Tag Archives: Louisiana

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

New Orleans, LA – Sprinklers put out fire at French Quarter restaurant

The New Orleans Fire Department responded to a one-alarm fire Monday (July 20) at the Gazebo Café in the French Quarter. Firefighter Michael Williams said the police department called the fire department around 7 p.m. to report smoke coming from the Decatur Street restaurant. It was closed at the time, he said, and firefighters had to force entry into the building.

They had the scene under control in 10 minutes, he said. Williams said the fire appears to have been caused by a commercial refrigerator that failed. The fire was contained to the Gazebo Cafe, he said, and the restaurant’s sprinkler system put the fire out.

The New Orleans Fire Department responded to a one-alarm fire Monday (July 20) at the Gazebo Cafe in the French Quarter. The restaurant sustained mostly smoke damage, he said. In total, Williams said eight units and 22 firefighters responded. No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Shreveport, LA – High-rise apartment blaze knocked down by sprinkler system

Firefighters were called to the high-rise Fairmont Apartments building in downtown Shreveport just before 7:00 Monday evening. Fire officials say the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen of a third floor apartment. Fortunately, the sprinkler system had mostly knocked out the fire before firefighters arrived.

“The sprinkler system did what it was supposed to do, save the owners of the building money, reduce the damage and minimize injuries to the occupants. So, the sprinkler system was effective in doing its job,” says Shreveport Fire Chief Fred Sanders. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Shreveport, LA – Fire on sixth-floor of Holiday Inn contained to one room by sprinkler system

Heavy smoked filled a sixth-floor room at the Holiday Inn Shreveport on Monday afternoon, activating the sprinkler system and triggering an alarm that resulted in at least 20 fire units being dispatched to the hotel (blog note: fire sprinklers are only activated by heat, not smoke).

The exact cause of the smoke and fire was unknown late Monday as fire investigators worked the scene. No injuries were reported. The room is unusable, but most of the building was not damaged.

“The fire was contained, basically, to one room on the sixth floor and there were other rooms that sustained smoke damage,” said Fred Sanders, assistant to the fire chief. The sprinklers immediately activating helped minimize damage to the room, Sanders said. Firefighters also doused the room as a safety precaution.

Ed Socha, Holiday Inn Shreveport general manager, said employees and about 40 guests staying at the hotel were evacuated. As a standard procedure, some employees were checked out by EMS at the scene.

The room at the center of the smoky scene was rented, but the guest wasn’t there when the fire started, Socha said. Socha said he didn’t see flames. “Just because of the smoke damage, it’s (the room) going to have to be completely redone,” he said. The hotel was to undergo an annual inspection today but it will be postponed, Socha said.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Harvey, LA – Dumpster fire outside TGI Friday’s extinguished by sprinkler system

A dumpster fire outside a Harvey restaurant Friday morning (Feb. 20) was quickly extinguished by a sprinkler system, an official said. The incident was reported around 9:40 a.m. inside a structure attached to the TGI Fridays, 1201 Manhattan Blvd., according to Capt. Michael McAuliffe of the Harvey Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2. Workers inside the restaurant smelled smoke and found the trash bin ablaze. One person attempted to use a portable fire extinguisher but could not get close enough because of the smoke, McAuliffe said.

The sprinkler system activated, triggering an alarm that notified the fire department, McAuliffe said. The system suppressed most of the blaze, with firefighters extinguishing a few remaining hot spots upon their arrival. “A little smoke got into the restaurant, which was ventilated,” McAuliffe said. “The restaurant was able to open by lunchtime.”

 

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Lafayette, LA – Fire in campus residence hall extinguished with help from sprinkler system

A fire in a University of Louisiana at Lafayette residence hall at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, was contained to a data equipment closet on the third floor.  Campus police were called to Baker Hall after a fire alarm company said that an alarm was activated there.

The sprinkler system in the data equipment room was activated prior to the fire department arriving.   No injuries were reported and everyone was evacuated safely.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fire squelched by sprinkler system in multi-story apartment building (Baton Rouge, LA)

A fire which began on the fifth floor of a downtown apartment building was eliminated by the building’s sprinkler system. The majority of the the apartment’s residents are seniors, and everyone was able to evacuate without injury. 

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by reporter Andrew Nomura and CBS 9News, which focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system **

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Senior assisted living center saved with help from fire sprinklers (New Orleans, LA)

A small heating unit may be to blame for a fire that broke out Wednesday afternoon at an assisted living complex in Marrero. Jefferson Parish firefighters responded, and the sprinkler system helped to quickly put out the fire at the Wynhoven Apartments. The 50 elderly residents who live in the building were evacuated. They have since been allowed to return to their apartments. No one was hurt.