Tag Archives: Indiana

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Vincennes, IN – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire at school; No injuries reported

An electrical issue with a dishwasher reportedly led to a fire Tuesday evening at Vincennes Lincoln High School.

The fire caused officials to activate an e-learning day for students Wednesday while crews worked to clean up the incident.

According to a release from the Vincennes Community School Corporation, thanks to the hard work of a number of staff members and partner organizations the school will return to in-person instruction on Thursday.

VCSC officials said the kitchen will take a week or so to get back up and running, in the meantime, food preparation will take place in a temporary satellite kitchen. Students will receive their breakfast and lunches in sack format until the kitchen is returned to normal operations.

No injuries were reported due to the fire, and officials said they take satisfaction in knowing the sprinkler system in place had most of the fire out by the time firefighters arrived on scene.

Evening activities will take place at Lincoln High School as scheduled Wednesday evening. The Knox County Health Department has given the organization the all-clear to return to the building.

“Please also know that the facility is safe and free of any smoke or water damage. If the facility were not safe, we would not return students, staff, and patrons to the building. But again, we thank the Knox County Health Department for doing their due diligence that allows us to return to the facility,” the release reads.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Columbus, IN – Sprinkler system extinguishes lithium-ion battery fire; No injuries reported

Columbus firefighters were sent to Dorel Juvenile, 2525 State St., on a report of a fire in the building at 5:08 p.m. Monday.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find that an evacuation of the building was in process, said Capt. Mike Wilson. As crews prepared to investigate the incident, representatives of Dorel advised firefighters that a lithium-ion battery had begun to smoke within an office space on the interior of the building.

An interior fire attack crew entered the building and found a large amount of smoke within the facility. Firefighters located the area where the lithium-ion battery was stored and reported that the building’s automatic sprinkler system had activated. Firefighters reported that a fire had occurred in the area of the battery but the fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system by the time firefighters reached the area involved. Firefighters located two additional lithium-ion batteries in that area and removed all three batteries to the exterior of the building.

After shutting down the water supply to the building’s sprinkler system, firefighters set up ventilation fans to aid in smoke removal from the interior of the building. Fire damage to the building was minor in the area where the fire occurred. The fire caused cosmetic damage to one wall near the origin but did not cause structural damage. Due to the activation of the sprinkler system, water damage to the area where the fire occurred was more significant. No damage estimate was provided. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No injuries were reported at the scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Columbus, IN – Fire in apartment complex garage extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Columbus firefighters were sent to Westwood Pines Apartments at 4851 Pine Ridge Drive about a garage fire at 10:52 p.m. Tuesday.

Firefighters arrived on the scene of a three-story apartment complex and found an activated sprinkler head discharging water in a ground-level attached garage, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.

Firefighters entered the garage and found evidence that a small fire had occurred within the garage. No flames where located during the initial investigation.

During the ongoing investigation, firefighters located several cardboard boxes that presented evidence of fire damage. The boxes contained various new home appliance items and new home décor materials. Firefighters learned that the garage unit was used as a storage and maintenance garage for the apartment complex. Some of the items were damaged as result of the fire, Wilson said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time. Investigators believe that a small fire occurred near the boxed items which lead to an increase in heat within the garage unit. The sprinkler head that activated was located in close proximity to where investigators believe to be the area of origin. Investigators said that the sprinkler system worked as designed and played a significant role in reducing fire extension to the structure as well as limiting property damage. No structural damage resulted from the fire. Damages to the contents of the garage are estimated at $3,000.

No injuries were reported at the scene. Agencies that assisted at the scene include the Columbus Police Department and the Columbus Regional Health Emergency Medical Service. No occupants were displaced as a result of the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Lafayette, IN – Sprinkler system activated for apartment fire; No injuries reported

Lafayette Fire responded to a call just after 9 p.m. Sunday regarding an apartment fire.

Lafayette Fire confirmed to News 18 at the scene that a smoke alarm went off at a ground floor apartment at 1740 Salem Street in Lafayette.

The fire was contained to the front room of the apartment.

It was quickly put out.

Nobody was injured.

First responders say the apartment will likely be uninhabitable for the time being due to smoke damage and water damage from the sprinkler system.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Fort Wayne, IN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at fireworks warehouse; No injuries reported

The Fort Wayne Fire Department says the cause of a fire in the Phantom Fireworks warehouse off Northland Blvd is still being investigated.

Officials arrived shortly after 9 p.m. on Sunday night and couldn’t see the flames when they arrived but found thick smoke and some fireworks going off when they entered.

A sprinkler head above the fire was keeping it in check and crews were able to put it out quickly.

Officials say that fire damage was kept to a small area in the warehouse. No one was hurt in the fire.

Officials with the FWFD released the following:

A FWFD Engine was dispatched on a Fire alarm at Phantom Fireworks. Upon E15 arrival they found a medium single-story commercial structure with nothing showing from the exterior.

Upon investigating smoke was found inside the structure and a full 704 working fire response was started. Thick smoke was encountered in the back storage/warehouse area with some fireworks lighting off. A sprinkler head above the fire was flowing and keeping the fire in check while crews pulled additional line to completely extinguish the fire.

No extension and nothing else found with a search of the building. There was water and smoke damage throughout but the fire damage was kept to a small area in the warehouse. The fire is under investigation.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Indianapolis, IN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at senior living facility; No injuries reported

More than 40 residents were displaced after a fire at an east Indianapolis senior living facility Tuesday morning.

The fire at Crown Pointe Senior Living Community, located at 7365 E. 16th St., was reported just after midnight. The Indianapolis Fire Department said an investigation revealed the fire started in the dining hall on the first floor at the location of a gas fireplace.

When first responders arrived, there was fire and smoke showing from the second floor, and an evacuation was in progress. The facility’s sprinkler system had activated.

IFD and Lawrence Fire Department crews brought the fire under control in roughly 30 minutes. 

IFD said 44 people were evacuated from the building without any injuries. Residents were placed on IndyGo buses for heated shelter and moved to a nearby senior living facility.

The Marion County Health Department responded to the scene due to the kitchen being impacted. The Indianapolis Department of Public Works was also dispatched due to slick areas from salt.

When first responders arrived, there was fire and smoke showing from the second floor, and an evacuation was in progress. The facility’s sprinkler system had activated.

IFD and Lawrence Fire Department crews brought the fire under control in roughly 30 minutes. 

IFD said 44 people were evacuated from the building without any injuries. Residents were placed on IndyGo buses for heated shelter and moved to a nearby senior living facility.

The Marion County Health Department responded to the scene due to the kitchen being impacted. The Indianapolis Department of Public Works was also dispatched due to slick areas from salt.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Lafayette, IN – Sprinkler system extinguishes electrical fire at hotel

A malfunction of an electrical device has been determined as the cause of a hotel room fire early Jan. 16 in Lafayette.

According to the Lafayette Fire Department, firefighters responded to a call at about 6:30 a.m. Jan. 16 to the Courtyard by Marriott, 150 Fairington Ave., for a reported fire inside a hotel room.

When firefighters arrived, the fire had been extinguished by the hotel’s sprinkler system inside the room, which had been occupied. Fire officials said the occupants were able to escape the room. There were no reported injuries to the occupants or other guests in nearby rooms.

Fire officials said heat from the fire activated a single head from the building’s sprinkler system and doused the fire, preventing the spread of flames to other areas of the room or hotel.

Officials said firefighters ensured the blaze was extinguished, had not extended to other areas of the building and shut down the activated sprinkler system.

The Lafayette Fire Department credits a self-closing door, and the building fire sprinkler system with containing, extinguishing and limiting the damage and amount of toxic smoke created by this fire.

The suspected electrical device which fire officials said caused the fire was not specifically identified. The estimated amount of damage to the hotel room has not been determined.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Evansville, IN – Fire at industrial building extinguished with help from sprinkler system

Evansville fire crews were called to an industrial building Monday in Evansville.

A fire broke out shortly before noon in the 3000 block of Claremont Ave.

That’s on the west side between Tekoppel and Schrader.

Officials say they put out the fire with the help of the building’s sprinkler system, and everyone was back to work in about an hour.

They say this is the second time recently that a sprinkler system has helped stop a fire from spreading.

Just last week, there was a fire at the former Whirlpool plant. Fire officials used it as an opportunity to share the importance of a sprinkler system.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Evansville, IN – Fire inside building extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire officials were called to a building fire on Wednesday morning. Crews arrived to 5401 Highway 41 after 911 dispatchers received a call stating there was a fire inside the building. The first crew arrived at 2:50 a.m. and reported light smoke conditions.

An area of fire was discovered that had been mostly extinguished by the fire sprinkler system. The fire damage was mostly contained to the contents and an interior wall of the business. According to officials, the fire cause is accidental and no injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Columbus, IN – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire on apartment balcony; No injuries reported

Columbus firefighters were sent to The Enclave Apartments, 275 N. Marr Road, at 9:56 a.m. Sunday after a fire alarm activated due to water flow being detected in the building’s sprinkler system.

When firefighters arrived, they saw a sprinkler head on a third-story balcony had activated and was showering water. When they went to the third floor apartment, they were unable to make contact with anyone inside and breached the door to do a search, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.

After determining no one was in the apartment, they went to the balcony where they saw evidence a fire had occurred and had been extinguished by the sprinkler system, Wilson said.

The fire caused damage to the exterior vinyl siding as well as a portion of the wooden structure on balcony. To ensure the fire had not extended into the attic space or internal apartment, firefighters removed additional sections of siding and drywall which confirmed the fire was isolated to the balcony area.

Damages are estimated at $5,000. Columbus Fire Department investigators are investigating the cause. No injuries were reported at the scene.