Tag Archives: Evening (6pm-9pm)

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Elkridge, MD – Arson fire at motel snuffed out by sprinkler system

An Ellicott City man is facing charges in connection with a fire at the Hillside Motel in Elkridge on Wednesday. Dennis Charles Turnbaugh, 26, of the 8300 block of Sunrise Court in Ellicott City, was identified as the suspect in the blaze that broke out around 6:21 p.m., according to police.  Authorities said they were called to the 6300 block of Washington Boulevard for a fire that was snuffed out by the sprinkler system. According to police, the damage was minimal, contained to one room.

When officials investigated the blaze, they determined it had been intentionally set. Turnbaugh was found soon after and charged with first-degree arson, five counts of reckless endangerment and malicious destruction of property, officials reported. He was being held Thursday without bail at the Howard County Detention Center.  Arrests do not indicate convictions.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Rutland, VT – Firefighters credit sprinkler system with extinguishing fire at manufacturing business

State officials say a sprinkler system, designed to suppress fires, might have helped to contain a fire in a city building last week. According to a statement released by the Vermont Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire Safety, the fire was reported on Feb. 16 at Questech Labs, a business within GSM Properties on Park Street in Rutland.

The Rutland City Fire Department responded to alarms at the building about 8:50 p.m. The first of the firefighters who reached the scene said they heard fire alarms sounding and smelled something burning that seemed to be coming from the second floor. There were also light smoke conditions at the scene, the statement said.

Firefighting crew members noticed heavier smoke conditions and the sound of sprinklers dispensing water in the Questech offices on the second floor. Inside, they found two sprinkler heads had activated, which firefighters believed was responsible for extinguishing the fire within the room.  The offices were ventilated by firefighters and the sprinkler system was turned off. Firefighters found no other fire within the offices.

The origin of fire was found next to a shop vacuum cleaner but the cause has not been determined and no estimate is yet available for the damage. However, initial reports indicate damage was limited to water and smoke inside the office.  Rutland Deputy Fire Chief Brad LaFaso said Tuesday that he wasn’t one of the firefighters on scene Feb. 16, but he understood it was a small fire and there were no injuries involved in the incident.

The statement pointed out that GSM Properties is a large industrial building that provides space for Green Mountain Window, the Vermont Food Bank, Stratabond and Tatum’s Totes. The companies, which collectively employ about 85 people, were able to open as scheduled Feb. 17. “This event illustrates the benefits of a properly installed and maintained fire sprinkler system. The fire was contained to the point of origin, which minimized property damage, curtailed the risk to first responders and ensured businesses in the building could open as usual and employees had a place to work,” the statement said.

LaFaso called sprinkler systems “very important.” He said in many fires, the suppression system keeps the fire in check and limits the hazards the firefighters will face when bringing it under control. Michael Desrochers, executive director of the Vermont Division of Fire Safety, said he had been in the business for almost 30 years. Across that span, he has seen many examples that illustrate the importance of sprinkler system.  “ Automatic sprinkler systems that are properly installed and maintained are likely to contain a fire to the point of origin, reducing property damage and loss of life. A properly installed and maintained sprinkler system will prevent flashover from occurring inside the structure, reducing the risk of first responders being injured,” he said.  During a flashover, a number of very hot objects or surfaces can burst into flames in an enclosed area because of the high temperatures during a fire.

Desrochers said a fire department will likely use a lot more water to contain a fire than the amount of water from a sprinkler head. He pointed out that a sprinkler system can have an economic advantage by protecting buildings, many of them commercial, where people work. In a state such as Vermont, Desrochers said, they can also protect buildings with historic value that cannot be replaced.  Many buildings, especially commercial buildings, may require sprinkler systems based on their use, size and commercial materials, Desrochers said.

A call to Questech was not returned on Tuesday. According to its website, the company makes decorative tiles based on hand-carved designs, made of “a proprietary composite that uses premium metal or natural stone” to be used in interior walls.  The company has about 65 employees.

More information about sprinkler systems in Vermont is available online at www.firesafety.vermont.gov.

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory

Athens, GA – Fire in University of Georgia residence hall controlled with help from sprinkler system

UPDATE: University Housing sent a letter to Brumby Hall residents this morning at 8:42 a.m. with a report of the evacuation. The letter said the fire alarms went off due to “a fire in the trash room of Brumby Hall,” causing the sprinkler system to activate. The letter also said no dorms were damaged with smoke or water. No one was injured as a result of the fire, “thanks to the cooperation of residents and the action of housing staff and emergency personnel.”  “Security of residents is our utmost priority,” the email said. “Therefore residents are required to evacuate the building anytime the alarm sounds.”

ORIGINAL: At approximately 7 p.m. Monday night, the fire alarm in Brumby Residence Hall at the University of Georgia sounded. Students were stranded outside for over three hours after two additional fire alarms were sounded following the initial alarm. When students were evacuating once the alarm was sounded, a resident assistant was heard notifying students departing from the emergency exits, “No, it’s not a false alarm.”

Payton Eason, a freshman psychology major from Villa Rica and resident at Brumby, was worried after hearing that the fire alarms were not false. “I thought this was going to be just another false alarm that we have almost weekly at Brumby. Turns out, there’s actually smoke, and the hall is literally on fire. Now, we’ve been here for more than two hours, sitting out here stranded,” Eason said.

Eason explained she was working on homework when the alarm sounded. “I have lots of homework due tonight at 10 p.m…Unfortunately, all my books, notes, and Macbook are up in the dorm so I guess I’m just stuck here until it’s all clear,” Eason said.  By 8:45 p.m., the alarm was off, but students were still stranded outside waiting for the all-clear from authorities to reenter the building.  Taylor Johnson, a freshman biology major from Columbus, heard prior to being cleared to return to the residence halls that the first floor was flooded from trying to extinguish the fire.

“My friend received a message and said that someone threw something in the trash chute that caught fire. It caused the sprinklers to go off and now the first floor is flooded,” Johnson said. As of 10 p.m., students were still not allowed to reenter the residence hall. By around 10:50 p.m., students began making their way back to their dorms in Brumby.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Richmond, KY – Fire at senior living center suppressed with help from sprinkler system

Move-in day for many residents at Pebblecreek Crossing on Big Hill Avenue took a turn for the worse when a small fire in a lower-level apartment sent Richmond fire trucks racing to put out the flames Friday evening. The fire began when a new resident sat boxes on top of a stove that was turned on, according to Pam Turner, member of the Pebblecreek Crossing management team.  Assistant Fire Chief Mark Murphy said Richmond Fire and Rescue received a call around 8:49 p.m. about a possible fire at the city’s newly constructed senior living facility.

Approximately three tankers and three command units arrived on the scene. Madison County EMS and Richmond police also responded. Murphy said firefighters were met with heavy smoke when they opened the apartment door, but the sprinkler system had put out much of the fire. Firefighters were then able to put out hot spots and remove debris.  The assistant fire chief said there was some smoke damage to the apartment as well as some minor fire and water damage. Two people were treated by EMS.

Fire / Police Station, Government/Military

Roanoke, VA – Fire in police station extinguished with help from sprinkler system; No injuries

The Roanoke Police Department’s Station had to be evacuated on Thursday evening because of a fire.  The fire broke out in a room on the third floor of the building, according to Tiffany Bradbury with Roanoke Fire EMS.  She said everyone was evacuated from the building and that no one was injured.  The sprinkler system was activated and the fire is now out; however, firefighters are currently checking the building to make sure everything is clear.  Campbell Avenue is still closed to traffic.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Bloomington, IN – Sprinkler system extinguishes cooking fire at apartment complex

Some apartments had water damage after the sprinkler system extinguished a small cooking fire at Smallwood Plaza Apartments on College Avenue. The fire was reported at 8:45 p.m. Sunday night.  According to Bloomington Fire Department Sgt. Danny Gillespie, the fire started in an apartment on the sixth floor but was put out after the sprinkling system activated.  When firefighters arrived, the shut off the sprinklers and were on the scene for about two hours helping to clear out the water and smoke.  Sgt. Gillespie says there was water damage to the the apartment where the fire started and several units below it.

Apartment Building, Residential

Tempe, AZ – Sprinkler system keeps first floor apartment fire in check; No injuries reported

Tempe fire crews responded to an apartment fire Thursday evening, officials said.

According to the Tempe Fire Department, the fire occurred in a first-floor unit of a three-story apartment complex at 1100 E. Apache Blvd.

Officials said the automatic sprinkler system kept the fire in check until crews arrived. The fire did not extend to any other part of the building, and there were no injuries, said officials.

It is unknown how many people will be displaced, officials said. The cause is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Baton Rouge, LA – Sprinkler system activates to fight grease fire at LSU apartment complex

A small grease fire turned into a major inconvenience Thursday night for several LSU students.

The Baton Rouge Fire Department responded to The Armstrong Apartment Complex formerly called, Burbank Commons just before 9 p.m.

While there was no fire damage inside the third floor unit where the problem began, water from the sprinkler system damaged the apartment’s contents.

Building managers were investigating how much water seeped into the first- and second-floor units.

Red Cross was initially called to help out the displaced residents, but those services weren’t needed once the affected students found another place to stay for the night. 

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

St. Cloud, MN – Sprinkler system halts fire at body shop; fire started in painting booth

A fire caused around $100,000 worth of damage to a St. Cloud body shop.

The fire department says an alarm alerted them to St. Cloud Collision Center, 1801 8th Street South, near the Coborn’s on Cooper Aveune South, on Thursday at 7:49 p.m.

When firefighters got on the scene they found the sprinkler system had almost extinguished the fire and saved the building.

Officials say the fire started in the drying unit of a painting booth. The booth, a car, and a portion of the roof were damaged.

No one was in the building at the time of the fire.The fire remains under investigation. It took firefighters about two hours to clear the scene.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Sterling, VA – Sprinkler system limits spread of fire that started in paint booth

The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that the Jan. 26 fire at a Sterling commercial facility was accidental.

Just before 7:30 p.m., the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center received a call reporting a structure fire in a commercial building in the 45000 block of Elmwood Court in Sterling.

The initial caller reported a fire in an interior paint booth which was followed by a call from the fire alarm company reporting a water flow alarm inside the structure. Fire and rescue crews from Kincora, Sterling, Cascades, Ashburn, Lansdowne, Moorefield, and Fairfax County responded to the incident, Fire and Rescue Public Information Officer Laura Rinehart said.

Upon arrival, firefighters found active fire and smoke conditions coming from the two-story commercial occupancy. Fire crews deployed hoselines to initiate an attack on the fire. The building’s sprinkler system had activated, limiting the fire spread to other portions of the building. One occupant, the initial caller, was located safely outside of the structure upon arrival of fire and rescue units, Rinehart said.

Firefighters extinguished the fire with assistance from the sprinkler system, containing the fire to the area or origin, preventing extension into adjoining areas of the structure.

The Fire Marshal’s investigation determined the fire to be accidental in nature with $25,000 damage to the structure and $75,000 to the contents. There were no injuries to civilians, though one firefighter on the scene was transported to a local area hospital for evaluation after a medical emergency, Rinehart said.