fire.

The suspected electrical device which fire officials said caused the fire was not specifically identified. The estimated amount of damage to the hotel room has not been determined.

Government/Military, Public Library

Kent, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at library book drop

The downtown Kent Library closed on Thursday, Dec. 2 after the sprinkler system activated early in the morning when something in the book drop caught fire.

“The incident is currently under investigation,” said Sarah Thomas, King County Library System public relations specialist, in a Thursday afternoon email. “It will remain closed today (Thursday). We are unable to give a reopening date at this time.”

The Kent Library is at 212 Second Ave. N.

Puget Sound Fire responded to a sprinkler water flow alarm just before 6 a.m. Thursday, said Pat Pawlak, Puget Sound Fire spokesman.

“Firefighters arrived and found that that had been a fire in the book drop,” Pawlak said. “A single sprinkler head activated and extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”

People looking to use a local library can visit the Kent Panther Lake Library, 20500 108th Ave. SE, which also is part of the King County Library System.

Apartment Building, Residential

Santa Maria, CA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building

The Santa Maria Fire Department is investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment building Thursday morning.

It was first reported just after 5 a.m. in the apartment complex along the 200 block of North Depot Street.

The fire started inside one of the affordable housing units on the second floor, officials said.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire inside the apartment.

There was significant water damage from the building’s fire sprinkler system, the fire department said.

Some of the residents were displaced by the fire. The local Red Cross is working to find them temporary housing.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Los Angeles, CA – Hotel fire kept in check by sprinkler system

Two people were hospitalized with minor injuries suffered in a fire Sunday on the 22nd floor of the 33-story Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

The fire appeared to be largely in or near a utility or service area (trash receptacle, ice machine, etc.) at the iconic structure, authorities said.

A third person treated at the scene declined further care, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Firefighters were dispatched at 6:49 a.m. to the greater alarm blaze at 404 S. Figueroa St., Humphrey said.

The fire, which was held in check by the structure’s sprinkler system, was under control at 7:20 a.m., he added.

“Staff and patrons who calmly and safely evacuated the iconic building are now being provided hotel access, with patrol below the 22nd floor being allowed to return to guest accommodations,” Humphrey said. “Many of the 113 firefighters assigned to this incident are now working closely with hotel staff to manage residual smoke on floors 22-66 and localized water removal on floors 21 and 22.”

Fire / Police Station, Government/Military

Colchester, Vt – Fire contained by sprinkler system

A Colchester Fire District building is closed because of damage from an early morning fire Friday.

The Colchester Fire Department says it responded to the District #2 building just after midnight for a sprinkler/water flow alarm. They say this building shares a parking lot with the Mallets Bay station on Church Road. When they got there, the fire was showing from the roof. Crews say thanks to properly placed sprinkler heads, the fire was able to be contained.

Because of water damage in the office, the building will be closed for an unknown amount of time, but they can still be reached by phone for water-related emergencies.

The cause is currently under investigation but is not considered suspicious.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Hershey, PA – Fire at grocery store contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A sprinkler system stopped a fire from spreading inside a Giant Foods store in Derry Township Thursday morning.

According to Hershey Fire Chief Pat Leonard, the fire at the store on Cocoa Avenue appears to have started around 5 a.m. in machinery used to clean the floors, then spread to a compactor full of cardboard. However, the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A worker discovered the fire, and employees called 911. No injuries were reported.

The sprinkler system activated and “held the fire in check,” he said.

Smoke filled the store, but there was no structural damage, Leonard said. Giant expects “pretty significant cleanup” in the back of the store, he said.

The fire was reported before the store was scheduled to open at 6 a.m. It’s closed for cleanup, according to the Hershey Fire Department.

“We are very very fortunate we had plenty of manpower from Hershey, and our mutual aid companies supplemented it,” Leonard said. “It’s a good day when we all work together.”