Tag Archives: Minnesota

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

St. Paul, MN – Sprinkler system extinguishes electrical fire in dorm room at University of St. Thomas

An electrical fan in a resident’s room sparked a small fire early Monday morning in Grace Hall, tripping the sprinkler system and the fire alarm, and requiring the building to be evacuated.

The sprinkler system extinguished the fire. St. Paul Fire Department also responded promptly.

Fire alarm and suppression systems worked the way they were designed to work, and the fire was contained to a small area. Residents evacuated and everyone is safe.

The University of St. Thomas places the safety and security of our students, faculty and staff as our highest priority. The university regularly tests fire safety and suppression systems. In this instance, all systems worked as required.

Other-Government/Military

Eden Prairie, MN – Firefighters credit sprinkler system from keeping bus garage fire from spreading

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Baxter, MN – Balcony fire at senior apartment complex controlled with help from sprinkler system

Passing motorists on Excelsior Road saw flames on a third-floor deck of a senior apartment complex Friday morning, alerting emergency responders to the Autumn Glenn complex in Baxter. The fire was reported about 7:20 a.m.  At the scene, Baxter Police Chief Jim Exsted said residents on the third floor were evacuated as a precaution. Many had multiple questions as they were temporarily relocated. The 50-unit apartment building has about 16 units on each floor.

Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said the fire was contained to the deck but flames were climbing the wall and around the glass deck door, as well as a window when he arrived on scene. Holmes got the call when he just blocks away from the building. He said deck sprinkler played an important role in keeping the fire contained. The woman living in the apartment was also working to put the fire using a container or bowl filled with water when firefighters arrived. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

The deck remained secure to walk on, Holmes said. Siding was removed around the deck. The torn aqua-colored barrier wrap, formerly underneath the siding, flapped in the morning breeze. The area around the deck doors was charred black and holes were cut above the deck to access the attic. Holiday decorations hung from the deck rail, trailing down to lower floors.

The second floor resident’s deck just below the fire, complete with chairs and potted plant, appeared undisturbed. No injuries were reported. Karen Struthers, community manager for Autumn Glenn, said all the residents were fine. She said the apartment occupant was with family and the complex residents would now have conversation fodder for the weekend. It was too early to determine the extent of the damage in terms of a dollar amount, Struthers said.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Hibbing, MN – Sprinkler system praised for containing fire at community college

An early morning fire left a 2014 Freightliner semi-truck totally damaged.

The fire broke out shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday at the Hibbing Community College. According to the Hibbing Fire Department, crews responded to a fire alarm at the College around 4:40 a.m.

Upon arrival, crews reported there was nothing visible from the exterior of the building but the fire alarm system was still activated.

A Hibbing police squad later radioed that there was smoke coming from a garage door on the North East corner of the building, just four minutes after the initial response.

The Hibbing Fire Department responded along with the Keewatin and Chisholm Fire Departments. Fire crews discovered a semi-truck on fire. The fire was contained to the truck and extinguished by the sprinkler system.

Damages are estimated at $48,000 for the truck and $5,000 for clean-up costs to the building. Authorities say if the building had not contained a properly serviced and maintained sprinkler system, the damages could have exceeded $1 million.

The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Maintenance staff say the fire is not expected to affect classes at the College on Monday.

Apartment Building, Residential

Hibbing, MN – Fire in apartments at mental health center extinguished by sprinkler system

No one was injured during an unoccupied apartment fire at 8:22 a.m. Wednesday at the Perpich Apartments, located at 3110 Fourth Ave. W. The apartments are located on the back of Range Mental Health Center (RMHC) in the former Cobb Cook School.

Hibbing Fire Department (HFD) was dispatched to RMHC due to an automatic fire alarm. While en route, the battalion chief received confirmation of a fire on the third floor of the apartments section of the building, according to an HFD report.

Firefighters arrived on scene within 5 minutes of the call and found a kitchen fire in an apartment. The fire had been mostly extinguished by the building’s automatic sprinkler system. Firefighters finished extinguishing the fire and then proceeded to ventilate the building.

“There was significant fire, smoke and water damage to the affected apartment as well as water damage throughout the building,” stated Fire Marshal Bryan Fagerstrom.  MHC staff is working to accommodate the displaced resident.  Hibbing Police Department assisted at the scene. The Chisholm and Keewatin fire departments had been called but were canceled prior to arrival.  The cause of the fire is under investigation by HFD.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Glenwood, MN – Fire at high school limited to one room by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire sprinklers did their job at the Minnewaska High School Thursday night and helped contain a fire to a science room.

“Damage is fairly minor,” said Superintendent Greg Schmidt. “We’re thankful it was limited to one room and no one was hurt.”

Most of the damage was caused by smoke and water in the east academic wing of the one-story building, which houses the district’s 4-12 graders.

As a precaution to prevent students and staff from experiencing physical problems from the lingering smoke, all the classes were cancelled Friday in the district.

“It made a lot of sense to keep kids out of the building,” Schmidt said.

According to Starbuck Fire Chief Todd Johnshoy, a call at around 8:20 p.m. from a custodian at the school, as well as an automatic fire alarm, brought the Pope County Sheriff’s Department and fire departments from Starbuck and Glenwood to the scene.

When crews arrived flames were visible in the science lab but were quickly extinguished, Johnshoy said.

“The fire sprinkler system suppressed it and we went in and mopped up,” Johnshoy said. “Without the sprinklers there would’ve been a lot more damage.”

Schmidt said it appears the fire was contained to a work station cabinet in the science room and the ceiling tiles above it.

Johnshoy said the water damage was contained to a couple classrooms.

“The biggest problem is the smoke,” Johnshoy said. “Once you open up a building like that, it went through the hallways.Johnshoy said the cause of the fire was “undetermined” at this time and that a Fire Marshall was on the scene until about midnight investigating the blaze.

Schmidt said possible causes of the fire are suspected but he didn’t not want to comment until the Fire Marshall’s report was completed.

Schmidt praised the firefighters and law enforcement for their quick response and for getting the smoke out of the building.

The district’s insurance agent was expected to be on the scene Friday. Schmidt said he didn’t think the financial cost for the cleanup and repairs would be significant. “But certainly it’s a little disconcerting it happened.”

He said it’s expected that classes will resume Monday.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Jordan, MN – Welding fire knocked down by sprinkler system at transformer plant

Firefighters and Jordan Police Department officers were dispatched for a call of a commercial fire inside Jordan Transformer on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 26.

A tarp caught on fire as an employee was welding inside a plant welding shop.

The call came in at 11:37 a.m. and the Jordan Fire Department responded with 17 firefighters, according to Gregg Pekarna, fire chief for Jordan Fire Department.

Jordan Police provided backup, and when the officers arrived on scene, heavy smoke was billowing out from the plant building. Officers provided traffic control and assisted the Jordan Fire Department, Jordan Police Chief Brett Empey said.

By the time firefighters arrived on scene, the fire was mostly extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system, Pekarna said.

“There was nothing suspicious about it — the tarp caught on fire — the sprinkler did the job and knocked out the fire, and we mopped up after that,” Pekarna said.

At the fire location was a nearby adjoining wall that had a rack of welding gas that the fire fortunately did not touch, Pekarna said.

The Jordan Fire Department remained on scene for two hours during cleanup and to make sure the fire remained completely extinguished.“

The team (Jordan Fire) did a great job responding and containing it after the sprinklers,” Pekarna said.

Jordan Transformer staff were all evacuated from the building as a precautionary measure, the fire chief reported. No one was seriously injured, although one individual was treated at the scene for possible burns and smoke inhalation, Pekarna reported.

The estimated loss is not known at this time.

Jordan Transformer declined to comment on the fire.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

St. Cloud, MN – Sprinkler system halts fire at body shop; fire started in painting booth

A fire caused around $100,000 worth of damage to a St. Cloud body shop.

The fire department says an alarm alerted them to St. Cloud Collision Center, 1801 8th Street South, near the Coborn’s on Cooper Aveune South, on Thursday at 7:49 p.m.

When firefighters got on the scene they found the sprinkler system had almost extinguished the fire and saved the building.

Officials say the fire started in the drying unit of a painting booth. The booth, a car, and a portion of the roof were damaged.

No one was in the building at the time of the fire.The fire remains under investigation. It took firefighters about two hours to clear the scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Red Wing, MN – Sprinkler system douses third floor apartment fire; No injuries

The Red Wing Fire Department responded to an early-morning structure fire Friday, Dec. 30 at at 325 Plum St.

Firefighter/paramedics arrived at the scene within two minutes of receiving a call about a fire/water flow alarm and found smoke in the building.

Firefighters forcible entered the apartments and found a small fire on the third floor, which had been extinguished by the sprinkler system prior to the department’s arrival.

All residents were evacuated from the building. All but three residents were allowed back into their apartments. The local Red Cross was on scene to provide housing assistance to tenants displaced due to damage.

Apartments on the third and second floor as well as the church on the ground floor sustained moderate water damage. The third-floor apartment also suffered minor fire and smoke damage.There were no injuries.

The Red Wing Fire Department, Red Wing police, Red Wing public works responded to the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Duluth, MN – Sprinkler system activates in response to apartment balcony fire

A small balcony fire at a Duluth complex led to damage in three apartments on Friday.

Gwinnett County firefighters were called to the Bridgewater Apartments complex, at 1500 Ridge Brook Trail, at 2:16 p.m. on a report of an apartment fire. When they got to the complex, smoke led to the balcony of a third-floor apartment where they found a smoldering fire in a charcoal meat smoker.“

The fire was contained to the outer-decking material of the balcony and sent heat and smoke inside the apartment unit,” Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said. “A sprinkler activated inside the apartment due to radiant heat.”

No one was injured by the fire, but the balcony had minor damage and the sprinkler caused residual water damage in the apartment, as well as two other apartments directly beneath it, Rutledge said. He said the complex’s maintenance personnel tried to put out the fire with portable fire extinguishers before firefighters arrived.

Firefighters found the fire and got it under control by 2:34 p.m., about 11 minutes after they arrived.

Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers