Tag Archives: Maryland

Residential, Single Family Home

Manchester, MD – Residential sprinkler system contained house fire to one bedroom

Damage was confined to one area of the house.

A sprinkler installed in a home in Manchester helped minimize the damage from a house fire.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office says Philip Gray, 85, and his son, Thomas, were moving into a home at 3175 Main Street. Philip Stone was alone in the house late Wednesday morning at around 11:47 when he discovered a fire in a bedroom of the two-story home. He tried to put it out, but the residential sprinkler system was activated. The flames were contained to the bedroom when fire fighters from the Manchester Volunteer Fire Company responded. Personnel used a minimal amount of water to extinguish the remainder of the fire.

Damage is estimated at $35,000  to the home and its contents, and was contained to the bedroom. . The sprinkler activation is crediting with keeping the small fire contained to its area of origin, according to the Fire Marsha’s Office.

Mister Gray refused treatment after sustaining a minor injury to his leg.

Investigators say the cause of the fire was improperly discarded smoking materials.

Officials say the home will be unoccupied for a temporary period of time so that repairs and clean up can take place.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Federalsburg, MD – Storage room fire in industrial building brought under control by sprinkler system; 200 employees safe

A fire in a storage room damaged a Caroline County industrial building on Tuesday night. The fire was reported at the Dart Plant at 1000 Industrial Park Drive shortly after 9:30 p.m. According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the building’s sprinkler system had the fire under control before firefighters with the Federalsburg Volunteer Fire Company arrived. Damage to the structure and its contents is estimated at $6,000. Fire investigators say about 200 employees were in the building at the time of the fire. There were no reported injuries. Investigators determined the fire started in a storage room above the plant’s maintenance shop. Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Upper Eastern Regional Office 410-822-7609.

Apartment Building, Residential

Silver Spring, MD – Apartment fire caused by smoking in bed is extinguished by sprinkler system

When a Montgomery County man went to check on his wife last week, she was in the bedroom, on a bed, and the bed was on fire, according to a report from the county fire department.  A smoke alarm and a sprinkler were credited by the department with averting possible tragedy.  The man had been in another room when he heard the alarm, the fire department said. According to the department, he went to the bedroom, and found the fire “on the mattress by the pillows with his wife still on the bed.”

The incident occurred around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at a senior independent living facility on Old Columbia Pike, the fire department said. The building was identified by the department as Arbor Crest, in the Fairland/Calverton area, in the 12800 block of the pike.  In a statement issued Sunday, the fire department said the woman had been smoking cigarettes, and “at some point fell asleep.”

Once in the bedroom, her husband was able to rouse her, the statement said. Then, it said, he tried to put out the fire. After making numerous attempt to put it out, the statement said, the couple left the apartment. No one was injured, and damage was estimated at $30,000, the department said in its statement.

When fire fighters arrived, the department said, the fire “was mostly out.” In the meantime, some residents had been evacuated and others sheltered in place, the department said.  Neither the man nor the woman was identified. Their ages were not given. A cat was rescued from their apartment, the fire department said.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Ocean City, MD – Restaurant fire extinguished by sprinkler system and fast acting employee

An Ocean City restaurant was saved from serious fire damage due to fire sprinklers and an employee using a fire extinguisher. The Ocean City Fire Department was called to respond to a reported building fire at Liquid Assets Restaurant on 94th Street just before 4:30 PM Tuesday.  When firefighters arrived, they found the building had been evacuated. As they entered the building, they found one single fire sprinkler that was actively flowing water near the propane oven, along with light smoke conditions and evidence of a fire that had been extinguished by the sprinkler system and an employee using a Class K fire extinguisher.

“The quick actions of the staff at Liquid Assets and the fire sprinkler system saved lives and property at Liquid Assets. This is one example why the Office of the Fire Marshal maintains our Fire Protection Quality Assurance Program, to ensure all fire protection systems work as intended during an emergency,” said Fire Marshal David W. Hartley.  An on-scene investigation by the O.C. Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the fire started as a result of a propane appliance malfunction. The fire has been ruled accidental.

Other - Manufacturing, Other Business

Elkton, MD – Authorities credit sprinkler system with extinguishing blaze in chemical mixing room

Investigators are crediting a sprinkler system for extinguishing a blaze Monday morning inside a chemical mixing room at a medical products plant in Elkton, allowing the three employees in that area to escape safely, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.  Workers called 911 at approximately 7:15 a.m. Monday, after discovering the fire inside a Terumo Medical Corp. building in the 100 block of Blue Ball Road, fire officials said. About 10 firefighters with Singerly Volunteer Fire Co. of Elkton and Aetna Hook, Hose and Ladder Co. in Newark, Del., responded to the call, but the blaze had been extinguished by the time they arrived, fire officials added.

“The fire was contained to the chemical room after the sprinkler system activated,” said Sr. Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver J. Alkire, an agency spokesman, adding, “Three employees inside the room were able to safely escape.”  Investigators estimated that that part of the building sustained $25,000 in structural damage, according to Alkire, who further reported that no other property was damaged. Investigators identified the property owner as Terumo Medical Corp., which manufactures medical devices and supplies.

Fire detectives listed the cause of the blaze as accidental, after concluding that static electricity inside the chemical mixing room triggered the fire, Alkire said. Because the fire occurred in a place containing chemicals, he added, the Cecil County Hazmat Team also was dispatched to the scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Frederick, MD – Laundry fire at apartment building put out with help from sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Three people were displaced last Wednesday evening after a clothes dryer caught fire in an apartment in the Francis Scott Key apartment building, officials said.  Just after 6 p.m., multiple fire departments responded to the apartment at 31 W. Patrick St. in downtown Frederick, and the fire was quickly put out with the help of the building’s sprinkler system.  No injuries were reported, according to Deputy Chief Jerry Dorsey with United Fire Co.  The fourth-floor apartment sustained significant water damage, as well as the two apartments directly below it on the third and second floors, Dorsey said.  The American Red Cross was called to assist the three displaced residents. Dorsey said two of the residents went to stay with family.  Independent Hose Co., Westview Fire Station, Junior Fire Co., Fort Detrick Fire Department and Spring Ridge Fire Station also assisted in putting out the blaze.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Easton, MD – Sprinkler system controls fire at senior citizen apartment complex; No injuries reported

The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s office is crediting smoke alarms and a sprinkler system for saving 18 senior citizens during an apartment complex fire.

According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s office, around 12:15 p.m. on Friday, a wall mounted HVAC unit in the Asbury Senior Apartment Complex failed and caused a fire. The fire escalated to a two alarm fire, causing $15,000 in damage to the structure and $5,000 in damages to the building contests, authorities say.

The fire marshal reports that 18 senior citizens were evacuated from the building during the fire, assisted by the Easton Police Department. The fire marshal says the smoke alarms helped alert the seniors and the sprinklers controlled the fire before 70 firefighters responded to the complex.

While all the seniors escaped, authorities say they have been displaced from the East Dover Street complex due to the damage. The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s office says the American Red Cross is assisting the displaced senior citizens. 

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Aberdeen, MD – Arson fire at town home contained to basement area by sprinkler system

Investigators are looking for information from the community about fires that were set at two adjoining townhouses early Friday afternoon.  Firefighters from the Abingdon Volunteer Fire Company and surrounding companies were dispatched at 12:16 p.m. for a dwelling fire after a passerby observed smoke coming from 503 Cool Breeze Circle in the Holly Woods development off of Philadelphia Road, according to a news release from the Office of the State Fire Marshal.  When they arrived, firefighters encountered a fire that had been contained to the basement because the fire sprinklers activated, according to the release.  They also found that one or more people had forced their way into the home.

While investigating the fire at 503 Cool Breeze Circle, firefighters noticed that one or more people had also forced their way into 501 Cool Breeze Circle, where they found multiple points of origin of a fire within the home.  With these observations, the Office of the State Fire Marshal was requested to the scene.  Investigators determined the fire within 503 Cool Breeze Circle, which was occupied at the time of the fire by owners Richard and Elizabeth Dubose, was intentionally set and was contained to the basement after fire sprinklers activated.

They also concluded the multiple fires at 501 Cool Breeze Circle, owned by Nicole Tavenier, which was vacant and for sale, were also incendiary. Those fires had self-extinguished and did not produce the required heat to activate the fire sprinkler system.  Twenty-five firefighters assisted in the one-alarm fire in 503 Cool Breeze Circle. No injuries were reported and investigators estimate total damage to both homes at about $25,000.  Anyone living in the community, or who may have been passing by at the time of the fires, is asked to contact the fire marshal’s office with any information about these incidents.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Westminster, MD – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in stopping fire at manufacturing plant; No injuries reported

A fire at the FR Conversions building in the 1200 block of Tech Court in Westminster Tuesday afternoon caused damage, but no injuries were reported to civilians or emergency responders.

Responders were alerted for reports of building fire at 12:28 p.m. When units arrived, it appeared that a piece of equipment on the production line was on fire, said Josh Evans, a spokesman for the Westminster volunteer fire company.

“The sprinkler system did activate and extinguish the bulk of the fire,” he said. “It took firefighters about 10 minutes to extinguish the fire the rest of the way.”

Some remained on scene for about 90 additional minutes to ventilate smoke out of the building. The fire and smoke damage is estimated at $150,000, he said.

Crews from Westminster, Pleasant Valley, Reese, New Windsor, Hampstead, Sykesville, Manchester and Glyndon, in Baltimore County, were called.

It did not appear to those on scene that fire damage extended to other businesses in the building, Evans said.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is investigating.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Worton, MD – Sprinkler system credited with helping to control fire after explosion at manufacturing plant

Investigators are pointing to mechanical failure of production machinery as the cause of Saturday’s industrial building fire at Creafill Fibers Corp. The plant in the 10000-block of Worton Road manufactures cellulose fibers, according to Lori Toevs, controller and director of human resources.

One plant employee was injured as a result of a subsequent dust explosion. The employee was thrown back into a pallet of product, Toevs said in a telephone interview Monday.

The employee was transported by ambulance to the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, where he was treated and released.

Volunteer firefighters from Kent and Queen Anne’s counties, Kent-Queen Anne’s Rescue Squad and Kent EMS responded.

The fire was brought under control in two hours, according to the fire marshal’s report. Crews were on the scene for about three hours.

There were no reported injuries to firefighters or emergency personnel.

Worton Road, which also is state Route 297, was closed to through traffic for a couple of hours.

The alarm sounded at 3:09 p.m. Saturday after an employee observed a small fire inside a production machine.

The employee powered off the machine. Upon opening a filter cover within the machine to investigate further, he was “flown back” as a result of a pressure wave created by a subsequent dust explosion, according to the fire marshal’s preliminary report.

The employee was able to escape the building and call 911.

Proper activation of the sprinkler system and pressure relief vent system is credited with limiting damage to the 75 foot-by-200 foot steel frame building and its contents.

In-house the building is called the “white line,” Toevs said. That’s where product (cellulose fiber) is made out of natural pulp. Toevs said the operation is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Manufacturing started at the Worton site in 1995. Currently there are 35 employees, Toevs said.

The “white line” was not operating Monday and Tuesday due to cleanup.

Toevs said on Wednesday that the expectation was to start “producing product” by the end of the week.

She estimated the value of damaged equipment to be $20,000, what she guessed it would cost to replace the explosion caps on filters.

“We’re just starting to assess … we’re not sure what we’ve lost,” Toevs said Monday. “We didn’t lose a lot of finished product but we lost raw materials.”

Also to be calculated is the cost of cleanup.

Firefighters returned to Creafill at about 10 p.m. Sunday for a report of fire in the roof. On arrival they found “a smoke haze in the building,” according to a posting on the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company’s Facebook page.

Firefighters pulled open the metal ceiling and doused smoldering embers, according to the Facebook post.

No injuries were reported.

Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Matt Stevens said his office was not called out to the incident.