Tag Archives: Evening (6pm-9pm)

Department Store, Retail

Spokane Valley, WA – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at JCPenney store

A teenager suspected of starting a fire at the JCPenney store at the Spokane Valley Mall last month was arrested.

According to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, a 13-year-old was identified as the suspect who started the fire.

The sheriff’s office said the teen was booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center Wednesday morning for first-degree arson.

According to the sheriff’s office, the fire resulted in an estimated loss of over $50,000 in merchandise and fire-related damage.

The sheriff’s office said detectives believe that two other minors were with the suspect at the time of the fires. The sheriff’s office said the suspect used a torch-type lighter to burn holes in boxes that had merchandise in them before walking away.

The box caught on fire and lit other boxes on fire, which triggered the fire suppression system and sprinklers.

In May, the Spokane Valley Fire Department said firefighters responded to a single-head sprinkler activation at the Spokane Valley Mall inside the JCPenney store at around 8 p.m. Saturday, May 17.

The fire department said the sprinklers did their job and stopped the forward progress of the fire.

JCPenney General Manager Aaron Klennert said damage to the merchandise was limited, and the majority of the damage was structural due to excessive water from the sprinklers.

Klennert said the fire happened on the top floor of the store in the home section, just minutes before closing time. Staff said it took a while to turn off the sprinklers, causing about three inches of water to spread across the floor and seep down into the ceiling of the first floor.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Springfield, MO – Fire at university extinguished by sprinkler system

A small fire broke out in Craig Hall on Sunday evening, prompting the Springfield Fire Department, University Safety, Facilities Management and Planning, Design and Construction to respond. 

According to a Missouri State University blog post, the fire was small enough to be extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system, limiting the extent of the damage. Fortunately for the school, the sprinklers only activated in the area that the fire was located, saving thousands of dollars in electronics such as computers and projectors.

The fire reportedly was sparked by a fan coil motor that burned up in the ceiling of the building — the same reason for the fire in Carrington Hall on May 23.

A university spokesperson told The Standard that the university is assessing the damage to the area of the fire and whether it will impact classes for the fall semester, but that it did not impact the ongoing Asbestos abatement.

According to the blog post, Missouri State is working with FM Global, the school’s insurance company, on filing a claim for the fire.

Hotel / Motel

Sprinkler System Contains Hotel Room Fire in LA

LAFD received reports of smoke emanating from a guest room at The Holiday Inn. Arriving units made entry into the hotel room to find a well involved fire confined to the guest room couch, which activated fire sprinklers.

Sprinkler activation held the fire in check to the room of origin.

A 40 y/o female was located down in the room next the smoldering piece of furniture. Firefighters quickly extricated the patient to an awaiting rescue ambulance, who transported the victim suffering from smoke inhalation.

No additional civilian injuries or hotel property damage was reported. Cause of fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building

Sprinklers Limit Fire Damages At Ashburn Residential Complex

ASHBURN, VA — Sprinklers helped contain a fire at a multifamily residential building in Ashburn Saturday, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue.

Units responded to a fire alarm around 7:20 a.m. Saturday to the 20000 block of Lazy River Terrace. Multiple 911 calls alerted emergency personnel to smoke coming from the first floor and alarms throughout the building. The incident was upgraded to a structure fire response, bringing in units from Lansdowne, Ashburn, Leesburg, Kincora, and Sterling. Crews found a small fire that had been extinguished by the sprinkler system in the garage space on the first floor. There was no extension of the fire beyond the garage space.

No residents or firefighters were injured.

The fire marshal’s office said the cause of the fire was combustible materials stored against a golf cart’s battery charger. The battery unit did not have adequate airflow to cool, leading to combustible materials catching fire. Damages were estimated to be $7,000.

Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said the fire caused potential for significant property damage and loss of life without the sprinkler system. The building had working fire alarms and automatic sprinkler systems. The fire department has been advocating for requiring automatic fire sprinklers in more residential homes. A National Fire Protection Association report notes that home fire fatalities 2017 to 2021 were 89 percent lower with fire sprinklers, and firefighter injuries were 48 percent lower with home sprinklers.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Port Washington, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at hotel restaurant kitchen

Port Washington firefighters were dispatched to the Harborview Hotel on E. Grand Avenue on Sunday evening, Jan. 12. 

Smoke coming from hotel’s kitchen

What we know

The first call about the fire came in around 7:45 p.m. Sunday. A caller reported an activated fire alarm with smoke visible from the rear of the hotel.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found the fire was already fully extinguished in the hotel’s kitchen. This is thanks to the sprinkler system in the building. Officials say the system prevented the fire from spreading beyond the kitchen and minimized damage to the property.

The restaurant was closed at the time of the fire. Hotel management said eight registered guests were temporarily evacuated, but able to continue staying at the facility.

What we don’t know

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Source

The information in this post was provided by the Port Washington Fire Department.

Apartment Building, Residential

Austin, TX – Sprinkler system controlled arson fire at apartment complex

The Austin Fire Department (AFD) responded to the apartment complex located at 10010 N Capital of Texas Highway SB at approximately 8:33 p.m. on Sunday, December 8 for a report of a fire in a bedroom.

Austin Police Department (APD) personnel were on scene for a check welfare call at the residence and directed fire crews to the scene. The fire had been brought under control by the building’s fire sprinkler system. Crews finished extinguishing the flames and reset the sprinkler system before the scene was turned over to AFD Investigations.

Fire investigators processed the scene and spoke with Steve Manor, the apartment’s resident, who had been detained by APD. Mr. Manor confessed to intentionally starting the fire to elicit a response from APD or AFD. The physical evidence at the scene validated Manor’s admission.

Steve Manor was transported to the Travis County Jail. He has been charged with arson, a state jail felony. His bond has been set at $15,000.

The damaged to the residence and contents are estimated to be approximately $12,000.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Moses Lake, WA – Sprinkler system contains fire caused by high voltage electrical equipment

The Moses Lake Fire Department was dispatched Tuesday night around 7:30 p.m. to 7761 Randolph Road Northeast, by the Port of Moses Lake, according to a release by the city of Moses Lake. 

When the department arrived it found facility personnel outside of the structure who told MLFD there was a fire in one of the process rooms on the ground floor of the facility. The fire was later discovered to be caused by high voltage electrical equipment which caught fire at a processing tank within the facility. There were no hazardous chemicals involved or released during the fire.

The building sprinkler system went off in response to the fire and helped contain it to the one processing room. There was heat damage to the walls and ceiling of the room, however, the fire never spread.

The Moses Lake firefighters made entry into the building with extended fire hose lines to the area which was a blaze. Crews entered the building which was full of heavy smoke and limited visibility. Soon after entering, they begin fighting fire shortly after making entry. It took them around an hour to fully suppress the fire and units remained on the scene for several hours to ventilate the building and ensure the fire was completely out.

The responding agencies were MLFD Battalion 1, Chief 101, Tower 1, Engine 1, Engine 2, Medic 3 and Grant County Fire District 5.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chesterfield, County, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes stove top fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

A fire that took place in Chesterfield on Sunday night caused an apartment building to be evacuated and one person to be displaced.

According to Chesterfield Fire and EMS, they received a call at 7:54 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17 about a fire at an apartment building in the 300 block of Karl Linn Drive.

The first units were on scene within five minutes. It was determined that a stove top fire happened within a single apartment on the first floor, and the fire did not spread outside the apartment.

The fire was extinguished by an automatic sprinkler and there were no reported injuries. The person who lived in the apartment has been displaced.

All others in the building that were evacuated temporarily will be able to stay in the apartments unaffected.

This is the second stove fire that has happened at this apartment building within the past two months, the other happening back in September.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Stuart, FL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at manufacturing facility

The State Marshal is investigating after a business caught fire in Martin County Saturday night.

Martin County Fire Rescue responded to a fire alarm going off at Paradigm Precision on SE Commerce Ave. in Stuart shortly after 7:30 p.m.

Five stations aided at the scene after the first crews that arrived noticed a smell of light smoke.

Inside the building, they discovered a small fire near a table.

Fire rescue reports the sprinkler system was a critical aid in keeping the tableside fire in check.

They also praise the working fire alarm and sprinkler system as “critical in reducing damage in this incident.”