Tag Archives: Iowa

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Le Mars, IA – Sprinklers contain fire after explosion at manufacturing plant; No injuries

A compressor fire shut down IML Containers in Le Mars Monday afternoon, causing an undetermined amount of damage to the manufacturer of plastic food containers. 

Le Mars fire chief David Schipper said the Le Mars and Orange City fire departments were called at 4:22 p.m. to IML, at 1620 24th St. SW in Le Mars, for a compressor that had caught fire, and what was described as an “explosion” in the building. 

IML employees stood watching as the firefighters went in and out of the building, deploying water hoses and venting the smoke. None of the employees or firefighters were hurt in the fire. 

 

“Everybody did evacuate safely, we did an accountability check, and everybody made it out of the building just fine,” Schipper said. 

The building was damaged to an unknown extent by the heavy smoke, which Schipper said came from burning oil in the compressor. Additionally, electrical and water infrastructure were damaged, and the compressor that caught fire was destroyed. 

“It’s going to be quite a while before this place is back up and in business,” he said. 

Schipper credited the building’s sprinkler system for helping to control the fire. 

“Once again, sprinklers do save a lot, they did contain the fire for us,” he said. 

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Cedar Rapids, IA – Fire at food processing plant controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries

Cedar Rapids firefighters responded Friday night to a dryer fire in an Ingredion facility building at 1001 First St. SW. According to a media release from the Cedar Rapids Fire Department, the call from Ingredion plant personnel about a fire in an idle dryer was received at 5:50 p.m. Firefighters arrived as a sprinkler system was triggered by the fire, according to the release.  All Ingredion employees were accounted for as they evacuated the building safely. Meanwhile, smoke was showing from the second story of the building and from an exhaust pipe, according to the release.

Firefighters entered the building where the fire was located only to find that they couldn’t put water directly on the fire due to the location of the materials in the dryer, according to the release. To work around this, a ladder truck was utilized to established a flow of water into the dryer while the dryer’s hatch was opened and the material inside was removed. As soon as the fire was extinguished the facility was turned back to Ingredion, according to the release. The release indicated that the fire damage to the facility was light and no injuries were reported.  Area Ambulance also assisted the Cedar Rapids Fire Department at the scene.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Iowa City, IA – Laboratory fire at University of Iowa contained by sprinkler system

A fire Sunday damaged a laboratory in the most heavily used research facility on the University of Iowa campus. Iowa City firefighters responded to a fire alarm at Bowen Science Building, 51 Newton Road, around 5:45 p.m. Sunday and found flames on the second floor, according to an Iowa City news release. Firefighters extinguished the fire in about 20 minutes.

Bowen’s sprinkler system contained the flames to the room where the fire started, but early estimates indicate damage to one-third of the first floor and one-third of the second floor of the 45-year-old building. An initial damage estimate indicates at least $500,000 in damage to the lab. This estimate does not include water damage.

“That water will just keep leaking down for a while,” said Iowa City Battalion Chief Eric Nurnberg.. “And as that water continues to migrate through the building, I’m sure they are going to have some other issues to deal with.”

“The research conducted in this area is predominantly medical, and non-hazardous in nature,” Hayley Bruce, a UI spokeswoman, said via email. “Some of the research has been temporarily interrupted, but at this time no data has been lost. No classes are expected to be impacted.”

University officials recently updated the Iowa Board of Regents about long-term plans for a $30 million renovation of the building. An $18.5 million project to modernize Bowen’s building systems is continuing through the 2017-18 academic year.

“Bowen Science is a building built in (1972) and funds are needed to completely modernize this building,” Rod Lehnertz said last week during a meeting of the regents’ Property and Facilities Committee. “It still remains — approaching 50 years of age — the most intensely utilized research facility on our campus. It is critical that the building be modernized and taken care of for the next generation.”

Nurnberg described the fire as “a great example of the importance of having a sprinkler system in the building.”

“Had there been no sprinkler system here, the damage would have crept into the millions easily,” he said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Council Bluffs, IA – Apartment fire put out by sprinkler system

One person was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries suffered in a Friday morning fire at a Council Bluffs apartment complex. Crews were called to the Deerfield Apartments in the 900 block of Franklin Avenue shortly after 7 a.m.  Investigators say the fire started inside an apartment and was put out by the sprinkler system before they arrived on scene.  There were four people inside the unit at the time. One of them was taken for treatment.  Authorities say there is water damage to the apartment in which the fire originated and additional water damage to the unit below.  There was no immediate word on the cause.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Mason City, IA – Early morning fire at senior living complex controlled by sprinkler system

Officials say building safety features and a quick response kept a fire at a Mason City senior living complex from turning into a tragedy. Firefighters learned of the blaze at 5:56 a.m. Saturday at Shalom Tower II, 321 Fourth St. N.E. They were dispatched to investigate an automatic fire alarm controlled by the building’s sprinkler system. The fire was located in an apartment on the fifth floor. Crews performed search and rescue on the sixth and seventh floors, and made sure three floors — the fifth, sixth and seventh — were evacuated, according to a Mason City Fire Department statement issued Monday. The rest of the building also was evacuated. Firefighters say the blaze was contained to bedding and a bed, although there was smoke damage throughout the apartment.

Mason City Fire Marshal Jamey Medlin said the fire would have been far worse had it not been kept in check by the building’s sprinkler system. The quick actions by emergency responders, which also included the North Iowa CERT, also made a difference, he said.  “There were no life-threatening injuries to occupants of the building, and residents were able to return to their apartment(s) later that morning or by early afternoon,” he said in the statement. Owned by Good Shepherd, Shalom Tower 2 a 48-unit complex with residents who are age 55 and older.  Officials say 44 residents were assisted during the fire.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Marion, IA – Fire at hotel contained to one room by sprinkler system

Guests evacuate a hotel in Marion due to a fire Sunday morning. Marion Fire Department responded to a fire report from the Microtel Inn and Suites in the 5000 block of Dryer Avenue. Crews arrived as light smoke was coming from the building. The Marion Fire Chief says the fire was coming from one of the rooms on the first floor. The fire sprinkler system did go off, and the fire was contained to just the one room.

Everyone evacuated the building and waited in the parking lot, no one was injured.

The cause remains under investigation. 

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

West Des Moines, IA – Officials credit sprinkler system with controlling moving company warehouse fire

Fire crews were called to a fire in an industrial area of West Des Moines just before noon Monday.  Fire broke out at 523 S 18th Street in West Des Moines at Mayflower Transit.  The building holds furniture held for later moving.   Fire officials said a sprinkler system inside the building likely saved the structure.  The cause of the fire is not known and a damage estimate was not yet available.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fort Dodge, IA – Sprinkler system credited with extinguishing apartment blaze

A sprinkler system put out a fire in a Fort Dodge apartment building Wednesday night and no one was injured.  The incident at Evergreen Estates, 1543 27th Ave. N., was reported at 10:27 p.m.  Fire Department Capt. Paul Neeson said a fire ignited on the stove in a first floor apartment in the three-story building. He said the heat from the fire caused a sprinkler head to activate and douse the flames.  “It did its job,” he said of the sprinkler.

The fire was out when firefighters arrived.  Neeson said most of the building’s residents evacuated it by themselves.  The damaged apartment can’t be occupied, Neeson said Wednesday night, but all the other residents of the building were able to return their apartments.  Neeson said the fire was caused by something being left unattended on the hot stove.  Fort Dodge firefighters and police were on the scene until after 11 p.m.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Cedar Rapids, IA – Sprinkler system significantly helps control spread of fire at recycling center

A commercial recycling center suffered significant smoke and water damage, but minor structural damage in a fire Wednesday night.

According to the Cedar Rapids Fire Department, crews were called to a commercial recycling center owned by Republic Services Recycling at 4250 Sixth St. SW at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday for a report of an automated alarm. Responding firefighters discovered there was a fire in the building and encountered heavy smoke.

The fire department said the size of the building required a “prolonged search” to find the origin of the fire. Additionally, cold temperatures and the amount of work required at the scene led firefighters to call for additional units.

The fire was eventually found in recycling paper bundles. Firefighters said the building’s sprinkler system “contributed significantly” to controlling the spread of the fire.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Ottumwa, IA – Fourth floor hotel fire held in check by sprinkler system

At approximately 12:15 a.m. Sunday morning, October 30th, the Ottumwa Fire Department responded to a report of a room on fire at the Hotel Ottumwa. Upon arrival, fire fighters discovered a fourth floor room on fire. Two sprinkler heads had activated, keeping the fire from growing and spreading. An employee of the Hotel Ottumwa, Trevor Medina, heard the fire alarm activation and went to the fourth floor. Medina kicked in the door and pulled a female occupant to safety. The occupant was immediately transferred to the Ottumwa Regional Health Center for treatment of smoke inhalation.

Ottumwa Police Department personnel assisted with the safe evacuation of the upper floors of the hotel. Ottumwa Fire Chief Tony Miller credits the courageous action of Medina with preventing a tragic ending. 

The hotel sustained smoke and water damage; mostly limited to the original floor of origin with minor smoke damage on the fifth floor. Tenants and guests were allowed to return their rooms shortly after the fire was extinguished and the smoke was removed. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Ottumwa Fire Department.