Tag Archives: Illinois

Retail, Shopping Mall

Sprinkler system contains blaze in early morning mall fire (North Riverside, IL)

A fire ignited inside the loading dock area of the Carson Pirie Scott department store at the North Riverside Park Mall early Wednesday, sending smoke throughout the store and into the main area of the mall.

Fire damage was contained to the loading dock area, which is located on the south side of the store, but Fire Chief Bran Basek said that the ground floor area of Carson’s was “fully charged” with smoke when firefighter arrived shortly after the alarm call came in at about 3:50 a.m. Once the fire was located, it took about 15 to 20 minutes to extinguish the fire, Basek said. The store’s fire sprinkler system was able to keep the fire, which was centered on merchandise stored on racks inside the loading dock, from spreading.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Nursing home fire controlled with help from sprinkler system (Champaign, IL)

No one was hurt when a dryer caught fire at a west Champaign nursing home Thursday night. Champaign firefighters were called to Helia Healthcare of Champaign at 8:43 p.m. Thursday. Champaign Fire Marshal John Koller said fire was found in a dryer and quickly put out. The building’s sprinkler sysem activated as well.  Residents were able to stay in the building, he said.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Fire at University of Illinois laboratory extinguished by sprinkler system (Champaign, IL)

Nobody was hurt in a fire at a University of Illinois laboratory on Wednesday afternoon. Urbana Fire Marshal Phil Edwards said firefighters were called to Roger Adams Laboratory (600 S. Mathews Ave.) at 4:13 p.m. We got a call that somebody reported smoke and flames coming from a closet in one of the rooms,” Edwards said.  By the time firefighters arrived, the building’s sprinkler system had already put out the fire, he said. Since the fire took place in an electrical closet, firefighters believe that electrical problems may have been the cause.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Overnight fire at manufacturing business held in check by sprinkler system (St. Charles, IL)

The St. Charles Fire Department responded to an activated fire alarm at 4:15 a.m. at Eifeler-Lafer Inc., located at 3800 Commerce Drive. The company provides steel and carbide coating, which is used in making tools and medical devices. The business was closed at the time of the fire and no employees or other occupants were inside.  An overhead sprinkler helped keep the fire in check and firefighters were able to extinguish the rest in about 30 minutes. No firefighters were injured.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Fire at Archer Daniels Midland plant contained by sprinkler system (Peoria, IL)

Peoria firefighters and police were dispatched shortly after noon to the sprawling ethanol distillery on Edmund Street near the MacArthur Highway Bridge. The blaze began in an area near a grain silo where a worker had been welding, according to police and company officials. The cause of the blaze has not been officially determined.

ADM spokeswoman Jackie Anderson said the fire started about 11:30 a.m. in the facility’s corn processing area and was contained by the sprinkler system, but firefighters were called for additional assistance. “There were no injuries, and the plant is continuing to run as planned,” Anderson said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Fire kept in check by sprinkler system at Northrop Grumman facility (Rolling Meadows, IL)

“We responded to a call that came in around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday reporting an electrical explosion,” Rolling Meadows Fire Chief Scott Franzgrote said Tuesday night. “When we arrived we found an electrical panel accident and an arc fire …”

Franzgrote said the fire suppression system and sprinklers helped to fully contain the fire in a large mechanical room where the explosion occurred. “The good design of the building and the suppression did its job well in containing the fire,” Franzgrote said. “The masonry of the room and the sprinklers prevented it from being a bigger incident.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Manufacturing facility fire halted by sprinkler system (Lombard, IL)

A metal fabrication facility had a fire occur early Wednesday, June 11. No employees were present when the fire occurred, but the building was equipped with fire sprinklers, which contained the fire.

Assistant Fire Chief Jerry Howell said about the incident, “Basically the sprinkler system kept it in check. It could have been much worse.”

Investigating units are still determining the cause of the fire, but initial investigation shows the fire does not appear to be suspicious. No injuries were reported.

Residential, Residential High Rise

High rise apartment fire put out by sprinkler system (Hinsdale, IL)

Fire sprinklers helped to save residents of a 17-story apartment building from injury on Tuesday evening. A fire began in the kitchen of one of the residences on the sixth floor, and the occupants escaped without injury. Several surrounding fire crews responded to the fire to find that a single fire sprinkler had put out the fire.