Tag Archives: Minnesota

A small fire at the Salvation Army Castleview Residence at 120 N. Broadway Avenue Tuesday morning forced residents to evacuate and created a mess, according to a firefighter on the scene.

Firefighters arrived on the scene at about 9:30 a.m. and found smoke and water on the fourth floor. They found the source of the smoke in a fourth-floor apartment where the sprinkler system extinguished a fire but flooded several neighboring units in the building.

Fire crews shut off the sprinkler, ventilated the fourth floor and spent about an hour on scene clearing water from the fourth floor.

The smoke and fire damage was limited to the fourth-floor apartment but the first through fourth floors sustained water damage.

No one was injured in the incident and no damage estimate was released.

Apartment Building, Residential

Rochester, MN – Kitchen fire contained to one apartment by fire sprinkler system

June 12, 2019 viking210

The Rochester Fire Department was called to the 1700 block of Quarry Ridge Place Northwest around 11:44 pm. Firefighters say they arrived on scene to find residents evacuating and visual and audible alarms going off. Water was seen flowing from underneath an apartment door and crews forced their way to help a person inside get out of the building.

Firefighters say a small kitchen fire in the apartment had been put out by an activated sprinkler system. Crews shut off the sprinkler, ventilated the apartment, and then used vacuums and squeegees to remove the excess water.

One apartment resident was transported by Mayo Clinic Ambulance for evaluation and treatment. The Rochester Fire Department says the cause of the fire is not know but there was flame damage to the kitchen, water damage to the apartment and adjacent hallway, and smoke damage throughout the apartment.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Mankato, MN – (no media coverage) Sprinkler system contains welding fire

April 5, 2019 viking210

** User Submitted Post – No Media Coverage** A welder was welding on a press and ignited saw dust under the press starting a fire. Three sprinkler heads went off and were able to contain the fire until the fire department was able to arrive and extinguish.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Wayzata, MN – Sprinkler system limits spread of fire at country club

March 18, 2019 viking210

Authorities were called to the Woodhill Country Club at about 7:52 a.m. last Tuesday, the Wayzata Fire Department said. Several other fire departments also responded to the scene.

When crews arrived, smoke was seen coming from the backside of the building, the department said. Firefighters entered the basement of the club and found fire in the ceiling and inside the walls of the basement, with flames making their way to the second level.

“It’s almost like all of the smoke would clear, and then 5 minutes later you could tell something was burning again because the smoke was pouring out of there,” Wayzata Fire Chief Kevin Klapprich said.

The fire department said ceilings, walls and floors had to be removed to be able to extinguish the fire.Klapprich said thanks to a sprinkler system and firewall in the main clubhouse, that area did not see damage. He believes if there is any disruption to the country club, it will be minimal.

“It’s nice that it didn’t burn to the ground, I’m thankful for that firewall,” Klapprich said.

All units were cleared by 2 p.m.

The department says two firefighters were treated at a hospital for minor injuries; they’ve since been released. No other injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Winona, MN – Fire at manufacturing plant contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

February 21, 2019 viking210

A pallet loaded too close to a radiant heater in the storage shipment area of Behrens Manufacturing caught fire early Friday morning, triggering three sprinkler heads and causing some structural and water damage.

The Winona Fire Department responded to the scene at 1250 E. Sanborn St. at 5:13 a.m. after being notified by the building’s internal alarm system, according to fire chief Curt Bittle. The department paged in all of its off-duty firefighters to total 18 responding.

The scene was cleared at 7:37 a.m., Bittle said, with much of the time devoted to clearing up water damage from the sprinklers that had kept the flames contained to the storage area. Firefighters put out what was left of the blaze upon their arrival.

There were no injuries and the fire was an accidental one, according to Bittle. A monetary assessment of the damages had not been done as of Friday morning.

After the crew conducted air monitoring to determine whether the building’s day shift could report to work, Behrens chose to cancel its 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift, Bittle said, but he expected the shift beginning at 3 p.m. would run as usual.

Apartment Building, Residential

Virginia, MN – Apartment fire contained to one unit by sprinkler system

January 15, 2019 viking210

The Virginia Fire Department told the Northland Fire Wire several people have been displaced from an apartment building following a fire on Sunday afternoon.

Crews were called to the fire in the Ivy Manor Apartments on First Street North around 4:30.

The Virginia Fire Department told The Northland Fire Wire the building’s sprinkler system contained the fire to one apartment.

The people displaced are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.

Virginia, Eveleth, and Mountain Iron firefighters responded to the call.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

White Bear Lake, MN – Electrical fire at senior apartment building contained by sprinkler system

January 5, 2019 viking210

Ten seniors had to be evacuated from The Waters after an electrical cord apparently shorted in one resident’s apartment the morning of Dec. 29. “It was the cord leading to an alarm clock,” said White Bear Lake Fire Chief Greg Peterson. The fire on the third floor was controlled by the apartment buildings sprinkler system. Firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. Four other fire departments assisted at the scene. Three people had minor injuries — burns and smoke inhalation, Peterson said. They were taken to local hospitals.

Apartment Building, Residential

Apple Valley, MN – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in extinguishing apartment fire

December 15, 2018 viking210

A woman was transported to a hospital after a Dec. 9 fire broke out at her apartment in Apple Valley. The Apple Valley Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a fire in an apartment at 6583 158th St. W. at 10:10 a.m. Dec. 9. Someone was reportedly in the apartment and couldn’t get out, said Acting Fire Chief Chuck Russell.

When firefighters arrived, the fire was contained within one apartment unit on the third floor. Apple Valley police officers and Allina paramedics were already on the third floor trying to gain access to the door which was locked. They were able to enter the apartment but were unable to reach the woman inside because of heavy smoke conditions. One officer and one paramedic took themselves to the hospital as a precautionary measure, Russell said. Russell said firefighters were able to get the woman out of the apartment. There were flames in the living room, which were extinguished by the firefighters and the apartment building’s sprinkler system that had been activated.

The woman was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation and light burns, Russell said. The fire department was on the scene for about two and a half hours and was assisted at the scene by the Lakeville Fire Department. Russell said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the department believes it started in the living room. That unit was had fire damage and the unit below had water damage, so the occupants had to evacuate.

He noted that the damage to the overall building would have been more extensive without the sprinkler system. “The sprinkler systems really do a nice job of controlling that fire for us,” he said.

Department Store, Retail