Tag Archives: Maryland

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Elkridge, MD – Arson fire at motel snuffed out by sprinkler system

An Ellicott City man is facing charges in connection with a fire at the Hillside Motel in Elkridge on Wednesday. Dennis Charles Turnbaugh, 26, of the 8300 block of Sunrise Court in Ellicott City, was identified as the suspect in the blaze that broke out around 6:21 p.m., according to police.  Authorities said they were called to the 6300 block of Washington Boulevard for a fire that was snuffed out by the sprinkler system. According to police, the damage was minimal, contained to one room.

When officials investigated the blaze, they determined it had been intentionally set. Turnbaugh was found soon after and charged with first-degree arson, five counts of reckless endangerment and malicious destruction of property, officials reported. He was being held Thursday without bail at the Howard County Detention Center.  Arrests do not indicate convictions.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Marriottsville, MD – Morning arson fire at high school extinguished by sprinkler system

Students, faculty and staff at Marriotts Ridge High School were dismissed early Friday morning after a paper towel holder was set on fire and triggered the building’s sprinkler system. Howard schools spokesman John White said the fire was caused by a student and that disciplinary actions will follow, using the school system’s Student Code of Conduct. On Monday, Howard police charged the 16-year-old juvenile, of Ellicott City, with arson, malicious burning and disturbing activities at school.  There was little damage by the fire and no one was injured. Students were allowed to return to the school Friday afternoon to retrieve their belongings.

Everyone at the high school was safely evacuated to nearby Mount View Middle School this morning, as Howard County Fire and Rescue arrived. Classes were dismissed for the day at 10:15 a.m. since smoke was throughout the building, White said. Kristy Gaigalas, a spokeswoman for the fire department, said officials received the call around 7:15 a.m. and found the fire was extinguished by the sprinklers. White said students who drove to school were immediately dismissed, while parents picked up other students at the middle school.  Marriotts Ridge senior Anthony Ellis said he smelled the smoke, which was coming from the men’s bathroom near the art room on the first floor.  “There really wasn’t much of a fire, just smoke,” Ellis said. “We all had to evacuate before school even began.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Ocean City, MD – Fire Marshal credits sprinkler system for saving resident’s life in apartment fire

The Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office is crediting fire sprinklers for saving the life of an Ocean City woman who just barely escaped a kitchen fire on New Year’s Eve.  Just before 7:30 p.m., firemen were called to the area of 25th Street and Baltimore Avenue, for a building fire.   The woman had been cooking when grease spilled over onto the stove burners, starting a fire that quickly spread.

A single sprinkler head in the kitchen activated and extinguished the fire prior to the arrival of fireman.  The unit suffered limited fire and smoke damage in the kitchen. The adjoining staircase and first floor restaurant area also experienced water damage.  The cause of the fire is classified as accidental.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

St. Charles, MD – Overnight fire at assisted living facility controlled with help from sprinkler system

Deputy State fire Marshals investigated an accidental fire that occurred at the Morningside House of St. Charles four-story assisted living facility at 70 Village Street in Waldorf, Charles County. The property is owned and operated by the Senior Lifestyle Corporation.  The 11:47 p.m. fire activated the smoke detection system and fire sprinkler system allowing occupants of forty apartments on the second and third floors to evacuate without injury. Occupants on the first and fourth floors were safely sheltered in place.  Nearly 50 firefighters from Charles and Prince George’s Counties assisted the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department at the scene.

The fire was contained to the malfunctioning wall mounted heating and air conditioning appliance inside apartment #214. The damage to the structure and contents was confined to fire and smoke damage to the apartment of origin and water throughout the second floor.  Occupants of the second floor are being temporarily relocated elsewhere in the facility during clean-up.  Damage estimates were limited to $40,000 to the structure and contents. 

Residential fire sprinklers are effectively proven to save lives and reduce the costs associated when an uncontrolled fire develops. Fires occurring in unprotected structures of this type often are the result of significant injuries or worse to occupants along with a high dollar value loss and extended lengths of time for restoration of the building.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Thurmont, MD – Fire at catalog business controlled with assistance from sprinkler system

Frederick County Fire and Rescue responded to a building fire around noon on Saturday on Apples Church Road in Thurmont, Md.  Official said smoke was coming from the top of a building which led neighbors to call 911. Fire officials said that the sprinkler system went on which helped calm down the fire, but fire crews did use fire hoses. Locals said that a catalog business is located in that building and the property owner and businesses owner was on site. No one was harmed in this incident

“Once the smoke gets cleared out then we will go in and make sure that the fire is completely out, there is no areas and the Fire Marshall will do their determination and figure out what caused the fire,” said Battalion Chief, Doug Wallick.

This is an open investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Hagerstown, MD – Kitchen fire at new apartment complex extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire that broke out at the Reserve at Collegiate Acres apartment complex in Hagerstown Thursday afternoon could have been much worse if not for the building’s second-floor sprinkler system.

Firefighters from the city and Maugansville responded to the apartment complex on Buckeye Circle at 4:45 p.m. to find the fire-alarm system activated and occupants evacuating the building, according to a Hagerstown Fire Department news release.

Residents reported a fire in the second-floor kitchen apartment, which had been extinguished by the sprinklers. Firefighters verified that the fire was out, shut off the sprinklers and worked to contain the remaining water, the release said.

“This new 28-unit apartment building would most likely have suffered significant damage, displacing much or all of the occupants without the fire sprinkler system,” city Fire Marshal Doug DeHaven said in the release.

“We have had too many large fires recently in the area. Today, we saw the importance of working smoke alarms, which activated alerting the apartment occupants of the fire; the fire sprinkler system, which extinguished a growing fire in the apartment; and the buildings fire alarm that alerted others within the building and notified the fire department,” he said.

The fire marshal’s investigation determined that a pot of grease on the stove caught fire, spreading into the exhaust fan and the above cabinets, the release said.

The occupants of the apartment found the burning pot and attempted to remove it, which activated the sprinklers, the release said.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Severna Park, MD – Fire at assisted living center suppressed by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Nearly 60 residents have been displaced from a Severna Park senior living complex after a two-alarm fire broke out late Monday afternoon, an Anne Arundel County Fire Department spokesman said. Firefighters were called to the Kris-Leigh assisted living facility in the 800 block of Ritchie Highway around 4:45 p.m., Lt. Erik Kornmeyer said.

When they arrived, crews found the four-story building full of smoke. A small fire was found in a common area of the building. It had been mostly extinguished by the sprinkler system, and the fire was contained within minutes, Kornmeyer said.

No injuries were reported. Sixty-eight firefighters from the county, Annapolis and the Naval Academy helped with evacuation and smoke removal, Kornmeyer said.  The facility is expected to be closed for several days, Kornmeyer said.

Kris-Leigh staff was working with the families of the complex’s 56 residents to make arrangements for Monday evening and plans to transfer residents whose families cannot assist with arrangements to Kris-Leigh’s locations in Davidsonville and Gambrills, Kornmeyer said.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Ocean City, MD – Restaurant fire extinguished by sprinkler system; Business reopens same day

A mid-morning fire was quickly extinguished thanks to fire sprinklers and a kitchen extinguishing system yesterday. Just before 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 29, the Ocean City Fire Department was dispatched to an automatic fire alarm at The Crab Bag Restaurant located on 130th Street.

Firefighters arrived and found the two story restaurant evacuated and the fire alarm system ringing. Upon entry into the building, firefighters discovered one single fire sprinkler actively flowing water near the propane oven. In the kitchen area and upstairs, crews found light smoke conditions and evidence of a fire that had been extinguished by the kitchen extinguishing hood and the fire sprinkler system.

“There is no doubt in my mind that fire protection systems saved lives and property at The Crab Bag,” said Fire Marshal David W. Hartley. “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.”

Because of the quick response of the fire sprinklers, employees of The Crab Bag, firefighters, and fire protection contractors, The Crab Bag was able to open for business the same day with an adjusted menu and is expected to be open for a full menu tomorrow.

The on-scene investigation by the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office revealed that the fire started as the result of a propane line being damaged with an ignition source in the area. The fire is classified as accidental.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

North East, MD – Kitchen fire at senior apartment complex extinguished by sprinkler system; State troopers rescue elderly residents

Six Maryland state troopers helped rescue several people from a fire at a senior apartment complex.  State police said troopers were called around 11 p.m. Thursday to help North East police and fire crews at a fire at the Victoria Park Apartments in the 500 block of South Main Street.

State police said the troopers entered the burning building without protective gear or breathing apparatus. The troopers carried five residents to safety before returning to the building to search for others.

There were no deaths and only minor injuries were reported.  According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the fire started in a kitchen and was extinguished by the sprinkler system.  The fire caused about $10,000 in damage to the structure and the contents.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Salisbury, MD – Residential fire caused by lightning strike extinguished with help from sprinkler system

The Office of the State Fire Marshal says they responded to reports of a home fire in Salisbury, Tuesday morning.  Around 9 AM, the owner of the home, located on Stream Valley Court, noticed fire damage, called it in, and the Salisbury Fire Department became the first responders.  The fire reportedly happened earlier in the morning, while the home was unoccupied, at which time the sprinkler system activated and extinguished most of the fire.

The damage was not discovered by the homeowner until they apparently returned to the home around 8:30 AM on Tuesday.  According to the report, it took 15 firefighters about five minutes to control the flames, which originated from the basement wall/ceiling assembly.  Officials say that the preliminary cause is thought to be accidental, with the fire resulting from a lightning strike.