Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Lexington, KY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Smucker plant; No injuries reported

An investigation is underway after fire crews responded to two different situations at the JM Smucker plant in Lexington.

The Winchester Road plant makes Jif peanut butter.

Fire department officials tell us they responded shortly after 11 Monday morning for a reported hazmat incident at the plant.

When crews got there, they discovered there were two separate incidents going on. The first was a small ammonia leak, and the second was a fire at one of the roasters within the plant.

Additional fire units were called in to manage both incidents, which were in different parts of the building.

The sprinkler system activated and knocked down the bulk of the fire. The fire did extend outside the point of origin to the roof and at least one of the stacks. The fire has since been extinguished.

Fire officials say the ammonia leak was contained to the area of origin and the building has been ventilated.

We’re told all the workers at the plant got out, and no injuries were reported. Our crew at the scene says it looks like the workers have been allowed to go back inside the plant.

Company officials say they are working through their restart procedures.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire in receptacle container; No injuries reported

A fire at a Kipp Corporation building was put out by the automatic sprinkler system, officials said Tuesday.

Crews were sent to the building in the 100 block of South Fair Oaks Avenue just after 7:30 a.m. Monday. A nearby EMS crew that was responding to an unrelated call noticed steam and smoke coming from the area.

Staff at the building reported that a receptacle that collected metal shavings, dust and debris caught fire. The sprinkler system in the receptacle triggered and the fire was put out before it could spread.

No injuries were reported.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Chillicothe, MO – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at Comfort Inn and Suites; No injuries reported

A fire Saturday morning at Comfort Inn and Suites in Chillicothe was contained to one room, although there was smoke and water damage to a hallway and several other rooms.

Chillicothe Fire Chief Eric Reeter said a sprinkler system extinguished the blaze after a maintenance crew in the hotel attempted to use a fire extinguisher but were not successful.

While firefighters were en route to the blaze, the police department advised officers were on the scene, stating there was a fire in room 304. Officers had evacuated occupants from the building by the time firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported.

Chillicothe firefighters were on the scene for nearly two and one-half hours. An investigation was underway by the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office.

Comfort Inn and Suites is located at 250 East Business Highway 36 in Chillicothe.

Apartment Building, Residential

Racine, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes unattended cooking fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

Unattended cooking led to a fire that set off a sprinkler system and caused more than $100,000 in damage in an apartment building, the Racine Fire Department said Saturday.

“When you are actively cooking, always make sure to stay in attendance of an ignited burner. If you cannot, turn the burner off completely before walking away,” the RFD said, reminding the public that questions regarding fire safety could be made to the Racine Fire Department Fire Prevention by calling 262-635-7915.

The fire was reported during the 11 o’clock hour Saturday on the 2200 block of Layard Avenue, which is near the city’s northwestern border north of Rapids Drive and west of Mt. Pleasant Street.

The fire alarm was going off in a second-floor apartment and, when firefighters first arrived, they found the sprinkler system had already extinguished the kitchen fire.

No injuries were reported. “Shelter is being provided for the displaced occupant,” the RFD said in a release.

The RFD estimated that the fire caused damages of $110,000 to the building’s structure and another $8,000 to the apartment’s contents.

Responding to the incident were six fire apparatuses, a battalion chief, one safety officer, a fire investigator and the Racine Police Department.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Sun Valley, CA – Sprinkler system activated for container fire; No injuries reported

Firefighters in Sun Valley Sunday knocked down a small fire within a container at a metal plating facility, which was held in check by the structure’s fire sprinkler system, authorities said.

Firefighters were dispatched at 6:59 a.m. to 9939 N. Glenoaks Blvd., where they used a hand-held fire extinguisher to douse the flames, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

It was not immediately clear what was inside the container.

No injuries were reported.

“Per protocol, an LAFD Hazardous Materials team has been summoned to assist with a detailed site assessment,” Humphrey said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Norwood, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

Chief David Hayes reports that the Norwood Fire Department responded to an apartment building this morning for a fire where a working sprinkler system had a significant impact on limiting damage.

On Wednesday morning at approximately 8:15 a.m., Norwood Fire received multiple calls for an alarm at an apartment building at 165 Lenox St., as well as calls reporting water and smoke on the fourth floor of the building.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a fire in the kitchen area of a unit on the fourth floor. The fire had been largely contained to the area around the stove due to the building’s sprinkler system. Firefighters ensured the fire was extinguished and performed overhaul and cleared smoke from the affected apartment.

There were no residents in the unit at the time of the fire, and there were no reported injuries. No other units in the apartment building sustained fire damage, however, the sprinkler system’s activation caused some additional damage in a portion of the building near the unit. 

Firefighters cleared the scene just before 9:15 a.m.

“This fire is a prime example of why it is important to have working sprinkler systems. Sprinklers can help to prevent injuries and severe property damage in a fire, and the building where this fire occurred likely would have sustained significantly more damage if not for the sprinkler system,” Chief Hayes said. “We would also like to remind everyone of the importance of evacuating a building immediately when a fire alarm sounds. In larger buildings, it can be difficult to know from one part of the building what’s happening in another part, so the safest decision is always just to leave when you hear an alarm.”

The initial investigation indicates that the cause of the fire was accidental.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Roanoke, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at restaurant; No injuries reported

A fire at a Roanoke restaurant has been ruled by investigators to be electrical.

Roanoke Fire-EMS was called late the morning of September 17 to the fire on the 100 block of Campbell Avenue SE in downtown Roanoke. Crews found there had been a fire at the front of a restaurant, Cedars Lebanese Restaurant, activating the building’s sprinkler system, which put out the fire.

No injuries were reported.

Damages to the building and its contents are estimated to be $13,000, according to fire investigators.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Bend, OR – Restaurant fire extinguished by sprinkler system

An early Thursday morning fire at Broken Top Bottle Shop brought Bend Fire and Rescue to the scene.  Fire crews arrived about 4am and Battalion Chief Trish Connolly says there was no fire showing when crews arrived, so they did a walk around of the building. She says alarms were going off and people in upstairs apartments were evacuating. Connolly says crews got inside the restaurant and found a small fire that had been put out by the sprinkler system. She says there is no doubt the sprinklers saved lives and the apartments. Connolly says the fire was caused by spontaneous combustion of rags that had been cleaned but still had residual oil on them.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Rio Rancho, NM – Sprinkler system activated for fire at middle school; No injuries reported

Rio Rancho Middle School students are reportedly safe after a small fire was extinguished Tuesday morning.

School officials say the fire started in a girl’s restroom in the school’s 500 wing. The fire activated the sprinkler system and alarms which prompted students to be evacuated and fire crews to respond.

No one was injured and the school says all protocols were followed before letting students return to class safely.

School administrators have identified the accused perpetrator and are mulling disciplinary action for them. No other details are available at this time.