Tag Archives: Illinois

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Elk Grove Village, IL – Warehouse fire limited by sprinkler system; Fire started in truck trailer

Fire engulfed a truck trailer filled with cleaning and restaurant supplies parked at the loading dock of a warehouse in Elk Grove Village last night (Wednesday). Firefighters spent about two hours battling the blaze and clearing the area of smoke after the flames were extinguished.

Elk Grove Village Fire Chief Richard Mikel said flames became so intense inside the trailer, it burned through the roof of the trailer sending large amounts of smoke billowing into the air and throughout the entire warehouse at 2301 Lunt Ave.

Mikel estimated the warehouse to be several hundred thousand square feet in size. Heat from the trailer fire activated sprinklers above the loading dock and saving the building from fire damage. Mikel said he is scheduled to meet with building owners to assess the extent of significant smoke damage. Mikel said water damage to the building was minimal.

Firefighters were alerted by witnesses from across the street who saw smoke rising at about 10 p.m., Mikel said. Firefighters had the fire out and smoke vented by about midnight. Mikel said there were no injuries and he did not believe anyone was in the building when the fire began.

Firefighters arriving on scene saw the entire building engulfed in smoke and called for an upgraded Code 4 alarm. That alarm brought nearly 30 firefighters from Des Plaines, Elk Grove Township, Itasca, Wood Dale and Bensenville to assist Elk Grove Village. Crews used a special Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) truck equipped with a giant fan to clear the building of smoke after the trailer was extinguished and towed away from the loading dock.

Mikel said had the building not been equipped with a sprinkler system, the building itself would have likely caught fire causing a vastly larger blaze. He also said the trailer did not have a semi tractor attached to it when it caught fire. He said that would have also made the fire worse.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Alhambra, IL – Arson fire at nursing home extinguished by sprinkler system

An Alhambra, Illinois woman was arrested for arson in connection to a fire at the Hitz Memorial Home, 201 Belle Street, that occurred Wednesday evening.

Firefighters responded to a call for a fire at the location at 9 p.m. The fire was contained to two inner rooms within the nursing home and extinguished by the facility’s fire sprinkler system. The damage to the two rooms was extensive. Other rooms suffered serious smoke and water damage.

One employee suffered minor smoke inhalation while clearing out patients. She was treated at the scene.  Ten nursing home patients were displaced from their rooms due to the fire. The home has made accommodations for them.

Around 10 p.m., the Illinois State Police received a phone call from a resident at the independent living portion of the Hitz Memorial Home, who reported she started the fire.

Police say Linda J. Braun, 67, admitted that she deliberately started the fire. She told police that she was angry over staff members trying to boss her around. Braun told the investigating deputy that she started the fire in an empty room and didn’t intend to hurt anyone. The fire was started in the nursing home, separate from the independent living facility Braun lived in.

Braun is currently held at the Madison County Jail. She is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Metropolis, IL – Overnight fire at uniform business controlled with help from sprinkler system

The Illinois State Fire Marshal is looking for the cause of an overnight fire at a Metropolis business.  The fire alarm system at Aramark Uniform Services alerted firefighters around 2:00 a.m. to a fire at the business located at 5317 Industrial Park Drive in Metropolis. 

Firefighters say there was heavy smoke when they arrived on the scene, but no flames were showing.  The business’ sprinkler did go off before firefighters arrived.

The Metropolis Fire Department called for manpower help from Massac County and a mobile ventilation air unit to help fight the fire.  Crews were able to knock down the flames quickly, and contain the fire to one area of the building.  Firefighters say they don’t believe anyone was in the building when the fire broke out, and no one was hurt.

Apartment Building, Residential

Evanston, IL – Apartment fire started by careless smoker kept in check by sprinkler system

**NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Department reported** The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board reports a successful fire sprinkler activation at the Claridge Apartments in Evanston, Illinois at 3:30 a.m. on Monday, May 9, 2016. According to the report, a careless smoker set a pile of clothing on her bed ablaze. She apparently panicked and threw the pile into the bathtub and ran away. The sprinkler head above the bed extinguished the smoldering mattress. In the bathroom, the shower curtain and towels caught fire. A sprinkler head in the bathroom activated and kept the fire in check until Evanston Fire department arrived.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Oak Lawn, IL – Sprinkler system helps contain dryer fire at nursing home

Oak Lawn firefighters quickly struck a fire that started in a clothes dryer in the basement of a medical building. Firefighters responded to an activated fire alarm around 4:12 p.m. at Oak Lawn Respiratory and Rehabilitation Center, 9525 S. Mayfield Ave.

A second call was placed moments later by a caller reporting there was a fire in the basement. When firefighters arrived no flames were showing, but Oak Lawn police officers reported seeing a lot of smoke.  Patients were being evacuated out of the building by staff when first responders rolled up on to the scene.

“[The respiratory center] had an escape plan,” said OLFD Deputy Chief Scott Boman. “The staff did a nice job getting everyone out of the building.”

Patients were taken to a staging area across the street at Oak Lawn Community High School where they were assessed by paramedics and then moved into the high school to keep them out of the elements. A fire crew was sent into the building where they determined the origin of the fire to be inside a clothes dryer in the basement. The sprinkler system in the basement had activated.

No hose lines were laid, and firefighters used fire extinguishers to put out the fire inside the dryer unit. After that it was a matter of airing smoke out of the building, Boman said. “It was a small fire but a lot of smoke,” the deputy fire chief said. “Our crew went in and put the fire out, and got the personnel back into the building.”

There were no injuries, but an employee was transferred to Advocate Christ Medical Center for a non-fire related asthma attack. Oak Lawn Village Manager Larry Deetjen said the village health inspector went into the building to inspect all the rooms and ensure that the smoke had been cleared out of the building.

According to the facility’s website, Oak Lawn Respiratory and Rehabilitation provides care for approximately 70 respiratory patients, as well as short-term rehabilitative care for patients released from the hospital.

Boman said once the building was aired out, patients were able to return to their rooms. Burbank, Evergreen Park, Chicago Ridge and Bridgeview fire departments assisted OLFD in the fire.

Original story — Oak Lawn firefighters are working on a fire at 9525 Mayfield at this hour, responding to a reported basement fire at the Oak Lawn Respiratory and Rehabilitation center building. Streets in the area of 95th Street and Mayfield have been blocked.

Uncategorized

Chicago, IL – Fire at U.S. Cellular Field contained by sprinkler system hours before White Sox home opener

A firefighter was injured Friday morning when a small fire broke out at U.S. Cellular Field, just hours before the Chicago White Sox’s home opener. Fire crews were called to the South Side stadium just before 2:30 a.m. after a fire started in a first-floor storage room, officials said.

By 3 a.m. the fire was contained by the sprinkler system. One firefighter was transported to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center to treat non-life threatening injuries, according to the Chicago White Sox’s vice president of community relations Christine O’Reilly. Festivities for the team’s home opener will not be impacted.   “We’re ready to open and ready for a ballgame today,” O’Reilly said.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

O’Fallon, IL – Sprinkler system keeps dumpster fire from spreading into restaurant and brewery

The Peel Pizza will be closed for the next few days following a four alarm fire.  The fire happened on Sunday in a dumpster behind the restaurant.  Though the fire was contained to the dumpster, the sprinkler systems inside the restaurant were activated, causing water damage within. The fire was so intense that the dumpster melted.

Investigators are still searching for the cause of the fire, but no indication has been found that the fire was malicious or suspicious. The interior of the restaurant did not sustain any fire damage, but they will be closed for a few days while they clean up water damage

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Orland Park, IL – Fire at assisted living and retirement home limited by sprinkler system

A sprinkler system installed at the Lexington Health Care assisted and independent living retirement home, 14601 John Humphrey Drive, is being credited with saving lives and helping to significantly minimize damage caused by a small fire there this morning.

The fire started in the basement maintenance area of the assisted living home just after 8 am on Tuesday, April 5, 2016. Investigators identified the cause as a coffee maker that was located on a shelf above a desk.

The fire quickly spread to objects on and around the desk, and up the wall of the room when the water sprinkler system activated and suppressed the fire instantly.

The Orland Fire Protection District was alerted and responded to a fire alarm activation due to the sprinkler system operating. The initial crews reported a water flow alarm and investigated to find smoke in the basement with water flowing from a sprinkler head.

A fire extinguisher was used to completely extinguish the smoldering material. The smoke that was confined to the basement and workshop area was removed by firefighters using power fans.

Because the fire was controlled quickly no residents had to be moved or evacuated and normal operations were maintained throughout the incident. All floors were evaluated for hazards and deemed safe. Fire damage was limited to the desk and items on the shelves above.

“Every year at our Open House, we demonstrate how important fire sprinkler systems can for businesses, properties like assisted living centers and even in private homes in saving lives, and fighting and preventing damage caused by fires,” Orland Fire Protection District Fire Chief Michael Schofield said.

“This was a perfect example of how the sprinkler system quickly prevented the fire from spreading throughout the property, and minimized the intrusion on the lives of the residents in the home. We didn’t have to evacuate the property or disrupt the healthcare services there. We made the property safe and completely extinguished what could have been a far worse fire.”

Schofield also credited the fast response of the District’s firefighting teams. Orland Fire personnel were assisted by a fire truck and team from neighboring Tinley Park.

Apartment Building, Residential High Rise

Evanston, IL – No injuries in high-rise apartment fire extinguished by single sprinkler

A fire in a high-rise building can be one of the most frightening and dangerous incidents for any resident and one of the most challenging and complex operations for any fire department. Firefighters must contend with numerous factors like location of the fire beyond the reach of ground ladders, wind driven fires, tremendous manpower and resources needs, as well as the evacuation of residents.

On March 12, at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Evanston Fire Department responded to 1900 Sherman Ave. for the fire alarm activation. Upon arrival they were informed of a kitchen fire on the 11th floor with water flowing in the stairwell and smoke showing on the 11th floor.

The fire investigation team found that a kitchen fire in an 11th floor unit had been extinguished by a sprinkler head activation, allowing an invalid resident and guest of the unit to escape to safety into the hallway to await assistance. One resident was treated for smoke inhalation and transported to the local hospital for follow-up care. The Red Cross assisted three residents, who were displaced for two days.

It was just last November that the Cook County Housing Authority, under the direction of the Evanston Fire Prevention Bureau retrofitted 1900 Sherman Avenue with sprinklers throughout the building, including the residential units. “There is no doubt in my mind that the upgrade to the suppression system saved the day for us, but more importantly, the lives of the residents and limited the damage to this property,” stated Fire Chief Klaiber.

Evanston Fire had no report of injury to personnel.

Auto Dealership, Retail

Elgin, IL – (NO MEDIA COVERAGE) Sprinklers limit spread of fire at car dealership

*** NO MEDIA COVERAGE — FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED **

On Sunday February 28, 2016 at 1920 hours, the Elgin Fire Department responded to 1385 E. Chicago Street (Biggers Chevrolet) for flames visible from the roof. Elgin Police Department units arrived first and confirmed there was fire on the roof.  Police and fire units were delayed getting into the property due to the presence of security gates.

The fire response was upgraded to a Box Alarm level bringing in seven additional area fire departments. The fire was quickly extinguished and upon initial investigation the buildings sprinkler system had activated confining the fire and limiting its spread.  Additionally, ladder companies accessed the roof and found fire extension around a vent stack which was also quickly confined and extinguished.  The fire was brought under control in approximately 40 minutes.

The damage was confined to a heating unit in the Shop area, a spray booth and the roof covering. The preliminary damage report is estimated to be approximately $40,000 to the structure and contents.  No vehicles were damaged during this event.

Elgin Fire Department investigators were called to determine the cause and the origin of the fire and no firefighters or civilians were injured due to this event.