Tag Archives: Kentucky

Primary / Secondary School

Grayson, KY – Bathroom fire at high school contained by sprinkler system; Student return to classes same day

A small fire briefly disrupted classes Friday at East Carter High School, according to Carter County Schools.  It happened in a restroom, and the smoke activated the sprinkler system. (note from blog editor: smoke does not activate this type of fire sprinkler system.  Only the substantial heat from a potentially dangerous fire will activate an automatic fire sprinkler)

All students and staff were evacuated as a precaution. No one was hurt.  They were allowed back in the building around 11:20 a.m. Students and staff were using an adjusted lunch/class schedule for the remainder of the day.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Bowling Green, KY – Fire on 10th floor of university residence hall contained by sprinkler system

Western Kentucky University officials say a kitchen fire broke out on the tenth floor of Pearce Ford Tower early Monday afternoon.  Students say water from the sprinkler system has pooled up on floors nine and ten, with some students reporting damaged belongings, though this hasn’t been confirmed by officials.  The fire was contained to the kitchen, and students are expected to be able to return to the building after cleanup is complete.  No injuries have been reported to us at this time.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Frankfort, KY – Fire at Johnny Carino’s restaurant kept in check by sprinkler system

A west Frankfort restaurant experienced a small fire early Wednesday morning.

Frankfort Fire and EMS responded to an automated alarm for sprinkler system activation at Johnny Carino’s at 12:25 a.m. Wednesday, interim Fire Chief Wayne Briscoe said.

Firefighters found smoke and a little fire coming from the eave of an area on the roof, Briscoe said. A neon sign on a wall had electrical components that appeared to have malfunctioned, causing the fire and the sprinkler system to activate.

Briscoe said structural damage due to the fire was minor and the majority of the damage resulted from the sprinkler system.

Nobody was at the restaurant at the time of the fire and there were no injuries.

Other - Retail, Retail

Lexington, KY – Fire at thrift and antique mall held in check by sprinkler system

Lexington firefighters are trying to determine what caused a small fire at the Peddler’s Mall on New Circle Road Monday evening.  The fire started in one or two booths at the back of the building. There were no injuries and it’s not clear how much damage was sustained, said Maj. C.J. Haunz. 

The fire started after 7:30 p.m. Haunz said the mall — which has individual booths that sell antiques and other goods — had a sprinkler system that kept the fire in the back of the building. Fire crews were able to contain the fire quickly, he said.

Crews were on the scene for a few hours on Monday night. The Peddler’s Mall on East New Circle Road has more than 700 booths, according to the Peddler’s Mall Facebook page. According to the Fayette County Property Value Administrator web site, the building was built in 1964.

 

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Richmond, KY – Fire at senior living center suppressed with help from sprinkler system

Move-in day for many residents at Pebblecreek Crossing on Big Hill Avenue took a turn for the worse when a small fire in a lower-level apartment sent Richmond fire trucks racing to put out the flames Friday evening. The fire began when a new resident sat boxes on top of a stove that was turned on, according to Pam Turner, member of the Pebblecreek Crossing management team.  Assistant Fire Chief Mark Murphy said Richmond Fire and Rescue received a call around 8:49 p.m. about a possible fire at the city’s newly constructed senior living facility.

Approximately three tankers and three command units arrived on the scene. Madison County EMS and Richmond police also responded. Murphy said firefighters were met with heavy smoke when they opened the apartment door, but the sprinkler system had put out much of the fire. Firefighters were then able to put out hot spots and remove debris.  The assistant fire chief said there was some smoke damage to the apartment as well as some minor fire and water damage. Two people were treated by EMS.

Government/Military, Other-Government/Military

Richmond, KY – Sprinkler system stop fire at arts council building, saving artwork from damage

The Richmond Area Arts Council building on West Water Street sustained slight smoke, fire and water damage Tuesday afternoon after a small fire broke out in the building’s basement.

Late Tuesday afternoon as she carefully sloshed through water pooled in the art council’s basement, RAAC Executive Director Deborah Kidd recounted the moment staff knew something had gone wrong.

“We were upstairs and started smelling smoke,” Kidd said. “We came down immediately and the sprinklers came on.”

Kidd said employees evacuated the building and firefighters began showing up a short time later.

“The firefighters have been fantastic and very thorough,” Kidd said. “While the sprinklers managed to put out the fire, they have made sure the smoke was aired out and no additional fires have cropped up.”

Mark Murphy, assistant fire chief for the Richmond Fire Department, praised the RAAC’s sprinkler system Tuesday afternoon.”

The sprinkler system did its job,” he explained. “When we got here, the fire was already contained and out. The sprinkler system stopped the fire from spreading.”

Murphy said, according to preliminary investigations, the fire began around 2:30 p.m. in the RAAC’s mechanical room in the building’s basement. The origin was determined to be a heating and cooling unit housed in the room.

The fire consumed the majority of the building’s heating unit, but the structure of the building sustained zero damage.

An adjacent office sustained only slight smoke and water damage, Kidd said.

Luckily, art currently on display at the RAAC from local artist Pat Banks was spared from the water, fire and smoke.”

The art is just fine. None of Pat’s work was affected,” Kidd confirmed Tuesday. “We were lucky none of the artwork in the building was damaged.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Lexington, KY – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in apartment blaze; No injuries reported

The Lexington Fire Department was able to make quick work of a fire at an apartment complex on Larkin Road, that caused dozens of residents to evacuate. Firefighters say somewhere between 24 to 36 people were already coming out of the building by the time they arrived.  Investigators credit fire alarms and the sprinkler system for getting people out quickly and helping to keep the fire from spreading.  According to firefighters, the flames were contained in the originating apartment, with only about 4 units working with building management on finding alternative housing until they can get back into their apartments.  Other occupants were able to return to their homes.  No injuries were reported.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Bowling Green, KY – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire, prevents it from spreading in downtown building

At about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, the Bowling Green Fire Department responded to a structure fire with visible flames on the third floor at 423 Park Row, the building adjacent to the Brewing Co.  Three fire trucks responded to the call and immediately started preparing a ladder truck to allow firefighters access to the roof. Once they gained access, they found a small fire had been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.

“On a large building we will try to determine exactly where it is before we start committing resources to the wrong area,” BGFD Chief Jason Colson said. “We’ve shut down the sprinkler system and stopped water from flowing in the building.”  Firefighters also went into the surrounding buildings to verify that there weren’t any other issues or possible fires. Colson said no further fire resources were needed and both buildings were unoccupied.  The cause of the fire was undetermined as of 8:30 p.m. Fire investigators were called to the scene. BGFD was attempting Thursday night to make contact with the building owner.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Louisville, KY – Fire at middle school put out by sprinkler system; Fire started in tablet charging station

The de Paul School students have a longer weekend thanks to an overnight fire.  The fire broke out around 7:00 PM Sunday night on a cart that charges tablets.   According to Tony Kemper, head of school, no one was on campus during the fire and only the cart was damaged.   The school’s sprinkler system put out the fire, but water from the sprinklers seeped from the third to first floor.

Class was canceled Monday as a restoration company helped with water cleanup. “There’s no structural damage, just a bit of restoration work they need to get done,” said Kemper.

The de Paul School will be closed Tuesday as cleanup continues. Students should return to class Wednesday.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Louisville, KY – Apartment kitchen fire contained with help from sprinkler system

A 3-alarm fire forced residents to evacuate the Brown Suburban Condominium Homes Thursday night. Firefighters responded to the fire at the condo at 3320 Bardstown Road near Goldsmith Lane around 9 o’clock. The fire started in an apartment on the third floor and was contained to that unit, but smoke filled the hallways, and residents were forced to evacuate. Many of the residents are elderly and in wheelchairs, which made the evacuation more difficult, but everyone got out safely.

Firefighters say several apartments have smoke and water damage. Buechel Fire Chief Adam Jones says two people were checked by EMS at the scene.

“We made several medical assists to get them out of there — nobody was transported,” Jones said. “Louisville Metro EMS did check out two different residents that came out — didn’t transport them to the hospital or anything like that so everybody’s safe.”

It took about an hour to put out the fire.

After an investigation, Jones says the fire started when a stove was unintentionally left on after someone accidentally bumped a knob. The overheated stove set a wall on fire,triggering the sprinkler system.

There is substantial smoke and water damage to the third, second and first floors of the building.

The Red Cross helped 10 adults and six children displaced from several apartments with the most damage.

Residents without damage are back in their homes. Others are working with cleanup crews and insurance adjusters.