Tag Archives: Massachusetts

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Hopkinton, MA – Suspicious fire in school faculty bathroom extinguished by sprinkler system

State and local authorities are investigating a suspicious bathroom fire at Hopkins School on Monday that forced the school’s evacuation. The fire, located in a second floor faculty bathroom, was extinguished by the school’s sprinkler system, Deputy Fire Chief Bill Miller said on Tuesday.

The Hayden Rowe Street school was evacuated after the sprinkler system activated the fire alarm at 9:09 a.m. Miller said the fire caused minor damage, but there was water damage in the bathroom.

“They discovered a suspicious fire in the second floor bathroom,” Miller said. Miller would not discuss details of the fire, citing the open investigation. According to the Hopkinton Police log, an arson investigator from the state’s Fire Marshal’s Office came to the scene to help investigate.

Miller said school resumed about an hour after the fire and no one was injured. “The school did a phenomenal job of evacuating the students and following all plans and procedures,” Miller said.  Police spokesman Lt. Joseph Bennett said police are continuing to investigate the fire. Bennett would not release much information, citing the fire is still under investigation. Although the bathroom is a faculty bathroom, it was also open to student use.

Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal’s Office, said the cause of the fire has not been determined, but it appears to be intentionally set.

She said school fires are not uncommon. In 2015 there were 149 school fires. The majority of which were cooking related, but many were also set fires.

“Most of them were small,” said Mieth. “Although all fires start small.”

Hopkinton Public School Superintendent Cathy MacLeod said school administrators spent the day going from classroom to classroom explaining what occurred. She said the goal was to both make the students comfortable at the school, as well as to prevent the spread of rumors

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Brockton, MA – (No Media Coverage) – Fire from welding slag held in check by sprinkler system

***NO MEDIA COVERAGE – FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED*** On November 10, 2016 at 2209 hours a central station alarm was received for a large manufacturing 60,000 sq ft building on Jonathan Dr. The alarm call was followed up for a report of a sprinkler activation. On arrival crews found a fire caused by welders slag. The fire was held in check by the sprinkler system. Damage was minimal.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Yarmouth, MA – Nursing home fire contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire broke out at the Mayflower Place nursing facility on Buck Island Road around 11 a.m. Smoke as reportedly pouring from one of the units when firefighters arrived. A sprinkler system contained the fire and crews quickly put it out. The occupant escaped and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A Hyannis engine assisted at the scene.

Office Building, Other Business

Boston, MA – Sprinkler system activates in spontaneous combustion fire at downtown office building

Firefighters believe a spontaneous combustion caused a small fire at a downtown Boston office building Thursday night, the fire department said. The fire started in a work room on the first floor of 50 Milk St. at about 8:55 p.m., said Steve MacDonald, a Boston fire spokesman.

“It generated a lot of smoke,” he said, but the building was otherwise not damaged, and the Friday workday should not be affected. The department believes some rags in the work room had spontaneously combusted. MacDonald said the rags had some solvents on them and were in a room that was poorly ventilated.

The room did have a sprinkler system, however, which activated when the fire began, MacDonald said.  Fire companies left the scene by about 10:15 p.m. There were very few people in the building at the time of the fire, MacDonald said.

Other - Retail, Retail

Marston Mills, MA – Sprinkler system holds fire in check at auto restoration business

Fire broke out in a strip mall building in Marstons Mills shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday.  Centerville-Osterville-Marstons Mills firefighters responded to an alarm activation at 40 Industrial Road and discovered the fire.  Only one business was open and everyone there safely evacuated.  A sprinkler system kept the fire in check and crews quickly got it under control.  Firefighters used a metal-cutting saw to gain entry to the unit. A sign identified the business as Euro-Restoration, a car repair company.  Mutual aid from Cotuit and West Barnstable assisted at the scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Brockton, MA – Apartment arson fire contained by sprinkler system

… The incident is the second arson fire in the city in a week. On Aug. 19, someone set a fire inside an apartment in a 16-unit apartment building at 119 Newbury St., Williams said.

The apartment was unoccupied, however, there were other people in the building at the time. No one was injured.

The building’s sprinkler activated and helped keep the fire from spreading inside the four-story wood-frame building until firefighters arrived, Williams said.

Anyone with information on these two arson cases is asked to call the Arson Watch Reward Program at 1-800-682-9229. A reward of up to $5,000 has been offered for pertinent information.

Apartment Building, Residential

Haverhill, MA – Sprinkler system keeps outdoor fire from spreading into apartment building

A fire in an outdoor trash container Tuesday night on Washington Street displaced residents of two apartments when sprinklers activated.

Haverhill firefighters responded to a report of fire in a trash container about 7 p.m., outside a 12-unit apartment building at 217 Washington St., said Fire Chief William F. Laliberty. He said the fire damaged a wooden window frame on the first floor, activating sprinklers.

“The sprinkler did its job protecting occupants of the building,” Laliberty told WHAV. Residents of the two bottom apartments had not been able to return home as of Wednesday afternoon, he said.

City records describe the brick building as having been constructed about 1910.

The chief said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Harwich, MA – Fire at Cape Cod resort doused by sprinkler system

Shortly before 2 p.m., Harwich Fire-Rescue responded to a fire alarm from The Wequassett Resort & Golf Club on Route 28. While enroute, additional information was received of a possible kitchen fire at The Twenty Eight Atlantic Restaurant located at the Resort, which upgraded the alarm to a line box including apparatus and firefighters from Chatham and Brewster Fire. Upon arrival Harwich Firefighters found the fire in the kitchen had been contained by sprinklers, thus averting a potentially serious situation, and downgraded the response to a first alarm assignment, canceling the incoming additional towns.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it appeared that aerosol cans stored too close to a heat source ignited which activated the sprinkler and alarm system. Firefighters stretched a single hand-line as a precaution and removed the box of aerosol cans and a commercial oven to the outside of the structure. The fire scene was secured and turned back to the Resort with all units clearing within the hour.

Other - Residential, Residential

Adams, MA – No injuries reported as sprinkler system puts out fire at homeless shelter

Twelve Louison House residents were displaced after a small attic fire that was largely extinguished by the house’s sprinkler system.

Assistant Fire Chief John Pansecchi said the electrical fire broke out in the attic around 11:45 Sunday morning but was quickly snuffed out by the family support center’s sprinkler system.

“There were no injuries and minimal fire damage, and I can’t stress enough how much the sprinkler system probably saved that building,” Pansecchi said. “The sprinklers put the fire out in the area so basically we just investigated and tried to determine the cause.”

He said the water damage was caused by the sprinkler system and two families and four individuals were put up at a nearby hotel. The Louison House and the Red Cross provided this support.

It is unknown at this point when residents can move back into the house; the building inspector must make a ruling first.

Pansecchi said the Adams Police and Ambulance were present and Cheshire Fire covered the Adams Station.

Pansecchi said the knockdown was a great success and went smoothly.

“It was a success,” he said. “It was an hour and a half for us there compared to the four hours we spent on Park Street.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Brockton, MA – Apartment kitchen fire is kept from spreading thanks to sprinkler system

A kitchen fire displaced 11 residents of a Brockton home Wednesday night. The Brockton Fire Department responded to 18 N. Arlington St. about 8:16 p.m. for a report of a grease fire on the stove in an apartment in the building.  The fire extended to the kitchen cabinets and into the wall, Brockton Fire Deputy Chief Mark Baker said.  A sprinkler went off in the building, which helped to prevent the fire from spreading further.

Ladder 1 responded and put out the flames with a hose. The building sustained about $50,000 worth of heat, smoke and water damage, Baker said.  The home’s 11 residents were displaced and were assisted by the Red Cross in being placed in other properties owned by the landlord.