Tag Archives: Minnesota

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

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

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

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

Duluth, MN – Sprinkler system triggered by fire at Dollar Tree Store; No injuries reported

Duluth firefighters were called to the Dollar Tree Store at 215 North Central Avenue on Sunday afternoon.

When they arrived, smoke was seen coming from the roof of the building and the store was being evacuated.

Fire was found in the storeroom area of the store and was extinguished, there were no injuries.

The fire triggered the sprinkler system in the store.

Smoke and standing water was removed from the store but it will be closed until further notice.

Damage estimates were set at 15 thousand dollars for the structure and 80 thousand for the contents.

The business next door, Greystar Electronics had a small amount of water damage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Office Building, Other Business

Edina, MN – Fire at office building extinguished by sprinkler system

Officials in Edina have said that a fire that damaged a business on Bush Lake Road earlier this week was started by a charging cellphone.

The Edina Fire Department was called to employee engagement company BI Worldwide at 7:33 a.m. Tuesday when the building’s sprinkler system was triggered.

It was later established that an employee sitting in her cubicle saw sparks coming from her charging cellphone that “quickly ignited nearby combustibles.”

Workers were able to extinguish the flames and leave the building, only for the fire to re-ignite before being knocked down by the sprinkler system.

One worker had to be taken to Fairview Southdale Hospital with smoke inhalation.

The fire damage was contained to just four cubicles, but the building itself suffered water and smoke damage.

“It’s great that BI Worldwide had fire extinguishers in place and employees knew how to use them, but most importantly, employees exited the building and the fire sprinkler system extinguished the fire, keeping the fire damage to a minimum, which will allow them to reoccupy this building sometime soon,” said Fire Marshal Rick Hammerschmidt in a press release.

“This is another great example of the value of having a fire sprinkler system in a building or in a home. If this building didn’t have a fire sprinkler system, BI Worldwide may not have been able to reoccupy this building.

“The content damage and impact on business and employees would have been extreme.”

Other Business

Rochester, MN – Dump truck fire contained by garage sprinkler system

A dump truck caught fire inside a building Friday night.

The Rochester Fire Department says it was called to the 6900 block of 10th Avenue SW around 7:10 pm and found the truck on fire with smoke coming from a garage maintenance area. The structure’s sprinkler system contained the flames to the truck and firefighters extinguished the blaze.

No one was injured in this incident and there was minor smoke and water damage to the building. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Rochester police and Gold Cross Ambulance assisted at the scene.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Cloquet, MN – Fire at senior apartment building held in check by sprinkler system

Emergency officials responded to a fire at a Cloquet senior living residence Friday evening which has forced some residents out of their apartments. The fire at Larson Commons was reported around 6 p.m. Friday. Area firefighters responded to the incident at the senior living residence and found smoke on the fifth floor.

“When crews arrived, we had multiple people yelling out of the window that they couldn’t get out of their apartments,” Cloquet Area Fire District Chief Kevin Schroeder said. “Initial crews found smoke throughout the fifth floor.”  Chief Schroeder adds crews found fire in the corner of the hallway. The fire had been confined to the area by the sprinkler system.

“The sprinkler system kept [the fire] in check. The fire started in some furniture, went up the wall into the ceiling,” Chief Schroeder said. Fire officials extinguished the fire and checked the walls to make sure the fire had not spread to other parts of the building. The cause of the fire is not known yet.

As crews check the electrical systems of the building complex to ensure no damages, residents have been evacuated. The Red Cross is assisting affected residents. Crews with the fire department are also assisting with recovering personal belongings and needs of residents affected.  Two people were evaluated for minor injuries. One resident was brought to Duluth to receive medical attention.  Cloquet Area Fire District was assisted by Carlton and Esko Fire Departments. The fire remains under investigation.

Other Business, Place of Worship

Nisswa, MN – Sprinkler system tackles kitchen fire at Timberwood Church

Timberwood Church did not go up in flames thanks to a sprinkler system that put out a kitchen fire at the Nisswa place of worship in the early morning hours of Friday, April 20.

No one was in the building, which is along Highway 371, at about 9 a.m. when the Nisswa Fire Department responded and the Brainerd Fire Department was contacted for mutual aid, but not needed.

“There was a fire alarm that went through our alarm company to the Nisswa Fire Department … and they discovered smoke in the building,” said the Rev. John Just, pastor of the church.

“My understanding is Brainerd Fire also had two vehicles that responded, but were canceled before they arrived on site.”

The self-described “Bible-based, outreach-oriented church” is nestled among the trees near Gull Lake and located about 20 minutes north of Brainerd in Crow Wing County.

“It looked like the building was full of smoke,” Just said after arriving at the church. “It appears to have started on a stovetop.”

Nisswa Fire Chief Shawn Bailey was on the scene and said firefighters upon their arrival discovered a small kitchen fire that was already put out.

“The sprinkler system had activated and put the fire out. We gained entry through the end of the kitchen and from that point, we were able to verify where the fire was,” Bailey said.

Just said, “They found the water flowing out of the kitchen.”

Staff walked around barefoot inside the church as the water was being suctioned up from the carpet area by the kitchen.

In 2004, Timberwood Church’s first pastor was hired and began. The church’s first public worship service was scheduled for Easter of that same year, according to its website.

For five years, congregation members would meet at the Nisswa Community Center, and in 2009 the church relocated to its current location off Highway 371.

“There was really no structural damage to the building. We’ll need to do some water cleanup, and we will be open for services on Sunday morning at 9 and 10:30.”

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Cottage Grove, MN – Overnight hotel fire knocked down by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A hotel in the east metro was evacuated early Thursday after a blaze broke out. At about 2:45 a.m. emergency units responded to a report of a room on fire at the Country Inn and Suites in Cottage Grove.

The building sprinkler system had knocked down the fire and Cottage Grove crews extinguished any remaining blaze.

Crews from St. Paul Park and Woodbury assisted on the scene. There were no reports of any injuries.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Thief River Falls, MN – Arson fire at college put out by sprinkler system

Two Northland College students are accused of setting fires in restrooms at the college on the same day. According to a news release from the Ashland Fire Department, both fires happened on March 19. A morning fire in a Wheeler Hall restroom was put out by a sprinkler system and an evening fire in a Fenenga Hall restroom extinguished itself. No one was injured in either fire. Damage estimates are not available. The fire department said two suspects, a 30-year-old woman from Ashland and an 18-year-old woman from the Twin Cities area, have been arrested to face possible charges of arson and recklessly endangering the safety of others. Investigators believe the suspects and fires are not connected.

Apartment Building, Residential

Duluth, MN – Cooking fire at high rise apartment building put out by sprinkler system

An apartment in the Tri-Towers Apartment Complex suffered thousands of dollars in damage after an accidental cooking fire.

The Duluth Fire Department says they responded to the high rise apartment building on 222 N. 2nd Ave. East around 7:20 p.m. Thursday.

When crews arrived, they noticed smoke on the sixth floor with a sprinkler system activated in one of the apartments on that floor. The department says the system extinguished the fire. Authorities vented out the smoke and vacuumed up water.

One resident of the apartment was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Damages are estimated at $20,000.