Tag Archives: Indiana

Other Business

Chesterton, IN – Electrical fire in “Escape Room” business extinguished by sprinkler system

fire believed to have been electrical in nature damaged the Mission: Escape suite in The Factory building on Saturday, the Chesterton Fire Department is reporting.  Capt. Rudy Jimenez told the Chesterton Tribune today that, at 7:20 a.m., the CFD was initially dispatched to the Frontline Foundations Inc. offices in response to an activated alarm. Chesterton Police officers, first on the scene, quickly determined that there was no fire at Frontline, then proceeded to The Factory, where they made entry and subsequently traced smoke and an odor of natural gas to Suite 3 on the second floor, where the Mission: Escape business is located.

On their arrival firefighters found that the sprinkler system had done “an excellent job in extinguishing the fire” and confining it to its point of origin, Jimenez said: a small hallway off the main lobby leading to one of the escape rooms.  The source of the fire appears to have been a short circuit in a smoke machine or its extension cord, which on igniting began to burn a nearby stage prop from the bank heist escape room: a cardboard swag box containing fake money, Jimenez said.

Fire damage was minimal but water damage was fairly extensive–both to Suite 3 and to Suite 2, beneath it on the ground floor–inasmuch as the sprinkler system continued to release water until firefighters turned it off.  Jimenez estimated damage to the building at $10,000 and that to contents at $5,000. He added that Suite 2 on the ground floor is currently vacant. The CFD cleared the scene at 8:37 a.m.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Evansville, IN – Structure fire at nail salon contained by sprinkler system

Firefighters were responding to an apparent structure fire at a West side business Saturday evening.

The fire apparently originated at Pretty Nails nail salon, according to scanner traffic. Responders were working to get the building’s sprinkler system turned off, but the fire was stopped.

The call came in around 8:15 p.m. According to scanner traffic, Evansville and Vanderburgh County officers are blocking all east-west on Pearl Drive. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

The address on the call was 5405 Pearl Drive, which is the location of a strip mall that houses Buffalo Wild Wings. Eye-Mart and Crazy Buffet as well as the nail salon.

According to scanner traffic, multiple fire and rescue units were staging at the AMC Theatre just down the street. The site of the fire was safely evacuated.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Ferdinand, IN – Sprinkler system extinguishes manufacturing fire that started in lacquer finishing booth

Units of the Ferdinand Volunteer Fire Department responded to an active fire Saturday morning at MasterBrand Cabinets’ 624 W. Third St. manufacturing complex.  Today was a scheduled down day, according to Fire Chief John Hoppenjans, so a limited number of employees were on hand when fire started in a finish room spray booth that was being cleaned.

Lacquer in the booth combusted but the plant’s sprinkler system activated and extinuished the fire, according to the chief.  The fire department was called at 9:29 a.m. and firefighters went about ensuring the fire was out. The department then ventilated smoke and assisted in the cleanup.  Employees had evacuated the building, Hoppenjans said, adding that the fire was contained to the spray booth.  He credited the operation of the plant’s sprinkler system with helping to limit damage to about $20,000.

Three individuals who had been in the vicinity of the fire were transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center as a precaution after complaining of breathing difficulties, according to Hoppenjans.  Six trucks and 24 firefighters were on the scene 90 minutes.  The Ferdinand Police Department and Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Services assisted.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Evansville, IN – Sprinkler system activated during rooftop fire at business

Firefighters were called to a business near Hwy. 41 and Lynch road, just before 4:00 a..m., at Azimuth Custom Extrusions.

A passerby says they saw the flames shooting from the roof and called for help.

The business’ sprinkler system was activated during the fire.

Once firefighters arrived, they determined the fire was coming from a fan on top of the roof.

Employees were evacuated.

It’s unclear if the fire extended into the interior of the business.

The investigation is ongoing.

Government/Military, Prison / Jail

Terre Haute, IN – Arson fire at correctional facility contained by sprinkler system

The surveillance pictures clearly show a man walking around the offices but he took steps to hide his face and disguise his identity. 

Wearing dark clothing, gloves, and a ski mask, the suspect broke into the Community Corrections Center and then wandered the halls and offices spreading an accelerant with a spray bottle.

“The fire itself placed a lot of people in danger. There was approximately 56 offenders, 54 in the building at the time. I also had 3 or 4 staff here.” said Bill Watson, Executive Director of Community Corrections. 

Smoke alarms alerted everyone to get out, which they did safely, and the building’s sprinkler system poured water on the blaze. Firefighters arrived to finish the job.

Vigo County law enforcement has a message for those who commit these types of crimes:

“People out there that do bad things need to know that they’re not going to get away with it. We’re going to keep looking for you and trying to find you to bring you to justice. This is another example of a law enforcement agency being targeted.” says Norm Loudermilk, Fire Investigator.

Damage was mostly caused by smoke and water. Officials were able to get cleaning crews inside to immediately start putting things back in order.

“A lot of people came together this morning to resolve a bad situation that could have been a lot harder”, Bill Watson.

Even though the suspect covered his face, investigators hope someone will recognize his build, walk, or some other characteristic.

 Anyone with information is asked to call the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department.

Government Office, Government/Military

Terre Haute, IN – Arson fire at corrections facility contained by automatic sprinkler system

A man used a portable weed sprayer full of flammable liquid as he set fire inside multiple offices of the state parole office of Vigo County Community Correction early last Wednesday. Arson investigator Norm Loudermilk of the Terre Haute Fire Department said surveillance video shows the man – dressed in black and wearing a face mask – use a pry bar to open a locked public access door of the building and carry the container into the building. Minutes later, fire alarms sounded.

Multiple offices were entered and sprayed with the accelerant, then set ablaze, Loudermilk said.  The building sprinkler system suppressed the fire, but the building sustained smoke and water damage.  Loudermilk described the suspect as a white male about 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weighing about 230 pounds. He is seen on video walking up to the building from the south, and exiting about a half-hour later.

“It was obvious that the fires were set in each of the offices. Not all of the offices were burned, but each office had been gone through and then several offices were set on fire,” Loudermilk said of the state parole office, where firefighters found heavy smoke when they arrived.  Loudermilk said no one saw the suspect enter or exit the building, though one staff member was on break outside the building at the time the suspect left.  The alarm sounded about 3:43 a.m.

About 60 people were inside the building, which houses the work release center for community corrections.

Those people were evacuated safely with no injuries, and held outside the building. The fact that people were inside the building asleep in dormitories at the time the fire was set makes the arson even more serious, Loudermilk said.

Tips about the suspect can be submitted to the Terre Haute Police Department at 812-238-1661 or through Crime Stoppers at 812-238-STOP.

Firefighters entered the building to find the fire supression system had worked.

Bill Watson, executive director of community corrections, said the door entered by the suspect was not alarmed because it is a public access door used daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., when it is locked by staff.

Video shows the staff locking and checking the door to make sure it was secure, Watson said.

Water and smoke damage occurred throughout the building, he said. Ceiling tiles were water-soaked and must be removed.

Teams from ServePro were cleaning up the dormitory area and control room of work release Wednesday morning. Watson said he expected to have residents moved back into two dormitories today.

About 54 to 56 residents and 4 staff were in the buildling when the fire alarm sounded, Watson said. All exited the building without injury.

“We had protocols in place and those were followed,” Watson said. “They shut down our systems so that damage was minimized, so we should be able to get the security system back online.”

The second floor of the building houses offices for the Title IV-D court, county probation, state parole and Choices Consulting Center, which offers drug and alcohol counseling services.

Community corrections, which includes work release and electronic monitoring, are housed on the first floor of the building.

Forensic teams from THPD were at the scene processing evidence, including collecting fingerprints and liquid believed to be accelerant.

Apartment Building, Residential

Greenwood, IN – Sprinkler system prevents apartment balcony fire from spreading

The fire began on a third-story balcony of Copper Chase at Stones Crossing Apartments about 5:55 p.m. A mother and child were displaced and the building had about $50,000 in damage, White River Fire Chief Jeremy Pell said.  Pell credited a sprinkler on the balcony with preventing the fire from becoming far worse. Firefighters were able to use fire extinguishers to handle the remainder of the fire when they arrived at the apartment complex, he said.

“Without the sprinkler system this would have been much worse,” Pell said. “It made the difference between displacing one family versus potentially the whole building.” The three-story apartment building has 24 units. While they know where the fire began, investigators are still working to determine how it started, he said.  The displaced family has received assistance from the Red Cross, Pell said.  Bargersville and Greenwood firefighters assisted, he said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Mishawaka, IN – Fire in test booth at manufacturing facility is extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire broke out at AM General’s Mishawaka plant last Friday morning, causing an evacuation of employees.  According to our partners at WSBT, Penn Township Fire Department responded to the call from AM General’s H1 plant around 8:30 a.m. today. Upon arrival the firefighters found that the plant’s sprinkler system had extinguished the fire after two to three minutes. AM General spokeswoman Deborah Reyes said in an email that the fire was confined to a vehicle roll test booth, and caused “negligible impact to the production process as it was halted during the fire inspection.” No injuries or illness were reported. Reyes said the company will make temporary adjustments to its production process without the use of the roll test booth, and added that the company’s safety drills and tests were successfully executed.

Fire / Police Station, Government/Military

Batesville, IN – Emergency vehicle fire at at fire station controlled with help from sprinkler system

A Batesville Fire Department ambulance was heavily damaged and four people were injured by a fire early Friday morning at the fire station.  Just after midnight the emergency vehicle caught fire in the garage bay, causing the sprinkler system to activate. Firefighters quickly pulled the ambulance out of the building and the blaze was quickly extinguished.  There was slight damage to the door and soot that will require clean up. Four fire department workers were treated and released for smoke inhalation. No damage estimate is available for the ambulance. The cause is under investigation.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Fort Wayne, IN – Warehouse fire held in check by sprinkler system; Firefighters extinguish flames

An employee arriving to work at a warehouse discovered a fire inside the building this morning. Firefighters were called to Heavy Duty Manufacturing at 4317 Clubview Drive, west of Engle Road, just before 6 a.m. Crews found the sprinkler system was holding the fire in check in the warehouse area of the building, the Fort Wayne Fire Department said. Firefighters extinguished the flames in about 20 minutes, the fire department said. The building was damaged by smoke and water and the fire mostly damaged items inside the building, the department said. No one was hurt fighting the fire. The blaze is under investigation.