Tag Archives: Evening (6pm-9pm)

Apartment Building, Residential

McKinney, TX – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

The McKinney Fire Department (MFD) responded to a report of a structure fire at the El Lago Apartments, 3400 Craig Dr., at 6:40 p.m., Monday, April 19.

The fire originated on the balcony and a single fire sprinkler head in the apartment’s living room area extinguished the fire and kept the flames from spreading into the apartment.

Fire investigators determined the fire was started by a child playing with a lighter. The child was referred to the MFD’s Youth Firesetter Program.

Here is information for teaching your child about fire safety:

  • Lead by example. You cannot expect your child to treat fire any differently than you do.
  • Explain why they cannot use fire.
  • Treat matches and lighters like tools. Give these items the same respect you would knives, kitchen appliances, hammers, etc.
  • Keep matches and lighters out of reach of all children.
  • Reward children for making right decisions with matches and lighters.
  • Make clear the punishment for the improper use of matches and lighters.
  • Encourage your child’s school to promote fire safety in the classroom.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 7,000 fires annually are started by children playing. More than half of those fires are started with a lighter.

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Grand Forks, ND – Fire contained by sprinkler system at mill; No injuries reported

A piece of machinery at a mill in Grand Forks started on fire, leaving $10,000 in damages at the plant.

The Grand Forks Fire Department says they were called to the State Mill in the 1800 block of Mill Rd. around 8 p.m. on Monday, April 19.

When crews arrived, they learned a sprinkler system in the building went off and contained the fire the single piece of equipment.

Firefighters believe the fire started because of a mechanical failure.

No one was injured by the flames.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Las Vegas, NV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Walmart; No injuries reported

Clark County Fire Department responded Tuesday evening to a fire at a Walmart on Boulder Highway.

At approximately 9:33 p.m. firefighters responded to occupants evacuating the building which had light smoke throughout. A pallet of paper goods had burned setting off sprinklers in the store.

The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported.

The cause is unknown at this time.

This is is an ongoing investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Spokane, WA – Fire at apartment complex controlled by sprinkler system until fire crews arrived; No injuries reported

At least two residents of a 32-unit Spokane apartment complex were displaced Sunday by a fire caused by a candle placed “too close to combustibles,” according to the Spokane Fire Department.

The fire was reported at around 6:15 p.m. at the West 315 Apartments on Mission Avenue and Washington Street.

The caller reported smoke from a second-floor apartment window and a fire alarm going off, according to the fire department.

Firefighters arrived within five minutes to a blaze on the second floor of the three-story apartment building.

The building, according to the fire department, is equipped with a fire and life safety system that includes a commercial fire sprinkler system, which did help keep the fire’s growth under control until personnel arrived.

More than 30 firefighters were needed to search the burning apartment, evacuate nearby units and survey the damage, firefighters said.

Nobody was injured, while firefighters rescued three cats.

Those affected have accepted assistance from the Greater Inland Northwest Chapter of the Red Cross. Firefighters said Monday afternoon that up to six more disabled residents could be temporarily relocated.

Investigators determined the cause of the fire was accidental.

“The SFD reminds our community that when using lit candles, to place them in sturdy, safe candle holders that will not burn or tip over,” department officials said in a statement. “Although we prefer battery-operated flameless candles, if candles are used, please keep them at least 12 inches from materials that can burn and never leave a candle unattended.”

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Las Vegas, NV – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Walmart

Fire investigators believe a Sunday night fire at the Walmart Supercenter on at Charleston and Decatur boulevards was “intentionally set.”

The fire started just before 8 p.m. in the rear of the store in the paper towel aisle creating a large amount of smoke. According to Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, automatic fire sprinklers quickly helped douse the flames.

When fire crews arrived at the scene, people were already in the process of evacuating the store. One person was injured when they tripped and fell during the evacuation. That person was treated by paramedics and transported to the hospital.

Damage was estimated at $200,000, mostly due to smoke damaging items in the store. Structural damage was estimated at less than $10,000. Firefighters and employees of Walmart worked quickly to make sure water from the sprinkler system did not damage the store further.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes apartment kitchen fire; No injuries reported

Firefighters are crediting automatic sprinklers installed in an apartment on Madison’s near east side with quickly extinguishing a kitchen fire before it could spread further.

Authorities said occupants of the apartment complex in the 800 block of Williamson Street were evacuating the building as firefighters arrived just after 6 p.m. Tuesday.

When crews entered the building and made it to the second floor where the fire initially broke out, they found an automatic sprinkler flowing, but no active fire. Crews then shut off the sprinkler system and worked to remove water from the unit.

The occupant of the unit where the fire started told firefighters they were heating up a butane-powered hot pot when flames began coming from the butane bottle rather than the burner. The occupant threw water on the flames which caused a flare-up that triggered the sprinkler. The sprinkler put out the fire before firefighters arrived.

No one was injured in the incident, according to fire officials.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Tempe, AZ – Sprinkler system extinguishes stove fire at University Towers

One person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a small kitchen fire broke out at the University Towers student housing complex Tuesday evening, according to Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department spokesperson Brandon Siebert. 

The occupant who was injured suffered smoke inhalation and other minor injuries after falling while evacuating the building. Another person was evaluated by paramedics on scene but declined any further care, Siebert said.

Three people were temporarily displaced by the fire: two people from the unit that caught fire on the second floor, and one in the unit below, which sustained water damage, Siebert said.

The fire started after a frying pan with cooking oil was left on the stove unattended, Siebert said. The building’s automatic fire sprinkler system extinguished the flames and prevented the fire from spreading to other apartments.

University Towers is located at 525 S. Forest Ave. in Tempe.

Other - Retail, Retail

Elkhart, IN – Fire at paint shop held in check by sprinkler system until fire crew arrived; No injuries reported

Elkhart Fire Department crews were called to a local paint shop after a motor home inside the shop caught fire.

The blaze was reported around 6:50 p.m. on Friday, March 19, in the 5300 block of Beck Drive.

While en-route multiple 911 callers reported the structure on fire.

A large plume of smoke from the roof was seen by crews arriving at the site.

Employees told crews the fire was actually a large diesel motor home inside a paint booth.  They said they tried to use fire extinguisher but were unsuccessful in putting out the fire.

It took about 90 minutes to douse the flames.

There was no significant structural damage to the building and no firefighter or civilian injuries reported. 

The building was equipped with a fire sprinkler system within the paint booth which held the blaze in check until fire crew arrived.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Tampa, FL – Sprinkler system activated for hotel dryer fire; No injuries reported

Aloft Tampa Midtown Hotel was evacuated Saturday night after a drier caught fire, according to Tampa Fire Rescue.

Firefighters arrived about 8:30 p.m. at the six-story hotel at 3650 Midtown Drive to investigate a report of a fire. The hotel is located in the Midtown Tampa development near N Dale Mabry Highway and W Cypress Street.

They found the source of the fire just one floor above them: A dryer in the second-floor laundry room had caught fire.

The hotel was evacuated and no one was injured, according to fire officials. The automatic sprinkler system was activated and helped contain the fire. It took firefighters about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire.

The fire was deemed accidental by a fire marshal. However, Tampa Fire Rescue did not say when guests were allowed back inside.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

South Brunswick, NJ – Sprinkler system activated for warehouse fire; No injuries reported

A warehouse in South Brunswick Township caught on fire last night around 7 P.M. Over 50 firefighters arrived at the scene, including all three South Brunswick Companies (Monmouth Junction, Kingston & Kendall Park), Monroe Fire District 3, Jamesburg, Plainsboro and North Brunswick Fire Co. #2.

No one was injured in the fire, according to a press release. At 7:05 P.M., February 19th, South Brunswick police were alerted about a fire at the Sunoco Warehouse at 5 Stults Road near Route 130.

According to a preliminary investigation, the fire started due to the finished cardboard canisters manufactured by the facility which were stored on plastic pallets and shrink-wrapped, then stacked three pallets high. “Fortunately the sprinkler system and fire pump contained the fire to several stacks of the palletizing goods. Unfortunately, the fire and water caused several pallets to collapse, making it difficult for firefighters to locate and extinguish the seat of the fire,” said Monmouth Junction Fire Chief Scott Smith in a released statement.

At the time, fire hydrants on Stults Road were frozen. Firefighters used tankers from Cranbury, Jamesburg, Plainsboro and Monroe for water supply.

Crews were routinely rotated due to the intensive manpower to reach the seat of the fire 300 feet deep into the warehouse. It took several hours to ventilate the heavy smoke from the fire using large trailer-mounted fans from the Edison and Millstone Valley Fire Departments.

The fire is currently under investigation by the South Brunswick Township Fire Safety Bureau, according to a press release.