Tag Archives: Massachusetts

Apartment Building, Residential

Barnstable, MA – Kitchen fire at large apartment complex extinguished by sprinkler system

A kitchen fire activated the sprinkler system on the third floor of a large apartment complex in Barnstable around 8 p.m. Monday. The initial reports prompted a second alarm response to the Village Green Apartments at 767 Independence Drive. The fire was out on arrival but crews checked to make sure the fire hadn’t extended to the attic. No injuries were reported. The Red Cross was called to provide temporary housing for the occupants of the apartment.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Nursing Home/Senior Living

Northampton, MA – Electrical fire at nursing home contained by sprinkler system

An electrical fire forced several elderly residents to temporarily evacuate from the CareOne Nursing-Rehab Center in Northampton early Saturday morning.

Mark Spees told 22News his wife lives there. He said he rushed to her side as soon as he heard what had happened. “Got up this morning got a cup of coffee, turned on the news… the coffee’s still on the table because I just started moving,” he said.

When Spees got to the CareOne Nursing-Rehab Center, he was relieved to find out his wife was safe and sound. “Unbelievable, you know, all I could think was what’s happening? What’s going on? How’s my wife? When you’ve been married for 43 years you tend to worry,” he said.

Northampton Deputy Fire Chief Timothy McQueston told 22News an air conditioning unit plugged into an outlet on the third floor sparked the fire. Fortunately, the building’s sprinkler system helped keep the fire from spreading, and no one was seriously hurt.

Later that morning, crews were still cleaning up pieces of shard glass where firefighters had to bust open a window to rescue a woman trapped inside. She was one of three people taken to the hospital by ambulance, as the building’s staff ushered the other residents to safety.

At least 30 people on the third floor of the building had to be moved to other locations temporarily because of the damage.

The experience highlighted a fear that many children, husbands, and wives have as their family members get older and require extra care.

Leann Worsnop of Easthampton told 22News it’s hard not to worry about your parents when they no longer live under your care. “It’s as if it was your own child, the same thing, the same feelings, just you know, what can you do? It’s a feeling of helplessness, and then the whole fear of what actually happened,” she said.

The three residents who went to the hospital are expected to be ok. No one was else was injured.

Government Office, Government/Military

Wilmington, MA – Fire at public safety building doused by sprinkler system

Firefighters have long touted the value of sprinklers for saving lives and preventing property damage, and on Wednesday afternoon Wilmington firefighters got an up close look at just how effective the devices really are.

Fire Chief Rick McClellan said a commercial dryer in the firefighters’ gear and laundry room caught on fire about 5:30 p.m., as firefighters were elsewhere in the public-safety building. He said firefighters were in the kitchen on the second-floor of the public-safety building when they noticed smoke coming from the area where the gear and laundry room and fire apparatus are.

As they went to investigate, they noticed heavy smoke pouring from a 12-inch vent in the roof of the apparatus bay, and arrived downstairs to discover a dryer fire that was contained by a single sprinkler head in the gear/laundry room. “The sprinkler contained it to the area and the contents inside the dryer,” McClellan said. “Here we are with nine guys upstairs and there’s a fire going on and the sprinkler put it out.”

The dryer was a total loss, as were the uniforms that were drying in it, but McClellan said the sprinkler head prevented the blaze from causing any structural damage. Drains in the floor of the laundry/gear room minimized water damage, he said.

All the firefighters had to do was turn the sprinkler off, vent some of the smoke from the fire and clean the floors. “The sprinkler mitigated the whole problem,” McClellan said. “They didn’t even have to bring in a hose line.”

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Wayland, MA – Sprinkler system helps keep restaurant fire from spreading

A Boston Post Road restaurant established in 1930 will be closed for at least a week after a kitchen fire on Saturday, authorities said.   “Unfortunately, all of the food in the restaurant has to be destroyed,” said Houghton. “It’s safe to say the restaurant will have to be closed for at least a week.”

The fire department went to the Coach Grill around 1:30 p.m. for a report of fire showing from the building. Upon arrival, the department called for a second alarm, with Weston and Sudbury Fire departments assisting at the scene. The Natick and Lincoln Fire departments covered the stations, the chief said.

The fire was traced to a refrigeration unit in the kitchen, the chief said. The restaurant’s sprinkler system activated. The restaurant, which serves dinner and Sunday brunch, was closed at the time of the fire. No one was injured.

“With it being closed, there were no cars in the parking lot, so we were able to use the parking lot for all of the apparatus,” Houghton said.

 

The cause of the fire is not known and being investigated by the state fire marshal’s office.

 

“It’s not suspicious by any means, but because it is such a significant dollar loss, we want to make sure to get the exact cause pinpointed,” Houghton said..

Apartment Building, Residential

Lynn, MA – Couch fire in fourth floor apartment extinguished by sprinkler system

The Lynn Fire Department responded to a couch fire in a fourth floor apartment at 501 Washington St. Tuesday, said Lynn District Fire Chief Stephen Archer. The fire, which occurred at 4 p.m., was extinguished by a sprinkler system. Residents of that unit have had to find a new home due to water damage, Archer said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Athol, MA – Fire at casket factory extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire that broke out at an Athol casket factory Sunday evening is considered suspicious. Athol firefighters received a call around 5:34 p.m. reporting possible smoke and flames at the Cambium Corp. casket factory at 339 Main St.

The department responded with two engines, a ladder truck and a command vehicle, and found a smoky odor on arrival, according to a department press release. Smoke was seen on the first floor, but the fire was found to have been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.  MedStar Ambulance assisted with evacuating one person from the neighboring building as a precaution.

Police Lt. Kevin Heath said the fire is being considered suspicious because it started outside the building in a pile of sawdust. Athol police and fire personnel continue to investigate, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jeffrey R. Parker. Orange and Royalston firefighters responded to assist, while Templeton Fire covered the Athol station

Other - Retail, Retail

Shrewsbury, MA – Suspicious fire at nail salon controlled with help from sprinkler system

A fire inside a Shrewsbury nail salon located in the White City Plaza has been deemed suspicious by authorities after they discovered flames inside the business early Tuesday. The Shrewsbury Fire Department said firefighters were called to 20 Boston Turnpike around 1:40 a.m. for a water flow alarm. Firefighters found the front door at Creative Nails & Spa, located at 50 Boston Turnpike, had been shattered.

“There was smoke from an interior fire and water from the sprinkler system coming out of the structure,” the fire department posted on Facebook. “Firefighters quickly deployed an attack hand line, made entry and extinguished the fire.”

The sprinkler system was shut down after the fire was brought under control. The damage caused by the fire was limited to the nail salon. The fire is under investigation by Shrewsbury Police and the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigative Section.

Apartment Building, Residential High Rise

Westboro, MA – Fire in trash chute of high rise apartment building controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries

Fountainhead Apartments residents who were displaced Friday night after sprinklers were set off by a fire in a trash chute will be allowed back into their units starting Saturday afternoon, according to management.

Danielle DeHart, regional property manager at the Fountainhead Apartments, said most of the displaced residents will be allowed back into their units, starting at 2 p.m. Saturday. “At 2 o’clock, we’ll start letting the building in slowly with the assistance of local police,” Ms. DeHart said.

Ms. DeHart said “well over 200 residents” from about 170 apartments were affected. She said the Fountainhead is asking the tenants of 11 units to allow additional drying time. “We were very fortunate that nobody was hurt and everybody responded very quickly from the management team and also the local police and fire personnel,” Ms. DeHart said. “It was the smoke, of course, that triggered that the sprinkler system. It wasn’t the fire itself.”

Ms. DeHart said the lesson to learn here is to be conscientious about what you throw away. She said estimates on the damages is not available yet.  “Right now, our focus is on the residents and getting everybody where they need to be, certainly, cold January time, so that’s our priority No. 1, and then we’re worry about the building after that.”

Other Business

Easton, MA – Fire at team sports apparel company is minimized with help from sprinkler system

The fire at Pop Tops Sportswear, 10 Plymouth Drive, was reported to the Easton Fire Department about 6:52 a.m. when the fire alarm was tripped.  Pop Tops manufactures and sells custom team uniforms, apparel, work wear and promotional products.

When firefighters arrived, smoke was coming from the building. The 100×200-square-foot warehouse was filled with thick, heavy smoke, said Easton Fire Captain James Walsh. It took firefighters about 10-15 minutes to locate the fire inside the building.

“The toughest part was locating it because of the smoke conditions. The building was full of smoke.” Walsh said. “There was zero visibility.”

The blaze started inside of a room where equipment is cleaned. Walsh said one of the pieces of equipment ignited the fire.  The sprinkler system went off inside the building soaking some of the company’s merchandise.

“A lot of merchandise was ruined,” Walsh said.  The Stoughton and Raynham fire departments also responded to the scene and the Brockton Fire Department provided station coverage for Easton, Walsh said.

Given the materials inside the building – including clothing and chemicals – the fire could have been a lot worse, Walsh said.  “Everything worked well. The sprinkler system worked well, the alarm system went off. The guys were able to get in there quick and knock it down,” Walsh said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Stoughton, MA – Sprinklers credited with averting potential disaster in fire at 60-unit apartment complex

A sprinkler system in a 60-plus unit apartment complex is credited with averting what could have been a disaster, the fire chief said. About noon Monday, firefighters received an alarm for The Lodge at Stoughton, which is an apartment complex on Technology Center Drive near the Randolph line.When firefighters arrived, they found staff helping to evacuate the building and smoke inside the first floor, said interim Fire Chief Gregory Goldberg. When firefighters opened the first-floor unit’s door, there was heavy smoke, but the fire was extinguished by sprinklers in the room, Goldberg said.“It was a grease fire on a stove that got going pretty good,” he said. “But it ended up all right because the sprinkler system kept it at bay.” The four-story building has more than 60 units, Goldberg said.“It could have been a major disaster,” he said. “Fire alarms save lives, and sprinklers save lives and buildings.” The woman who lives in the apartment got out safely with a friend who was inside at the time.She is being assisted by the Red Cross, as her apartment sustained smoke and major water damage. A unit next door sustained minor water damage.“When we got in, it was completely extinguished,” Goldberg said. “The fire didn’t extend through the ceiling. The sprinkler took care of it.”