Tag Archives: Iowa

Apartment Building, Residential

Burlington, IA – Accidental apartment cooking fire put out by fire sprinklers

The Burlington Fire Department says residents in a nine-story apartment building were evacuated due to a fire on Monday night.

According to a news release, the department responded at approximately 9:08 p.m. to the Burlington Apartments, located at 206 North 3rd Street in Burlington, for an automated sprinkler water flow alarm.

Shortly after receiving the alarm, the fire department says dispatchers with DESCOM started receiving 911 calls of a fire on the fourth floor of the nine-story apartment building.

Firefighters arrived at 9:11 p.m. and found fire alarms activating and the building being evacuated. When firefighters got to the fourth floor, they located one activated sprinkler head in one of the apartment unit kitchens.

An investigation revealed there had been an accidental cooking fire. It was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.

The fire department says the overall fire damage was minimal. Firefighters focused on shutting down the sprinkler system and controlling water damage.

The apartment building is owned by Historic Burlington, LLC and is insured. There were five apartments affected with six residents displaced.

The West Burlington Fire Department, Burlington Police Department, Alliant Energy and American Red Cross assisted at the scene.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Bettendorf, IA – Nursing home fire extinguished by fire sprinkler system

A room in the west wing of Bettendorf Health Care Center caught fire Saturday morning, leaving 11 residents relocated to new rooms and one sent the hospital.

At just after 9:30 a.m. on October 10, Bettendorf Fire Rescue was dispatched to the nursing home on Crow Creek Road in response to a structure fire. 

The fire had broken out in one room in the building’s west wing, and was easily extinguished by the sprinkler system while firefighters at the scene got residents out of the building. The fire was reportedly strong enough to trip both of the room’s sprinkler heads.

Eleven residents of the west wing have been relocated to different rooms, while one occupant was sent to the hospital for evaluation. The building’s west wing is closed for repairs due to significant water and smoke damage.

Apartment Building, Residential

Johnston, IA – Sprinkler system contain apartment garage fire after fireworks discarded improperly; No injuries reported

The Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan Fire Department has now determined the cause of an apartment fire last Sunday to be improperly discarded fireworks.

Just after 3:00 a.m. on July 5, JGMFD units responded to a fire alarm call at the Providence Point Apartments in Johnston.  The fire, which was contained by two sprinkler heads, was coming from the dumpster in one of the attached garages.

The crews took the dumpster out of the garage and finished putting out the fire from there.

Upon further investigation, they found the fire had been caused by fireworks that were thrown away in the dumpster.  No residents were displaced or hurt in the event of the fire.

Parking Garage

Iowa City, IA – Parking garage car fire contained by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

No one is hurt after a Sunday morning fire in a University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics parking ramp.

The Iowa City Fire Department found a car on fire around 6:05 a.m. in one of the underground levels of parking ramp two.

Firefighters said the sprinkler system contained the fire and fire personnel fully extinguished it.

The fire did not damage any other cars or property.

The Iowa City Fire Marshal’s office is still investigating a cause.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Iowa City, IA – Sprinkler system contains fire at assisted living facility

Officials said that one person was taken to the hospital after a fire in a unit at a west side assisted living facility on Saturday morning.

At around 12:42 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, the Iowa City Fire Department was sent to a report of a structure fire at Melrose Meadows Retirement Community, located at 350 Dublin Drive. The staff reported a fire in one of the assisted living units.

Firefighters arrived and located the fire, which was being kept under control by a sprinkler system. They were able to extinguish the flames within five minutes.

The person living in the unit was able to be evacuated safely by the staff, and nearby units were also evacuated.

Fire department officials said that one person at the facility was taken to the hospital via ambulance. There was no information given about their condition.

Officials estimate the damage to the building at around $20,000.

The Coralville Fire Department, Iowa City Police Department, and Johnson County Ambulance Service assisted in the emergency response.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Johnston, IA – Sprinkler head put out apartment kitchen fire

First responders said a a sprinkler head helped put out a kitchen fire at a Johnston apartment complex Wednesday afternoon.

Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan firefighters were called to the Providence Point Apartments, in the 6200 block of NW 106th Street, in Johnston. 

When they arrived, they were notified of a grease fire in the kitchen of a second-floor apartments. Firefighters found light smoke. 

Firefighters said because of the fire and water damage from the sprinkler system, people living in two apartments were displaced.

Apartment Building, Residential

Des Moines, IA – Apartment sprinkler system helps put out grease fire; No injuries reported

Des Moines firefighters are working to clear smoke out of The Parker at Seventh apartments after a fire Sunday afternoon.

At about 6:30 p.m. the Des Moines Fire Department received calls of a grease fire that started while a person was cooking. According to Lt. Rick Thomas, with the Des Moines Fire Department, smoke filled the hallways of the 14th floor of the building.

Thomas said the sprinkler system helped put out the fire and residents will be allowed to return to their apartments soon. He said there were no injuries that are known at this time, and there was smoke and water damage.

Apartment Building, Residential

Des Moines, IA – Fire sprinklers contain kitchen grease fire; No injuries reported

Residents were evacuated from an apartment on the south side of Des Moines early Wednesday morning.

Fire crews were called to 1516 Evergreen Avenue at around 5:45 a.m.

Fire officials say there was a grease fire in the kitchen of a first-floor apartment that caused water and smoke damage to the apartment and the hallway.

Fire Captain Tim Patava said there were no injuries in the fire and more than a dozen were evacuated.

Alarms and sprinklers were tripped by the fire and the fire was contained to that apartment.

Office Building, Other Business

Des Moines, IA – Fire sprinklers contained second floor fire at downtown Capital Square building; No injuries reported

No injuries have been reported in a fire Thursday morning that forced people to evacuate a downtown Des Moines building.

The blaze began a little before 7:30 a.m. on the third floor of the Capital Square building, which counts The Des Moines Register newspaper among its tenants.

Flames and some shattered windows could be seen from the street.

Fire Department spokesman Rick Thomas says most of the flames had been knocked down by a little after 8 a.m. He told the newspaper that fire sprinklers checked the blaze until firefighters could begin their work.

The fire cause is being investigated. 

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Decorah, IA – Fire sprinklers activate to control dorm room fire; No injuries reported

A fire inside a Luther College dorm in Decorah caused damages but injured no one Wednesday evening.

The Decorah fire department says they were called to Miller hall on Luther’s campus for the fire in the dorm room.

Authorities say they were directed to a room on the second floor of the building, when they got to the room in question there was no one inside, but there was a small burned area in the room.

Firefighters say the sprinkler system inside the hall had been activated and there was smoke found in the building. The sprinkler system was turned off by firefighters and the smoke was ventilated from the room and building.

What caused the fire is still under investigation by the Decorah fire department.