Tag Archives: Iowa

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Burlington, IA – Sprinkler system credited with containing fire at printing company

Firefighters responded to a fire at Doran & Ward Printing Company, located at 2811 Mt. Pleasant St. on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. The fire reportedly started in an office. It activated a sprinkler head, which fire officials say kept the fire from spreading.

Employees evacuated the building and firefighters used a fire extinguisher to put out the remaining flames. The fire was out by 3:51 a.m.

The investigation revealed that the fire started in a light fixture in a small office located in the plant, causing melting plastic to drop down onto a desk and chair.
Damage was contained to the office area and is estimated to be less than $4,000. Employees returned to work a short time later.

Other - Retail, Retail

Iowa City, IA – Early morning fire at Menards store doused by sprinkler system

Iowa City Fire officials say a sprinkler system did its job after a fire broke out at Menards on Tuesday. Fire crews responded to a fire alarm at the Naples Avenue business about 3:30 Tuesday morning. But officials say by the time crews arrived the fire had been mostly extinguished by the sprinkler system, with some small spot fires still going in the rack storage of a detached lumber storage building. No one else was at the store at the time and no firefighter injuries were reported. Battalion chief Brian Platz says the building mostly housed lumber and shingles and damage is estimated at $15,000. Platz says the fire appears to have originated in the area of a wood cutoff saw and was accidental in nature.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential, Residential High Rise

Iowa City, IA – Late night fire on 9th floor of University of Iowa residence hall held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries

A fire on the ninth floor of Slater Residence Hall did minor damage to the University of Iowa building early Saturday morning. According to a news release from the Iowa City Fire Department, firefighters arrived at Slater Hall, 325 S. Grand Ave., at about 1:24 a.m. Saturday, four minutes after receiving an alarm for a fire on the ninth floor.

When firefighters arrived, all occupants of the structure had evacuated the building, according to the release. The fire was contained to a single dorm room. The building’s sprinkler system helped keep the fire in check, according to the release, and the fire was extinguished within six minutes. No civilians or firefighters were injured by the fire. Minimal smoke and fire damage was reported to the building, according to the release, and two students were displaced from their dorm by fire damage.

A release from UI Department of Strategic Communications Saturday said that “there is significant water damage on several floors.” A second release on Sunday confirmed that only two students remained displaced by the fire and were being provided with temporary housing in Slater while their room was repaired.

UI spokeswoman Jeneane Beck had said Saturday it was likely “very few” residents displaced and that they had been provided rooms. Sprinklers had only been activated in the areas effected by the fire, Beck said. UI is still waiting on a damage estimate. Beck added that the dorm had its annual fall fire drill in September, so residents were prepared for the evacuation.

Estimated cost of damage and the cause of the fire were not known as of Saturday morning, though both were still being investigated. The UI release said that the fire “appears to have been unintentional.”

University of Iowa Police, Iowa City Police, Johnson County Ambulance Service and University of Iowa Facilities supported the ICFD at the scene.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Waterloo, IA – Fire at Ramada Hotel contained to housekeeping closet by sprinkler system

Authorities are continuing to investigate a fire that closed down a downtown hotel over the weekend. No injuries were reported when a fire started in a maid’s closet at the Ramada Hotel, 205 W. Fourth St., at 9:27 a.m. Sunday.

Smoke triggered a sprinkler in the closet, and water flowed all the way to the lobby, said Battalion Chief Marty Freshwater with Waterloo Fire Rescue. He said there also was smoke on other floors, and the smell could be detected on the ground floor.

Ramada was evacuated and remained closed for Sunday to allow for repairs and cleanup, Freshwater said. The cause hasn’t been determined, but investigators have ruled out electrical reasons and traditional causes.

Flames damaged boxes of paperwork that were stored in the closet but didn’t spread outside the room. Freshwater said the door and sprinkler kept the fire in check but didn’t put it out. Firefighters extinguished the blaze.

At the time of the hotel fire, crews were busy fighting a garage fire, Freshwater said. A neighbor called in the garage fire at 621 Peek St. at about 8:53 a.m. Sunday.

 

The fire gutted the double-stall detached garage. No vehicles were inside, but heat damaged a Chevrolet Corvette parked next to it. The garage was a total loss, and the cause is under investigation. The garage was fitted with a wood burning stove, Freshwater said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Clinton, IA – Arson fire extinguished by sprinkler in janitor’s closet at local business

A Clinton man was arrested and charged with arson for his alleged role in a fire at a local business. According to the affidavit, on Sept. 16, at 3:16 a.m., communication dispatched the fire department and police officers to Collis, Inc., at 1710 S. 21st St. in reference to an unknown fire. Boyd, a supervisor at Collis, who was working at the time of the fire, called 911 from his cell phone to report the fire. The firemen arrived and found the fire located in a janitor’s closet. The fire activated the sprinkler system under the stairs and extinguished the fire as the firemen arrived.

The affidavit states that during the investigation of the cause and origin of the fire, investigators observed two possible locations as the cause of the fire. Based on the origin of the fire, investigators determined the fire was intentionally set in the janitor’s closet.

The affidavit continues that during the investigation they were able to identify Boyd as a possible suspect and Boyd was interviewed. During the interview, Boyd allegedly admitted he went into the janitor’s closet to get some garbage cans for his area. Boyd stated that while he was in the closet he used matches to light a box on fire, shut the door and then he left the closet. At the time of the fire, there were approximately 20 other employees in Collis working.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Iowa City, IA – Lab fire at University of Iowa contained with help from sprinkler system

The Iowa City Fire Department responded to a fire on the University of Iowa campus Friday afternoon. According to a news release, crews were called to the Chemistry Building, 251 N. Capitol St., at 3:47 p.m. Friday for a report of an active fire in one of the labs.

Responding crews located a fire in one of the labs, which was partially suppressed by the sprinkler system. The fire was extinguished within eight minutes and crews remained on scene to assist with cleanup and ventilating the building. They were assisted by UI and Iowa City police, the Johnson County Ambulance Service and MidAmerican Energy. While employees were in the lab when the fire began, no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the fire department and UI public safety.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Dubuque, IA – Fire in paint booth at manufacturing facility controlled with help from sprinkler system

Firefighters say a fire inside a paint booth at a Dubuque warehouse Tuesday was contained fairly quickly but still caused significant damage.

Dubuque Fire Chief Rick Steines said firefighters received a report at 9:49 a.m. Tuesday at a warehouse at 1111 Purina Drive. He said the blaze originated in a paint booth used by manufacturing company Andersen Eagle and was contained to the machinery.

Steines also said there were two 50-gallon barrels of acetone in the booth that started to burn. No injuries have been reported.

Steines said the booth’s sprinkler system helped contain the fire and firefighters were able to run a hose into the booth to extinguish the blaze. He said it was contained within about 15 minutes but crews stayed on scene to ensure the fire was out and to assess damage and help get the sprinkler system back on line.

Steines said the paint booth’s safety functions worked properly and the damage was contained to the booth.

“There’s no damage estimate yet, but there was pretty significant damage to the paint booth and some water damage from the sprinklers.,” Steines said.

He said the fire was paged out at a two-alarm level at first. But since it was contained quickly, the additional crews were back in service a short time later.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Des Moines, IA – Single sprinkler extinguishes overnight fire at East High School

Firefighters responding to East High School in Des Moines found a single fire sprinkler had extinguished a fire inside the school. Crews were called to 815 East 13th Street just before midnight on Monday. They found a pressure washer consumed by fire, but the fire did not spread. Crews said the fire sprinkler was set off when temperatures of about 155 degrees were reached. No injuries were reported. Damage is believed to be limited to around $1,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

Des Moines, IA – Early morning apartment fire contained to one room by sprinkler system

Fire officials said a fire broke out in a bedroom at an apartment complex at 3500 East Douglas Avenue at around 6:30 a.m.  Officials said the fire was contained to the bedroom by the sprinkler system. Fire crews arrived and were able to put out the fire.

Crews told KCCI 8 News that two people were being treated at the scene, but no one was injured in the blaze. Fire crews estimated damage to the apartment at $10,000. Investigators are not yet sure of an exact cause.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Council Bluffs, IA – Sprinkler extinguishes intentionally set fire at high school

A small fire briefly disrupted activities Tuesday afternoon at Abraham Lincoln High School.  Around 12:15 p.m., someone set fire to a football tackling dummy on a balcony in the school fieldhouse, according to Council Bluffs Fire Marshal Larry Wohlers.  The fire activated a sprinkler head about 20 feet above the fire, which distributed water to extinguish the blaze. Firefighters arrived shortly after the activation.  No one was injured.