Tag Archives: Evening (6pm-9pm)

Apartment Building, Residential

Shawnee, OK – Fifth floor apartment fire put out with help from sprinkler system

An overnight emergency shelter was being set up late Friday night for half of the residents who live at Shawnee Towers at 1130 E. Independence, where a fifth floor fire was reported Friday evening.

What began as a fire alarm and evacuation of residents turned into more for those living on the north end, where water from the sprinkler system impacted every unit on that end of the complex.

One resident, who was outside waiting with her dog, Charlie, said she quickly evacuated and didn’t see any smoke until she was outside.

“When the alarm went off, I grabbed my phone, my wallet and my dog,” she said.

Whiles crews had the fire out quickly in that fifth floor unit, it was the water from the sprinkler system that prompted the decision to evacuate residents overnight.

Deputy Shawnee Fire Chief Andy Starkey said they were going to have to evacuate the entire north end “due to electrical hazards because of the water.”

Starkey, who said they were calling in the Red Cross to assist in getting that shelter set up for residents late Friday night, said they expected the overnight evacuation to involve 40 to 50 residents.

Residents on the south end were not impacted by the fire.

Cause of the fire was still undetermined late Friday night, he added.

The complex is part of the Shawnee Housing Authority.

Apartment Building, Residential

Bridgeton, NJ – Sprinkler system knocks down fire on 10th floor of city housing complex

A propane tank explosion and fire last weekend on the 10th floor of a city housing authority complex forced the evacuation of residents, authorities said Friday.  Battalion Chief Kevin Scarlato said firefighters responded at 6:34 p.m. Saturday to 110 East Commerce St. A fire broke out after the explosion, with visible smoke coming from the building. A second alarm was called, with the Gouldtown, Cedarville and Millville fire departments responding to assist, he said.  Scarlato said the building’s fire-suppression sprinkler system activated, knocking down much of the fire. Firefighters then evacuated residents.

Three apartments on the 10th floor were damaged. No cost estimate of the damage was given.  Scarlato said crews were on the scene until 11:23 p.m. All residents were allowed back into their homes, except those in the affected rooms. No injuries were reported and the cause of the explosion and fire is under investigation by the city fire inspector.

Other Business

Crystal Lake, IL – Firefighters; Sprinkler system control potentially dangerous fire at chemical supply company

A fire last Friday night inside a Crystal Lake chemical supply company caused about $35,000 in damage and required a large emergency response. Crystal Lake firefighters responded to an activated fire alarm about 6:50 p.m. at the Rita Corporation, 850 S. Route 31 in Crystal Lake, according to a news release from the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department. When crews arrived, they noticed smoke inside the building, but the building’s sprinkler system helped control the spread of any flames. Firefighters extinguished the blaze. It was limited to one office and its contents, the release stated. The fire’s cause was under investigation as of Saturday morning. No one was injured in the incident.

Crews from Algonquin-Lake in the Hills, McHenry, Cary and Nunda also responded to assist Crystal Lake firefighters in fighting the fire and investigating its cause. An individual from the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office also responded to investigate.

Apartment Building, Residential

Hampton, VA – Sprinkler system knocks down apartment building fire; No injuries reported

Hampton Division of Fire & Rescue responded to a report of a fire in the 200 block of Marcella Road shortly before 6 p.m. last Thursday, Battalion Chief Jeff Bartgis said at the scene.  Firefighters arrived and found fire in a third floor unit, Battalion Chief Jeff Pereira said.

The sprinkler system helped contain flames to the one unit, but it caused water damage in adjacent units on three of the floors, the officials said.  “A lot of them have a lot of water in them,” Bartgis said. “The sprinkler system did exactly what it was supposed to do and knocked the fire down for us,” he said. A restoration company was requested to dry out the units, and Bartgis said he’s hopeful residents can return to their homes soon. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Lewiston, ID – Electrical fire at hotel put out with help from sprinkler system

Fire officials suspect an electrical malfunction sparked a fire Monday evening in a fourth-floor room at the Red Lion Hotel in Lewiston.

The Lewiston Fire Department was dispatched to the hotel at 621 21st St. at approximately 6:20 p.m., and no one was injured in the fire, according to a news release from LFD Chief Travis Myklebust.

The first arriving unit found occupants from the hotel exiting into the parking lot, and nothing was showing from the outside. Crews went to the fourth floor and found a room with heavy black smoke coming into the hallway from inside. At that point, units from Asotin County Fire District No. 1, Clarkston Fire and Wheatland Fire District were requested as well.

As crews were getting in place, the hotel’s sprinkler system activated and helped extinguish the fire. The fire was contained to the room and there was some minor smoke damage on the fourth-floor and minor water damage on the third floor, according to the news release. The fire was under control by about 15 minutes after arrival.

Lewiston responded with three engines, one ladder truck, one service truck, two ambulances and three command officers, with a total of 17 personnel. Mutual-aid units responded with two engines and one support unit, totaling 14 personnel. Two fire investigators were also called to the scene.

Restaurant

Gurnee Mills, IL – Evening fire at Burger King extinguished by sprinkler system

The Gurnee Fire Department responded to a small kitchen fire at the Burger King in Gurnee Mills Saturday evening, officials said. The restaurant’s fire alarm went off just before 6 p.m., according to Battalion Chief Bob Heraver. The fire had been extinguished by the sprinkler head when firefighters arrived, Heraver said, and investigators determined the fire was caused by a flash from one of the stoves in the kitchen. Firefighters helped clean up the kitchen before turning it over to the Lake County Health Department for health and safety checks. There is not yet a final cost assessment of the water damage, but the restaurant is looking to reopen as soon as possible, according to authorities.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cleburne, TX – Fire in apartment at historic building contained to room of origin by sprinkler system

Cleburne firefighters say that an apartment fire in a historic downtown building was limited to the room of origin thanks to the building’s sprinkler system. That said, firefighters also noted that the building’s sprinkler system appears to be “substandard and poorly installed.”

Firefighters responded at 6:43 p.m. to the 400 block of East Henderson Street on reports of an earlier fire already extinguished. The fire originated in the kitchen of an apartment on the building’s second floor because of a pan of unattended oil on the stove top. The occupants told firefighters they went downstairs to eat but returned to find that the pan of oil had caught fire and spread to the microwave oven and cabinets above the stove, according to reports.

The occupants were unable to shut the sprinkler system off, which resulted in water damage to the kitchen area and the apartment below. Cleburne Assistant Fire Chief Keith Scarbrough said the fire may have caused far more damage but for the sprinkler system.

“Sprinkler systems work,” Scarbrough said. “Statistics from across the U.S. show that they put fires out 97 percent of the time. Of the other 3 percent, 1 percent is because of mechanical failure like weather or freezing temperatures.

“The other 1 percent is because someone turns them off and the last 1 percent is because the fire’s too big for the sprinkler’s capacity. That’s instances where someone originally used the building for offices or something like that and installed a system to handle that but later repurposed the use of the building, like making it a warehouse or paint processing facility and didn’t upgrade the sprinkler system to suit the new purpose.

“But, in my career here, I’ve seen three earlier instances where sprinkler systems almost certainly saved buildings from being lost, two school fires, a manufacturing plant fire and now this fire.

“Sprinkler systems are one of the most effective fire fighting processes available, which is why all businesses and even homes should have them.”

Firefighters responded to an industrial oven fire at 12:38 a.m. Saturday in the 200 block of West Industrial Boulevard to find heavy smoke emitting from the roof level of the plant.

Excess materials within the system caused the plant’s industrial ovens to catch fire. Workers on scene extinguished some but not all the fire having to quit because of heavy smoke. Cleburne firefighters completed the task and remained on scene until the ovens cooled sufficiently.

Firefighters responded to reports of a possible house fire at 8:05 p.m. March 2 in the 1700 block of Shawnee Drive.

Homeowners told firefighters they left a pot of chicken unattended on the stove. They turned the stove off and removed the chicken but the incident filled the home with smoke.

Firefighters checked but found no signs of heat or fire in the house. They set fans to clear the house of smoke and made note that the pot contained a burned chicken.

Child Care Facility, Hospital/Care Facility

Cornelius, OR – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire set by resident at youth group home

A youth group home operated by the Albertina Kerr Centers was damaged Monday evening, March 5, after a resident allegedly set a fire in his room.

The Cornelius Fire Department received the alarm at the house near the intersection of North 10th Avenue and Holladay Street at 6:01 p.m. Monday, according to spokesman Matt Johnston. He said the fire was extinguished quickly, and there were no injuries.

“The fire was actually put out by fire sprinklers,” said Johnston, adding, “It pretty much just burned a curtain. That was all that was burned. The sprinklers put it out and stopped it.”

Jeff Carr, chief executive officer of the Albertina Kerr Centers, said the sprinklers “went off very quickly” and extinguished the fire before first responders even arrived.

Albertina Kerr operates more than a dozen youth group homes and other mental health and treatment facilities across the Portland area.

Apartment Building, Residential

Duluth, MN – Cooking fire at high rise apartment building put out by sprinkler system

An apartment in the Tri-Towers Apartment Complex suffered thousands of dollars in damage after an accidental cooking fire.

The Duluth Fire Department says they responded to the high rise apartment building on 222 N. 2nd Ave. East around 7:20 p.m. Thursday.

When crews arrived, they noticed smoke on the sixth floor with a sprinkler system activated in one of the apartments on that floor. The department says the system extinguished the fire. Authorities vented out the smoke and vacuumed up water.

One resident of the apartment was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Damages are estimated at $20,000.

Other - Manufacturing

Omaha, NE – Fire at industrial building controlled thanks in part to sprinkler system

No injuries were reported Tuesday night in a fire at an industrial building near South 42nd and D Streets.  Fire crews reported to the structure, which contains recycling materials, around 7:25 p.m.  Firefighters reported smoke on approach to the location.  The fire was declared under control at 7:45 p.m., thanks in part to a sprinkler system that helped contain the blaze, fire crews said.  Several employees were on location at the time of the fire, which remains under investigation, fire officials said.  The $889,300 structure sustained an estimated $250 in damage, officials said.