Tag Archives: Florida

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Palm Beach, FL – Sprinkler system helps limit spread of fire at country club

Fire crews responded to a small electrical fire this afternoon at the Palm Beach Country Club. The fire occurred in a concrete storage area just behind a section of the golf course that fronts North Lake Way in Palm Beach. There were no reported injuries and only minimal property damage after a lighting ballast caught fire, spread to the rafters and then fell onto a cart, igniting it. The sprinkler system engaged, and there was no reported water damage.

“Had this fire been at night, it would have been a whole different ball game,” said Sean Baker, division chief of the Palm Beach Fire Rescue Department, who was on the scene. Baker said the fire narrowly missed a fertilizer spray cart. “Thankfully, the quick response time and time of day stopped it from spreading,” he said.

Office Building, Other Business

Pinellas Park, FL – Office fire at flea market put out with help from sprinkler system

A fire broke out at a Pinellas Park market early Tuesday morning. Firefighters arrived at the Wagon Wheel Flea Market at 7801 Park Boulevard North. They said there was heavy smoke pouring out of the main building. Officials said the sprinkler system kicked in and helped put out the flames. Firefighters said they believe the fire started in the main office but the cause remains under investigation.

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

Jacksonville, FL – Hospital fire put out by sprinkler; Fire started in air handling unit, no injuries reported

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department has responded to a fire at Baptist Hospital in Downtown Jacksonville. According to JFRD, the fire has been controlled and they are working to clear the smoke. Rescue units have been requested to possibly move affected people. Everyone is safe and there are no reported injuries, according to Baptist Health. According to Chief Eric Kurtis, the fire started in an air handler in the pavilion where new moms check in. When the fire started, the sprinkler head above it put it out.

JFRD were called through the smoke alarm. According to Kurtis, no one was hurt. He says at least seven moms initially went to a stairwell to escape the smoke. Babies in neonatal were also moved but everyone is back where they belong. JRFD said that no transports were made from the hospital and there is still smoke and water in the lobby.

Retail

Estero, FL – Sprinkler system limits spread of stockroom fire at Michael Kors outlet shop

The Michael Kors shop at Miromar Outlets in Estero was closed Monday after a fire last Thursday, according to a fire official.  The fire was caused by sparks from a light over storage racks in a backroom, said Susan Lindenmuth, director of public affairs with Estero Fire Rescue.  The fire was investigated by the Lee County Fire-Arson Task Force along with the State Fire Marshal’s Office and was initially contained by two fire sprinklers.

The fire was fully extinguished when crews from Estero Fire Rescue, San Carlos Park and Bonita Springs Fire Control arrived shortly after 11 a.m., Lindenmuth said.  Extensive smoke damage was noted throughout the store, although fire damage was contained to the storeroom by the sprinkler system, Lindenmuth said.  The smoke damage to the store’s merchandise was extensive, which is why the damage was so costly, Lindenmuth said.

A couple of stores near Michael Kors suffered some smoke and water damage, including Vineyard Vines, Sunglass Hut and Swarovski, said Jeff Staner, vice president of Miromar Outlets.  Staner said he was unsure when the Michael Kors shop would reopen.  Sunglass Hut reopened Monday, Swarovski is expected to reopen Tuesday, and Vineyard Vines on Thursday, Staner said.

Fire-damaged debris was piled outside the Michael Kors shop, and part of the shopping area at the outlets was blocked off with caution tape after the fire Thursday.  For safety reasons, firefighters cut power to the building where Michael Kors is located, which meant other shops and restaurants in the same building had no power and were closed part of the day Thursday, Lindenmuth said.

Power was restored to the affected areas late Thursday afternoon, Staner said.  “They did a good job of evacuating everybody, and the employees from Michael Kors let the other stores know to evacuate,” Lindenmuth said.  Multiple stores were evacuated. No injuries were reported from the fire.

Restaurant

Lakeland, FL – Sprinkler system activates to help control fire over BBQ smoker at restaurant

An early morning fire Sunday over a barbecue smoker at Mojo Federal Swine & Spirits in downtown Lakeland caused about $30,000 in damages to the restaurant. Lakeland Fire Department Investigator John McGrath said Sunday the structure fire at 130 S. Tennessee Ave., was reported about 3 a.m. by Lakeland Police Department officers. The officers were dispatched for a burglar alarm and once they arrived, saw smoke in the kitchen area and called the fire department. McGrath said the LFD downtown station and Station 2 were dispatched and the fire was found in the crawl space above the smoker. After a forced entry and removing some of the roof area, firefighters were able to contain the blaze. He said one fire sprinkler was activated at the scene.

Department Store, Retail

Ocala, FL – Arson fire at Macy’s store extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Police in Ocala, FL, are looking for the woman who lit a rack of underwear on fire inside a Macy’s store Tuesday morning. The suspect walked into the store’s Paddock Mall location at 10:11 a.m. and wandered around for 45 minutes. Firefighters arrived shortly after she left and saw light smoke coming from the mall’s north entrance, according to the Ocala StarBanner.

“It was a bunch of smoke rolling out and people were walking – running outside,” witness Kortnee Eubanks told WFTV. The sprinkler system had already extinguished the flames, but needed to be reset and fans were brought in to help ventilate the store.  Nobody was hurt in the incident.

Officer Meghan Shay told local media the store’s staff thought they were smelling gas.  The mall released a statement on its website Tuesday that announced the store would remain closed the remainder of that day.

“The safety of our shoppers, retailers and employees is our top priority. We are working closely with the Ocala Police Department as they investigate this incident further,” the statement said. The woman left the store, but surveillance cameras captured her vehicle, which appears to be a dark gray sedan.

Anyone who recognizes this person or vehicle should call Ocala police at 352-369-7000. Once arrested, she will face an arson charge.

Apartment Building, Residential

Gainesville, FL – Apartment kitchen fire contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Gainesville Fire Rescue responded to a report of a kitchen fire in an apartment complex Saturday night. Crews arrived at the Gainesville Place Apartments on SW 35th Place at 10:20 p.m. and found an apartment filled with smoke. Residents reported that they had a fire on the stove in the kitchen of the apartment. Heat from the fire activated a sprinkler head located in the kitchen which contained the fire, and gave residents in the building a chance to exit the structure safely. Several residents were displaced due to the damage, but fortunately no one was injured. Gainesville Fire Rescue crews used Positive Pressure Ventilation to remove smoke from the apartment and capped the sprinkler to avoid any further water damage.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

St. Petersburg, FL – Trash can fire at movie theater prompted sprinkler system to activate

The action on screen came to an abrupt halt for Moviegoers at the AMC Sundial 20 Monday evening.

A trash can fire inside the movie house in downtown St. Petersburg activated a sprinkler and prompted an evacuation.

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Lt. Steven Lawrence said firefighters responded to the call at 6:45 p.m. There were no injuries, he said.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Fifth floor hotel parking garage fire contained by sprinkler system

More than 100 guests were evacuated from a Fort Lauderdale hotel early Friday when a smoke and flames were seen in the parking garage, according to fire rescue officials.

A car caught fire about 7 a.m. on the fifth floor of the garage at the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach hotel, at 551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., fire officials said.

“The sprinkler system had activated and the fire was contained to that one vehicle,” said Battalion Chief Steve Gollan. “The hotel staff had already started to evacuate the building.

The evacuated guests waited on the sidewalk across the street on the beach while firefighters ventilated any lingering smoke from the hotel and the garage.

The smoke and water affected the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the parking garage but people reported smelling smoke inside the hotel, he said.

“One of the biggest challenges we have is it’s basically a high-rise fire,” Gollan said. “We have to get all the gear and [firefighters] up there and it’s an enclosed parking garage so we had some difficulties getting all of the smoke out of the building.”

The evacuation lasted about 90 minutes but there were no reports of any injuries. The cause of the car fire is under investigation, he said.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Jacksonville, FL – Sprinkler system keeps condominium fire from spreading; Cause was lightning strike

Firefighters with Jacksonville Fire Rescue were sent to a condominium complex last Wednesday evening on the Southside.  The fire was sparked on the roof of a home at Montreux at Deerwood Lake on Touchton Road. News4Jax learned of the fire just after 5 p.m.  JFRD said the fire was likely due to a lightning strike. Embers from the fire dropped to the attic of the apartment, hit a sprinkler inside a home and melted it, which firefighters said likely helped the fire from spreading.  Two units were affected due to water damage. People living inside the units denied help from the Red Cross. No injuries were reported.