Tag Archives: Evening (6pm-9pm)

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Statesville, NC – Boiler room fire at high school put out by sprinkler system; No injuries and classes not disrupted

A fire that broke out Monday night in a boiler room at Statesville High School did “minimal damage” and will not disrupt classes, school officials said Tuesday.  The school’s sprinkler system put out the blaze shortly after it began around 6:30 p.m., according to a press release from Iredell-Statesville Schools.  The boiler room is in the basement of the Center Street campus. Some staff members were at the school when the fire started but no injuries were reported.  The Statesville Fire Department worked with school maintenance staff to secure the area, ISS said.

Air quality tests showed that the school was safe and classes were held as scheduled Tuesday.  Principal Hans Lassiter said the area “has pretty much been cleaned up. There are remnants of the burned insulation that smelled pretty bad, but that, too, has been neutralized.”  One basement classroom will temporarily be relocated while repairs are made.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Stanford, CA – Sprinkler system activates to help control dorm fire at Stanford University; No injuries reported and damage limited

Around 6:30 p.m. last Sunday night, residents of Ujamaa House in the Lagunita residential complex were evacuated after a fire was reported in a resident’s room. According to Bec Smith ’20, Palo Alto Fire Department said the fire originated from an electrical wiring issue.  While no one was injured, certain halls flooded after fire sprinklers activated. According to SUDPS spokesperson Bill Larson, the scope of the damage included residents’ belongings, walls and ceilings.

Several residents said the student currently living in the room was not present when the incident occurred. Witnesses reported seeing firefighters throwing clothes out of the window of the room, which is reportedly in the Lower B section of Ujamaa.  At around 8:20 p.m., the A wing of the dorm reopened, but the B wing remained closed as of 10:00 p.m.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s anybody’s fault,” said resident Jamayka Young ’21, who lives next door to the room in which the fire allegedly took place. “[The resident] didn’t have anything happen because they weren’t there.”

Police from the Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) and the Palo Alto Fire Department blocked off entry to the area around Roble Drive and Lomita Drive as well as the entrances to Ujamaa until the situation was confirmed to be safe.  “I saw that smoke was coming from the [affected] room,” said Ruth-Ann Armstrong ’21, another resident who lives near the room. “A [resident assistant] called the police, and it took them about 15 minutes to get here.”  Authorities confirmed that the scope of the damage was limited. “It’s all done,” said SUDPS officer Victor Lee. “It could’ve been worse, but I think it was isolated to one room.”

However, not all of residents’ worries have been assuaged. “I’m worried about my laptop, which is open and on my bed, and how I’ll get money from Stanford to pay for this,” said Young, referring to possible damage from the sprinkler system.  “It’s not great,” said Smith. “I have a midterm tomorrow; a lot of people have midterms tomorrow.”  Smith later added that “everyone is coming together in [Ujaama] to provide housing to people in B wing,” with residents from A wing offering places to sleep to those from B wing.

An email sent to the Ujamaa mailing list by RA Gia Page Soles at 11:16 p.m. stated that the Upper B wing of Ujamaa house was clear for access. The email also stated that the air quality was “fine,” and it also notified residents that dehumidifiers would be operating in the Lower B wing.  An email was sent to the same mailing list at 12:51 p.m. on Monday stating that anyone who was affected in the electrical fire was eligible to submit a form for reimbursement for any items that were damaged as a result of the incident.  The Daily has reached out to the Ujamaa RAs and RF for comment.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Ferndale, MI – Fire in 68-unit apartment building for elderly, disabled, and low income residents extinguished by sprinkler system

At about 8:30 pm last Monday night some residents of Withington West apartments were evacuated due to a fire that started in a fourth floor apartment.  Withington West is a 68-unit property of the Ferndale Housing Commission. It is home to elderly, disabled and low income residents. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The fire started on a stove, by a resident cooking chicken. Fire Chief Kevin Sullivan further explained that walls in the building are made of concrete, so fire remain contained. “The fire protection system did exactly what it was designed to do, enough heat was released to set of the sprinkler head in the kitchen, effectively extinguishing the fire. The fire pump came on when the head opened, the water pressure dropped, the fire pump made up the difference,” he said. He confirmed there were no injuries. He also clarified that only apartments immediately around that where the fire started were evacuated.

Residents were permitted back into the building once the fire was extinguished, and restoration crews were on the scene as of 10pm working to clean up water from the sprinkler system and fire department. The Fire Marshall was also on hand to conduct the investigation.

Housing Director Heather VanPoucker confirmed there were no injuries and that efforts to protect residents went smoothly. “Fire suppression worked exactly as intended.” VanPoucker said. “The fire department response was excellent as always.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Berkeley, CA – Fifth floor apartment fire held in check by sprinkler system

Berkeley Fire Department responded to a fire at 2310 Fulton St. — which was determined to have been caused by a dryer that caught fire — after receiving a call at 6 p.m. about smoke billowing out of the apartment complex, according to BFD spokesperson Keith May.

May said the fire broke out on the fifth floor of the building, and firefighters put it out “within minutes.” He added that the fire did not cause any injuries to civilians or firefighters.

“The sprinkler system kicked in and held it in check,” May said. “Once (firefighters) made entry and found out where the smoke was coming from, they just immediately put it out.”

BFD responded to the fire by dispatching four engines, a truck company, a battalion chief and an ambulance, according to May.

May said the location where the fire broke out is still an “active scene.”

Residential, Single Family Home

Santa Maria, CA – Sprinkler system contains house fire to bedroom, according to firefighters

A fire sprinkler system helped contain a blaze in a Santa Maria residence on Wednesday night.  At 8:40 p.m., personnel from the Santa Maria Fire and Police departments and American Medical Response were dispatched to the 200 block of East Inger Drive for a structure fire.  The blaze was kept in check by the fire sprinkler system, with the flames contained to a bedroom, according to firefighters.  One person was being evaluated medically by AMR paramedics, firefighters said.  Additional details were not immediately available.

College/University (on campus)

Tempe, AZ – Computer monitor fire in classroom building at Arizona State University contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A small electrical fire stemming from a computer monitor in ASU’s Brickyard complex occurred on Sunday evening, according to a spokeswoman from Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department.  There were no reported injuries at the time of publication.  “The fire was in an actual computer monitor,” interim Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal Andrea Glass said.

The building sprinkler system was activated and contained the fire’s location until firefighters arrived to the scene, Glass said. The cause for the fire is still undetermined, but the department will conduct an investigation to determine the cause.

“There was extensive work done by the fire crew to protect the computer systems that were located on the second floor from the water damage,” Glass said.  The Brickyard, located on Mill Avenue, houses several Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering labs and classrooms, as well as the ASU Art Museum Ceramics Research Center, the School of Arts, Media and Engineering and multiple research centers.

Students working in the labs said they immediately evacuated the building upon hearing the fire alarm.  Aditya Prasad Mishra, a masters student studying computer science, was working in his lab at the time of the incident.  “I was a bit worried when I smelled the smoke coming outside,” Mishra said.  Once the fire was contained, the fire department started letting people back into their offices to get their belongings before continuing the investigation.

 

Apartment Building, Residential

Victoria, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activates; Helps control fire at low-income apartment building

Victoria Fire Department crews were called to a building on Swift Street and Store Street near Fisgard on Wednesday night after reports of a fire.  Upon arrival around 6:50 p.m., crews investigated and found a grease fire in one of the units at 467 Swift, a building operated by Victoria’s Cool Aid Society.  Fire officials say the flames were quickly extinguished.  The lone occupant of the suite suffered a minor burn to one hand and was examined by BC Ambulance Paramedics.

The incident did trigger the sprinkler system and fire crews remained on scene to deal with water issues in the affected suite and elsewhere in the building.  The cause is believed to be accidental. The Victoria Fire Department estimates the cost of the water damage to the first and third floors to be approximately $100,000. All tenants except the one living in the affected unit are expected to be able to return home Wednesday night.

Other - Manufacturing

Stamford, CT – Fire in basement of industrial building held in check by sprinkler system

A fire in the basement of a Glenbrook industrial building that houses business was contained to that area, allowing upstairs occupants to return to the building on Wednesday. The fire started around 8:30 p.m. last Tuesday at 652 Glenbrook Road in the industrial complex, said Stamford Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Gloersen. First arriving units reported smoke coming from the basement of the large, re-purposed industrial building. The fire which was extinguished by hose lines was held in check by the building’s sprinkler system, he added. Stamford units received assistance from the Glenbrook and Belltown fire departments. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Baton Rouge, LA – Mall fire extinguished with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Emergency officials responded to reports of the smell of smoke and a possible fire at the Mall of Louisiana around 7 p.m. Monday night.

An official with the St. George Fire Department says they discovered a small fire in the interior of a wall in Vivos, which set off a sprinkler, getting people’s attention. The fire department was able to put out the fire with a hand extinguisher and did not have to run a hose into the building. The fire reportedly started in the bathroom of the store.

A fire investigator is en route to determine the cause of the fire.

Sources report that areas of the mall were evacuated by mall security as a precaution. No injuries were reported. The all clear was given around 8 p.m. and patrons were allowed back inside.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Fresno, CA – Arson fire extinguished with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

The Fresno Fire Department is asking for help Tuesday identifying whoever set fire to a Fresno elementary school classroom on Saturday night.

Around 7:45 p.m., a fire burned inside a classroom of Edith B. Storey Elementary School at 5250 E. Church Avenue.

The fire caused major fire and smoke damage.

The sprinkler system helped extinguish the fire, but it caused water damage to the classroom and to the teacher’s supplies and books.

The suspect(s) used an object to smash a small window on the door of the classroom and made entry into the classroom, the Fire Department said. While inside the classroom the suspect(s) set multiple fires that caused the damage.

The fire Saturday was the second arson fire at the location within 24 hours, the Fire Department said.

Anyone with information should call the Fire Department Arson Hotline at 559-621-2776.