Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Bel Air, MD – Fire that started in ductwork controlled with help from sprinklers December 24, 2015 viking210 One person was injured in an electrical fire at an industrial building in Belcamp Tuesday, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The fire began at 11:54 a.m. in the ductwork at Böttcher Systems in the 4600 block of Mercedes Drive, according to the report. An employee and alarm monitoring company discovered the blaze, which began in the exhaust duct, ignited rubber millings, then spread, according to the report, which said a spark detector inside the duct failed to extinguish the millings. The fire was ruled accidental. The 50-year-old employee who found the fire tried to extinguish it and as a result, he sustained a first-degree burn to his finger, the fire marshal reported. He was treated and released at the scene, the report said. After the fire and sprinkler systems activated, it took 30 firefighters from Abingdon, Joppa-Magnolia, Aberdeen and Bel Air approximately 15 minutes to bring it under control, the report said. There was $5,000 in damage to items inside the building, according to the fire marshal.
Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential Perryville, MD – Sprinklers credited with quelling blaze in senior community building December 8, 2015 viking210 Investigators are crediting a residential sprinkler system for quickly extinguishing a kitchen fire inside one of the 92 units at a four-story senior community building in Perryville on Monday morning, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. Fire officials also reported that one person, who they identified as Jeffrey Coudon, required medical treatment after suffering “minor smoke inhalation.” The blaze started about 5:30 a.m. in the kitchen of a one-bedroom apartment on the third-floor of the Fairgreen Senior Community in the 100 block of Greenway, fire officials said. Investigators blamed the blaze on “unattended cooking on the stove,” fire officials added. “The fire was quickly extinguished by the residential fire sprinkler system, effectively protecting the lives of occupants in the building. Water damage was sustained to the first and second floors, as result of the activation,” said Deputy State Fire Marshal Joseph Walters, lead investigator. About 15 firefighters with volunteer fire companies from Perryville and Perry Point brought the small fire under control in approximately 1 minute, having received advance help from the sprinkler system, fire officials reported.
Government/Military, Other-Government/Military Ocean City, MD – Sprinklers praised for stopping fire at town’s Service Center Warehouse December 3, 2015 viking210 Fire sprinklers in an Ocean City building are attributed to a quickly put out fire last week. Around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 22, the Ocean City Fire Department was dispatched to an automatic fire alarm at the town’s Service Center Warehouse on 65th Street, according to a press release. “By these two fire sprinklers activating, city ambulances, police cars, busses, street sweepers, and other essential equipment was saved,” Fire Marshal David W. Hartley said in the release. “This example shows the huge impact sprinklers have not just in a home, but also in reducing the average loss of property during a fire in a commercial structure.” When firefighters arrived, they found the 12,000 square foot vehicle garage filled with smoke. The call for service was upgraded to a building fire, according to the release, which brought additional fire and EMS resources. Firefighters found two sprinkler heads that were activated extinguished the fire before the department was dispatched. On-scene investigation showed the fire started due to a machine malfunction and was classified accidental. The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
Food Processing, Manufacturing Baltimore, MD – Fire at peanut roasting company suppressed by sprinkler system; Allergy concerns alleviated October 7, 2015 viking210 A late-morning fire at a Barcelona Nut Co. warehouse in Southwest Baltimore was quickly extinguished Tuesday, but city emergency officials were concerned enough to warn residents near the 500 block of Fulton Ave. who had nut allergies. “Although we were unclear as to the amount of peanuts burning, we felt that it was worth a warning out of an abundance of caution,” said Connor Scott, spokesman for the city’s Office of Emergency Management. In the end, there was probably little risk, said Dr. Robert Wood, director of pediatric allergy and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He said those allergic to peanuts would have to be in proximity to suffer a reaction. “If you were just roasting peanuts you’d have to be within feet of the roasting, in the building,” Wood said. “In a fire, where there were larger volumes being burned, I supposed you’d be at risk within 40-50 yards, but that would probably be the extreme.” The peanut dust would dissipate quickly in the air, he said, adding that no one has studied if burnt peanuts would pose more of a threat than roasted ones. The fire did burn peanuts, which were in a roaster in the plant, confirmed Ed Roush, Barcelona’s quality manager. He said workers also vented the smoke during the fire, which was largely extinguished by the facility’s sprinkler system before fire crews arrived. The firm’s employees were more at risk from the fire; three suffered non-life-threatening injuries — likely smoke-related — trying to put it out, Roush said. He and fire officials didn’t know what caused the fire, but Roush said he hopes to reopen the facility by Thursday or Friday. The company, founded in 1924 by a Spanish immigrant, has been in the current location since 1986. It roasts and packages several kinds of nuts at the plant, which also packages other snack foods. Longtime neighbors said they didn’t see much smoke and weren’t concerned about the peanuts, and didn’t know anyone close by with an allergy. Nancy Will, who once worked in the building, said it’s not often they even get a whiff of nuts, which is a far cry from years past when peanut oil would coat their cars. “You’d turn the windshield wipers on and get a nice smear,” said her husband, Robert Wills, who was sitting on the steps of his Fulton Street house across from Barcelona.
Residential, Townhouse / Condominium Hagerstown, MD – Single sprinkler extinguishes residential kitchen fire August 3, 2015 viking210 No one was injured during a minor kitchen fire Thursday afternoon on Hagerstown’s North End, according to City Fire Marshal Doug DeHaven. The fire was reported at 1:30 p.m. in the 17600 block of Potter Bell Way in the Hager’s Crossing development, DeHaven said in a news release. He said a single sprinkler head from the home’s quick-response sprinkler system extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived. Firefighters ventilated smoke from the home, and all of the units were cleared by 2:30 p.m., DeHaven said.
Department Store, Retail Capitol Heights, MD – Sprinkler system helps extinguish potential arson fire at Family Dollar store July 29, 2015 viking210 Prince George’s County authorities are seeking the community’s assistance in identifying a man they believed started a fire in a local Family Dollar store. The fire occurred at 1:23 p.m. Saturday in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Onlookers say they saw a man set combustible materials on fire to cover up a theft. The fire was quickly contained by a store sprinkler and an employee dispensing a fire extinguisher. The total loss is estimated at $2,500. No injuries were reported.
Residential, Single Family Home Owings Mills, MD – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire after domestic dispute July 22, 2015 viking210 A teacher’s aide from Washington, D.C., has been charged with throwing gasoline on her boyfriend and setting his home on fire, Baltimore County Police said Tuesday. Officers were called to the home in the 10800 block of Sherwood Road in Owings Mills just before 5 p.m. Sunday for a report of a domestic situation. While en route, they learned that the home was on fire. The victim told police that his girlfriend, 29-year-old Lisa Lashell Finley had assaulted him that morning while she was intoxicated, according to court documents. When she went back to his home, he told her he wanted to end their relationship of about two years and told her she could gather her things while he waited in the basement. He smelled gas and went upstairs to find the stove on but no fire. Finley then threw gasoline on him, according to court documents. Holding a lighter and a can of hairspray, she allegedly threatened to kill him. Police say the man left the home. But when he returned, he found a fire burning inside. A sprinkler system extinguished the fire. Finley later turned herself in at the Franklin Precinct Monday afternoon. She has been charged with attempted first degree murder, first degree arson and first degree assault. Finley is an educational aide at Anacostia High School, an official with D.C. Public Schools confirmed. She was hired in Oct. 2013. Her current employment status is not known at this time.
Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant Port Deposit, MD – Fire at restaurant in historic building contained by sprinkler system July 12, 2015 viking210 Investigators are blaming an electrical malfunction for a fire inside a Port Deposit restaurant and bar on Thursday morning, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. “The sprinklers contained the fire to the area of origin. Without a doubt, it stopped the fire from spreading,” Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver J. Alkire said. About 30 firefighters with volunteer fire companies from Port Deposit, Perryville and Rising Sun rushed to Joe’s Grog House at 26 S. Main Street about 9:20 a.m., after smoke alarms inside the business activated, fire officials said, adding that the business was not open at the time. “There was smoke showing when we arrived,” said EMS Chief Wayne Tome of the Water Witch (Port Deposit) Volunteer Fire Company. It took firefighters approximately 20 minutes to bring the fire and heavy smoke under control, which involved ventilating the building with fans, Tome said. Alkire determined that the blaze started inside a section of the actual bar, where patrons stand or sit and order drinks and food, he said. Alkire concluded that wiring inside that bar wall had malfunctioned, sparking the fire, he added. That section of bar is near one of the establishment’s front doors. “The fire has been ruled accidental due to an electrical failure,” Alkire said. He and Tome both noted that a sprinkler system inside Joe’s Grog House activated and prevented more extensive damage. Joe’s Grog House occupies the first-floor of an historic three-story building, Alkire said, adding that 16 tenants live in seven apartments on the second and third floors of that structure. “Electricity was restored to the building, and no tenants were displaced as a result of the fire,” said Alkire, who noted that the volunteer firefighters quick response after the smoke alarms alerted also was a key factor. Tome echoed Alkire, remarking, “The sprinklers definitely held the fire in check until we could get there. That’s why sprinklers are so important.”
Residential, Residential High Rise Ocean City, MD – High-rise condominium fire extinguished by sprinkler system June 9, 2015 viking210 A potential disaster was averted on Sunday evening when a sprinkler quickly extinguished a kitchen fire at a 25th-floor unit in a north-end high-rise condominium. Shortly before 11 p.m. on Sunday, the Ocean City Fire Department responded to a fire alarm activation resulting from a fire in a unit at the Century I condominium building. When firefighters arrived, there was smoke reported from a unit on the 25th floor. The fire department response was quickly upgraded to a structure fire in a high-rise structure. The fire, which originated in the unit’s kitchen, was suppressed by one fire sprinkler upon arrival of the fire department. Firefighters on scene worked immediately to remove smoke throughout the 25th floor. OCFD officials said the fire at the high-rise structure illustrated the importance of working fire sprinkler systems. “Fire sprinklers respond quickly and effectively to fire, often extinguishing the fire before the fire department arrives,” said Ocean City Fire Marshal David Hartley. “This is a perfect example of how an automatic sprinkler reacted quickly, reduced the heat and flames and prevented injuries to those inside the building.” The unit was unoccupied at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. The fire damage was limited to the unit in which it originated. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office.
Apartment Building, Residential Frederick, MD – Sprinklers contain Memorial Day apartment fire; No injuries reported May 27, 2015 viking210 Crews arrived at the Mountain Glen Apartments in the 5700 block of Sugar Maple Court at 10:35 p.m. Monday to find smoke coming from the second floor of a three-story, garden-style apartment building, said Capt. Kevin Fox, a spokesman for the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services. The apartment’s sprinkler system helped contain the fire while firefighters were setting up. “It was held to the stove and cabinet area of the kitchen and prevented from spreading into the rest of the building,” Fox said. “It took about 30 firefighters 10 minutes to bring it under control.” The 12-unit building was evacuated during the firefighters’ response, but no one was displaced by the blaze and no injuries were reported, either to firefighters or residents, Fox said. Firefighters quickly determined that unattended cooking sparked the fire.
