Tag Archives: Evening (6pm-9pm)

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.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Pittsburgh, PA – Fire in high-rise apartment complex contained to sixth floor apartment by sprinkler system

One person was taken to the hospital after a fire broke out Wednesday evening at a high-rise apartment complex in the city’s Sheraden section.  The three-alarm fire broke out around 7:30 p.m. at the Goodwill Plaza apartments on Hillsboro Street.  According to Pittsburgh Public Safety, the fire broke out in a sixth floor apartment.  The sprinkler system activated, and the fire was contained to that one apartment.  One person was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. That person is in stable condition.

 

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Pleasantville, NJ – Sprinklers help extinguish mattress fire at high-rise apartment building; No injuries reported

City firefighters extinguished a mattress fire Tuesday evening in one of the city’s new downtown high-rise buildings. No injuries were reported in the fire, which was reported 7:23 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10 at apartment 514 in the Main at City Center, 49 S. Main St.  Water damage was reported in the unit and in the apartments below, according to police Capt. Matt Hartman.  Pleasantville firefighters brought the fire under control at 7:35 p.m., Hartman said.  They found heavy smoke on the fifth floor when they arrived, and Pleasantville Police Department Squad 2 evacuated the building’s occupants. Their efforts included carrying disabled residents down stairwells.  Pleasantville Fire Department Shift 1, under the direction of Battalion Chief Ken Crawford, extinguished the fire with the help of the building’s sprinkler system.

Apartment Building, Residential

Springfield, IL – No injuries in apartment arson fire controlled with help from sprinkler system

Four apartments in the Near North Village building at Fourth and Madison streets sustained water damage Tuesday night after a fire was started in a hallway. Springfield Fire Chief Barry Helmerichs said someone apparently set a blanket on fire in a fifth-floor hallway about 6:10 p.m. The fire activated the building’s sprinkler system, and firefighters who responded spent most of their time getting the sprinklers shut off.  Water from the sprinklers damaged one apartment on the fourth floor, two on the third floor and one on the second floor, Helmerichs said.  No one was injured. The fire is under investigation.

Residential, Single Family Home

Westminster, CO – Home fire sprinkler system extinguishes fire in three-story residence

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Westminster fire crews are giving to warning to all home owners after a three story home was saved by an in home fire sprinkler system. The fire department say a family heard their smoke alarm go off as well as ‘pop’ sound Friday evening. That pop was from their home sprinkler system being activated. The residents went to the garage to find a fire in a trash can. Before fire crews arrived, the sprinkler system has contained and extinguished the flames. 

Fire crews says this is a valuable demonstration on the effectiveness of home fire sprinkler systems. They say according to the National Fire Protection Association, in-home fire sprinklers can cut the risk of death in a fire by 80 percent. The risk of death in a home fire is cut in third with the use of a working smoke alarm. 

 “Because fire sprinklers react so quickly, they can dramatically reduce the heat, flames, and smoke produced in a fire,” says the NFPA. “Properly installed and maintained fire sprinklers help save lives.”  With home fire sprinkler systems only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, spraying water directly onto the fire.  The system may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take for the fire department to arrive to the scene. 

NFPA has listed facts about home fire sprinklers at http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/by-topic/fire-and-life-safety-equipment/home-fire-sprinklers.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Medford, OR – Fire at commercial laundry business contained with help from sprinkler system

Firefighters battled both fire and ice Thursday night in northwest Medford when they responded at 8:50 to a blaze at Alsco Inc., 980 Ellen Ave. The building, a commercial laundry facility, sustained “moderate smoke damage,” with no visible damage to the structure, according to an agency Facebook post. An investigation showed the fire ignited in a large dryer that had been filled with mop heads and other textiles. The materials were left in the dryer by accident, fire officials said, likely leading them to smolder, ignite, then spread to some nearby linen bags. Alarms in the building began to sound and the facility’s sprinkler system kicked on.  Fire crews initially responded to the scene with four engines, but quickly upgraded the response to a second alarm because of the amount of smoke and the fire’s location deep in the building.

“Second alarm is actually used for resource improvement,” said Medford Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Erin Sawall. “It could be for any myriad of needs.” Six engines from Medford Fire-Rescue and Jackson County Fire District No. 3 responded, tangling with ice outside while they fought the fire inside. Thursday night’s low temperature in Medford dipped to 18 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, turning the roads outside into a skating rink for firefighters while they prepared hoses.  “It was a very icy scene,” Sawall said. “Crews operated in a pretty dangerous atmosphere.”  Crews deployed salt to help. One firefighter did slip, Sawall said, but he wasn’t seriously injured. No other injuries were reported. Firefighters had the flames extinguished within a half hour, but spent almost three more hours on scene venting the buildup of smoke.  Fire officials said the building’s sprinkler system was a big help in snuffing the flames.  “It had some serious potential,” Sawall said. “Under these conditions, that’s the best we can hope for.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Ocean City, MD – Fire Marshal credits sprinkler system for saving resident’s life in apartment fire

The Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office is crediting fire sprinklers for saving the life of an Ocean City woman who just barely escaped a kitchen fire on New Year’s Eve.  Just before 7:30 p.m., firemen were called to the area of 25th Street and Baltimore Avenue, for a building fire.   The woman had been cooking when grease spilled over onto the stove burners, starting a fire that quickly spread.

A single sprinkler head in the kitchen activated and extinguished the fire prior to the arrival of fireman.  The unit suffered limited fire and smoke damage in the kitchen. The adjoining staircase and first floor restaurant area also experienced water damage.  The cause of the fire is classified as accidental.

Apartment Building, Residential

Bremerton, WA – Apartment fire caused by cigarette extinguished with help from sprinkler system

A cigarette likely is the cause of a small fire that evacuated the Firs apartment complex Tuesday night, according to Bremerton firefighters. Crews were called to the 60-unit complex, at 183 Russell Road, about 8:45 p.m. and found the fire already mostly out. The building has a fire sprinkler system, which, with the help of a resident with an extinguisher, snuffed the flames.  No injuries were reported. Residents took shelter in surrounding housing complexes as well as within Kitsap Transit buses called in to assist.  The Bremerton Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate the fire, but it appears a cigarette in one room lit a bag, which ignited a couch, firefighters said.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

South Lake Tahoe, CA – Fire in attic mechanical room at Target store contained by sprinkler system

A fire broke out in a furnace room at the South Lake Tahoe TJ Maxx store just before 7:00 p.m. Monday night, resulting in the store filling up with smoke and water.  South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue personnel responded, and found the store’s sprinkler system was able to keep the fire from spreading and it was contained to the one room.  The furnace was located above the store’s dressing rooms. With all of the water used to put out the fire, the ceiling collapsed and created quite a mess in that portion of the store.  “Much of the floor is very wet,” said SLTFR Battalion Chief Tim Spencer. “There was light smoke inside so there may be some smokey clothing.”

With the freezing temperatures in South Lake Tahoe, Spencer said they had concern about frozen water. As of 8:45 p.m., they are in clean-up mode and making sure the scene is safe. “We are ready to turn the store back to manager,” said Spencer. “It’s now up to the insurance and restoration companies.”  Firefighters from Lake Valley Fire also responded to the store which is located at the Y.

Other-Government/Military

Waukesha, WI – Fire at municipal garage controlled with assistance from sprinkler system

Waukesha police and fire responded to the Municipal Garage on Sentry St. after a sprinkler water flow alarm was set off just before 8 p.m. Friday. According to the police report, a small fire was located inside a dump truck approximately 200 feet in the property. The report stated that the fire was knocked down with a water can several minutes after the alarm was reported.