Tag Archives: Georgia

Apartment Building, Residential

Norcross, GA – Sprinkler system helps contain apartment fire; Woman charged with arson

A Norcross woman has been charged with arson after allegedly setting her own bed on fire, Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services said.  Mirtha Valcin, 29, was arrested Sept. 6 in connection with the Aug. 26 fire at The Retreat at Arc Way Apartments in Norcross.

Firefighters responded to the apartment complex around 9 p.m. on Aug. 26 and found Valcin’s bedroom extensively damaged by the fire. The flames had been contained to the mattress and headboard, but caused damage to items throughout the room and sent smoke through the entire apartment, the department said in a release.

There was also a smaller fire in the laundry room that appeared to have started with a pile of clothes. That triggered a sprinkler system to go off, causing water damage, according to the department.  Valcin told firefighters she fell asleep and discovered the fire when she was awoken by a noise, the department said. She was the only one in the apartment at the time of the fire and lives alone, according to the department.

Valcin’s story changed in a follow-up interview, according to fire investigators, leading her to be charged with arson. The department is not releasing information about how the fire was set or Valcin’s alleged motive at this time, a release says.  Valcin is being held at the Gwinnett County Jail on $27,700 bond.

Other - Retail, Retail

Buford, GA – Sprinkler system extinguishes business fire caused by neon light display

A Buford business caught fire Tuesday morning. The culprit? A neon light display, Gwinnett fire officials said.

Firefighters responded to Queen of Hearts Antiques and Interiors, located at the 4100 block of Buford Drive after receiving a call at 9:39 a.m., according to Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge, a spokesman for the fire department.

Rutledge said that the business manager reported hearing a loud popping sound and smoke inside the building before calling 911.

“Firefighters arrived to find moderate smoke inside the large retail structure and a smoldering fire in the back-right corner,” Rutledge said. “The fire was being controlled by the sprinkler suppression system and was quickly extinguished by first-due crews with water-cans.

Rutledge said the cause of the fire is believed to be electrical and minor fire damage was sustained in the store.

Auto Dealership, Retail

Gainesville, GA – Sprinkler system keeps vehicle fire contained at Hardy Chevrolet

A vehicle caught fire inside of Hardy Chevrolet before 2 a.m. Thursday, according to the Gainesville Fire Department.

Fire crews found a vehicle ablaze inside the Browns Bridge Road auto dealer after responding to a call of possible fire. The building’s sprinkler system kept the fire from spreading, allowing firefighters to douse the flames soon after they arrived.

The Gainesville Fire Marshal is investigating the cause, according to Division Chief Keith Smith.

This report will be updated.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Cobb County, GA – Fire in condo extinguished by sprinkler system

A Cobb County woman was pulled from her flaming condo Friday afternoon by a neighbor.

The neighbor smashed her sliding glass door with a rock and dragged her from her home near the Cochran Shoals Trail by the Chattahoochee River, said Cobb fire spokesman Lt. Dan Dupree.

The fire started about 2 p.m., Dupree said, possibly because of cigarettes being smoked on the couch.

In a picture the department shared to its Facebook page, the couch is seen charred and burnt to its frame on one end.

The pictures also show a walker through the broken glass door and the rock used to break open the condo.

The fire was put out by the condo’s sprinkler system and didn’t move to any other rooms, the department said.

Firefighters did not give any information about the woman other than saying she is expected to survive.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Atlanta, GA – Overnight fire in midtown residential high rise contained with help from sprinkler system

An early morning fire that investigators believe may have started on a balcony forced more than two dozen residents to evacuate a Midtown high-rise early Tuesday.  The fire at the Plaza Midtown, located at West Peachtree and 8th streets, was reported at 2:25 a.m., according to Atlanta fire Sgt. Cortez Stafford. The blaze was visible on the 18th floor of the 20-story building when firefighters arrived, Stafford said.  “Our units quickly went up, started evacuating people and knocking on every door,” Stafford said.

The building’s sprinkler system helped contain the fire while residents were led down the stairs and outside. Between 25 and 30 residents, some in wheelchairs, were helped out of the building, Stafford said. Other residents were allowed to shelter in place on lower floors. “With the high-rise fires, some of our main concerns are the amount of people in the building, the amount of fire spread,” Stafford said. “Sometimes the smoke can be contained, so we’re worried about that.” No injuries were reported.

Food Processing, Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Norcross, GA – Fire at corn mill contained with help from sprinkler system; Exhaust pipe identified as origin of fire

An exhaust pipe in a corn mill and refinery is believed to have caused a fire at the Norcross business Friday afternoon. Firefighters responded at 12:28 p.m. to an automatic fire alarm at Olé Mexican Foods, Inc., which is located on Crescent Drive NW in unincorporated Norcross, after the alarm company told dispatch that multiple manual pull stations had been activated, said Justin Wilson, a spokesman for the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Several other people called 911 to report a fire on top of the building and smoke coming from the business as well, Wilson said, and on scene, firefighters found the six-story building with heavy smoke coming from the roof.

“Crews quickly deployed a high-rise pack to the fourth floor and connected to the building’s standpipe system,” he said. “The fire pump for the standpipe system was currently operating and the sprinkler system was active. A carbon dioxide extinguishing system also discharged on the fifth floor. Heavy smoke conditions and fire was located on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors.”

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire on all floors before redirecting to the roof, where the blaze was still active. “Before the fire could breach the affected (exhaust) system, copious amounts of water was applied to extinguish the blaze,” Wilson said. “The fire was contained to metal pipe used in a process to dry corn flakes prior to the refinery process. Crews began ventilating the residual smoke from the building using positive pressure fans.” Wilson said about 60 firefighters were on the scene due to the size and complexity of the incident and later determined that the fire originated on the fourth floor from malfunctioning equipment. He added that the corn flakes in the pipe contributed to the spread of flames inside the machinery. No injuries were reported and the fire was under control within two hours of arrival.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Cumming, GA – Fire at assisted living facility controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Nearly 40 residents of an assisted living facility are safe after being evacuated due to a fire.  According to Forsyth County Fire Department spokesperson Jason Shivers, the fire happened at Gracemont Assisted Living. The fire apparently originated in a ventilation fan in a storage room for the facility’s dining hall. The fire itself was kept under control by the sprinkler system and a maintenance worker who took hold of a fire extinguisher. However, the water damage from the containment process will mean the building is unavailable for some time until crews can make repairs. Shivers said the fire was not considered suspicious and said that no residents, staff or firefighters were injured. The fire department is now working with the facility and the Red Cross to provide assistance to 38 residents who were forced out of their homes.

 

Place of Worship

Lithia Springs, GA – Arsonists ignite donated food at church; Sprinkler system contains fire

A Georgia church is asking for food donations after an unknown number of people broke into its gym, started a fire and ruined donated food. The incident was reported last Saturday at the Lithia Springs Church of God, according to the Douglas County School System. The church’s Gift of Love ministry had collected food intended to feed thousands of students in need over spring break. Instead, a group of vandals tagged the gym with gang graffiti and mixed chemicals in a trash can to start the fire, a district official said on Facebook. They also made themselves a meal before dousing all the tables with food on them with the chemical mixture, school authorities said.

The church’s sprinkler system contained the fire, but not before it destroyed enough food for 459 students to eat for nine days in 21 Douglas County schools. Also lost was a special donation of boxed meals for 2,000 students at four additional county schools that have a high number of students on free and reduced lunch, the school district reported. Anyone who wants to help restore the donations is asked to bring them to the church at 3900 Veterans Memorial Highway by Thursday, when the items need to be delivered. Needed donations include canned meats, pasta, soups, instant oatmeal and grits, cereal packs, Ramen noodles and packaged snacks For more information, call Brenda Kirk at the Gift of Love at (770) 672-4707.

Manufacturing, Power / Energy Facility

Albany, GA – Sprinkler system helps contain fire at Albany Green Energy biomass plant

Albany fire crews responded to a small fire at the Albany Green Energy biomass plant next to Procter and Gamble.

At least four fire trucks responded to the plant around 3 a.m. Thursday.

Batallion Chief Kelly Harcrow said there was a small fire in a hydraulic tank in the building. Crews quickly contained the fire and let it burn itself out, shortly after 7 a. m.  AFD put firefighters in the factory with a hose, ready to make sure everything went ok. 

Harcrow said the fire burned on the surface of the tank.

One fire truck and its crew will stay here for the day to monitor everything.

A spokesperson for the company said, “the fire resulted from an equipment failure.”

The sprinkler system inside the building helped in this emergency.

“It is not actually putting the fire out, but it is keeping it contained into the one area, which is an advantage to us and that allows the product to consume itself and not spread throughout the plant. So it’s doing what it was designed to do,” explained Harcrow.

One ambulance also responded, but Dougherty County EMS Supervisor Phillip Jackson said they have not had to transport anyone.

Harcrow said people were inside at the time but no one was injured and everyone made it out safely.

Manufacturing, Power / Energy Facility

Albany, GA – Early morning fire at biomass energy plant contained by sprinkler system

Albany fire crews responded to a small fire at the Albany Green Energy biomass plant next to Procter and Gamble. At least four fire trucks responded to the plant around 3 a.m. Thursday. Batallion Chief Kelly Harcrow said there was a small fire in a hydraulic tank in the building. Crews quickly contained the fire and let it burn itself out, shortly after 7 a. m. AFD put firefighters in the factory with a hose, ready to make sure everything went ok.

Harcrow said the fire burned on the surface of the tank. One fire truck and its crew will stay here for the day to monitor everything. A spokesperson for the company said, “the fire resulted from an equipment failure.”

The sprinkler system inside the building helped in this emergency. “It is not actually putting the fire out, but it is keeping it contained into the one area, which is an advantage to us and that allows the product to consume itself and not spread throughout the plant. So it’s doing what it was designed to do,” explained Harcrow.

One ambulance also responded, but Dougherty County EMS Supervisor Phillip Jackson said they have not had to transport anyone. Harcrow said people were inside at the time but no one was injured and everyone made it out safely.