Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Bremerton, WA – Fire set by arsonist in children’s section of Walmart contained by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspected arsonist who they say set fire to children’s clothing inside a crowded Walmart store near Bremerton.

The blaze caused an estimated $3 million in damage and endangered more than 300 people who were in the store at the time, Kitsap County sheriff’s officials said.

Crews responded to the blaze, in the 6700 block of State Route 303, at about 10:30 a.m. after receiving several calls about clothing on fire inside the store.

The blaze set off the sprinkler system, and employees took quick action to try and limit the spread of the flames. Firefighters also worked to contain the flames to the clothing section before extinguishing the fire.

There were no reports of injuries.

Sheriff’s officials say the suspect entered the store wearing dark cothing, changed clothes after the fire and rode away on a bicycle.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect or who knows of his whereabouts is urged to call Kitsap County Sheriff’s Detective T. Dobbins at (360) 509-1026 or at (360) 337-5614. They may also contact Detective Sgt. Birkenfeld at (360) 340-5647.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Bristol, PA – Fire from industrial machine held in check by fire sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire crews were at an industrial site in Bristol Township’s Croydon section for a fire Wednesday morning.

Crews from numerous area fire companies were dispatched to Zober Industries on Coventry Avenue at 11:08 a.m. for the fire.

The blaze was in an industrial machine at Zober Industries that separated antifreeze and oil. The blaze was held in check by the building’s sprinkler system, Croydon Fire Company Chief Tom Tryon and Bristol Township Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito said.

Tryon explained that some of the antifreeze and oil was pushed by water from the fire suppression system into nearby storm drains. The chief said environmental protection officials and the U.S. Coast Guard were alerted of the spill.

No injuries were reported, Dippolito said.

Zober Industries has been a stable in Croydon since the mid-1970s and serves as a vendor that offers custom manufacturing.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Victoria, BC, Canada – Fire sprinkler stops fire from spreading at hotel that houses the homeless

A fire at the former Comfort Inn and Suites Tuesday morning was confined to one fourth-floor room, but up to 20 units could need some form of water remediation, says Victoria Fire Department Deputy Chief Dan Atkinson.

The site also had a fire May 24 that didn’t spread beyond a single room.

The building at 3020 Blanshard St. offers accommodation to people who were previously living in tents in Topaz Park or along a stretch of Pandora Avenue, a transition made possible after the provincial government bought the facility last month for $18.5 million.

Residents are supported by Our Place Society and the Victoria Cool Aid Society.

Atkinson said the first 911 call was received about 8:20 a.m. and crews were able to put the fire out quickly. One occupant had been in the unit but got out safely.

“It was a room-and-contents fire and it did activate the sprinkler system,” he said. “The sprinkler system did a really good job of not allowing it to spread too radically.”

Remediation in the other rooms could range from pulling up the carpet and bringing in fans to working on drywall and paint.

He said there is bound to be a fair bit of damage, “being that it was on the fourth floor and water runs downhill.”

Other - Residential, Residential

Gasden, AL – Sprinkler system helps put out kitchen fire at group home; No injuries reported

A bad situation Saturday morning could have been a tragic one, according to Rainbow City firefighters, when a kitchen fire started in a group home.

Firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the home, Nick Hill of the RBC Fire Department said in a press release, and while en route, they received an update that a heat/smoke alarm and a sprinkler system at the home had activated.

Rainbow City Dispatch told firefighters a caller said grease had boiled out of a pot onto a stove, starting the fire.

“Upon arriving on scene we found smoke exiting the structure,” Hill said. Crews went to work to locate anyone who might be in the structure and to battle the blaze, he said.

“Search and Rescue crews found that there was a bed-bound subject within the home,” Hill said. That person was safely brought out of the home.

Fire fighting crews found a small fire on the stove in the kitchen, he said, but thanks to the activation of the sprinkler system, there was minimal damage.

“What fire remained was still burning due to the stove hood blocking the water from the sprinkler,” Hill explained. The fire was extinguished with a dry chemical extinguisher, and crews checked for fire extension into the walls and cabinets.

They found no evidence the fire had spread further.

All occupants in the residence were accounted for and safe, Hill said. Property owners and managers were looking into finding a place to move the occupants until the residence was repaired.

The outcome of this incident, Hill said, can be greatly attributed to the working smoke/heat alarms and the properly working sprinkler system.

Rainbow City Fire Rescue has a smoke alarm installation program to install smoke alarms in the homes in Rainbow City at no charge to the residential property owner, he said.

“This is a program provided by anonymous donors at a state level, ‘Get Alarmed Alabama!’ and ‘The Alabama Fire College,’” he explained.

For any questions about the smoke alarm installation program contact Rainbow City Fire Rescue at (256) 442-2511.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Gainesville, FL – Sprinkler system holds fire in commercial building at bay; No injuries reported

The cause of a fire at a commercial building Tuesday morning on Northwest 23rd Street is under investigation.

Gainesville Fire Rescue crews say when they arrived smoke was coming from the building.

The building’s sprinkler system was also running. Crews say this held the fire at bay until firefighters arrived and contained it.

No one was injured.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Kitsap, Wa – Arson fire contained to room of origin by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A 15-year-old Port Orchard male teen was arrested on suspicion of arson on Wednesday, hours after a fire at Marcus Marcus Whitman Middle School caused significant damage.

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating whether others were involved, Lt. Earl Smith said.

The call began as a burglar alarm early Wednesday. Smith said officers found evidence of forced entry and fire inside the building. Since they didn’t know if suspects were inside, law enforcement provided cover to fire crews as they battled the blaze.

South Kitsap Fire and Rescue was aided by fire crews from Bremerton, Central Kitsap and Navy Region Northwest and officers from the Port Orchard Police Department, SKFR said in a post on social media. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also has taken part in the investigation.

“Thankfully, there were no injuries,” said Amy Miller, spokeswoman for South Kitsap School District.

Smith said damage to the building was “significant.” A photo posted on social media by the sheriff’s office shows scores of ceiling tiles on the floor near the school’s entryway. South Kitsap Fire & Rescue reported that the fire was contained to the room of origin by the sprinkler system.

The school has been closed since March 16 along with all other schools in Washington state to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Detectives arrested the suspect with the help of a K-9 tracking team shortly before noon on suspicion of first degree arson and second degree burglary. He was interviewed Wednesday afternoon at the Kitsap County Juvenile Detention Center regarding whether he had accomplices, Smith said.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Las Vegas, NV – Fire sprinklers put out fire at pet grooming store; No injuries reported

A pet grooming store was damaged in a fire Wednesday morning, but the employee and dog inside escaped safely, the Las Vegas Fire Department said.

Fire crews were called about 7:15 a.m. Wednesday to the Critter Care Grooming Store, in a shopping center at 5611 N. Tenaya Way, the department said. An employee was about to give a dog a bath when the fire started, and the worker called to report smoke and flames coming from the ceiling.

The employee and the dog escaped the one-story building uninjured, the department said. When firefighters arrived, they found light smoke and water from the fire sprinkler system, but the fire was already out.

Investigators determined that the fire started above the ceiling, where wiring and an air conditioner were located. The flames were put out after the sprinkler system was triggered, and the department estimated that $15,000 in damage was caused.

The cause of the fire was undetermined Wednesday morning, but investigators “could not rule out the fire was electrical in origin,” the department said.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Missoula, MT – Dorm hall fire sprinkler system puts out fire; No injuries reported

Officials with Flathead Valley Community College confirmed that a fire broke out in Founders Hall Sunday morning.

FVCC says no one was injured in the fire. They added that the building’s fire and sprinkler system worked properly, and the Kalispell Fire Department put the fire out.

Campus officials said some students were still living in the dorm. While only a few were affected by the fire, they say all of them were relocated to other rooms.

Authorities were not able to confirm the cause of the fire.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Cool Springs, TN – Sprinkler system slows spread of fire after restaurant fryer malfunctions; No injuries reported

A Cool Springs restaurant fire Saturday morning was caused by a cooking equipment malfunction, according to Franklin Fire Marshal Andy King.

The Franklin Fire Department was dispatched to Bricktops restaurant, located at 1576 W. McEwen Dr., just before 9 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find smoke showing and fire on the roof.

King said the restaurant had been closed due to the coronavirus but had reopened Saturday morning to prepare takeout and delivery orders for the Easter weekend. He said a fryer malfunctioned when it was re-started and ignited the fire.

According to King, employees attempted unsuccessfully to extinguish the fire, which spread through the hood system to the roof.

King credited the activation of the automatic fire sprinkler system with greatly reducing damage and slowing the spread of fire inside the building. He also credited the quick response of Franklin firefighters, as well as units from Brentwood Fire & Rescue, which were dispatched via the cities’ mutual aid agreement.

King estimated damage at $50,000. No one was injured.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Normal, IL – Hotel coffee and souvenir shop fire stopped by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

A fire at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Normal caused an evacuation and the closure of the coffee and souvenir shop Thursday morning.

The Normal Fire Department was called to the hotel just after 7:30 a.m. for a report of a fire in the Caffeina’s Marketplace Cafe.

Hotel operations were unaffected by the blaze.

Heavy damage was reported to the cafe itself and water damage throughout the lobby. A dollar estimate of damage was not available by Thursday afternoon.

No injuries were reported in the incident, according to the NFD.

An employee attempted to use a fire extinguisher but the hotel’s sprinkler system was activated to slow the spread of the fire, according to a release by the NFD.

An alarm sounded and hotel employees assisted guests to evacuate safely.

The NFD reported the atrium smoke evacuation system activated and began rapidly ventilating the smoke from the atrium while firefighters pulled hoses into the building to extinguish the fire.  The fire was deemed out in about 25 minutes.  Firefighters searched and extinguished hot spots and used tools to open up the ceiling space and some of the wall spaces within the café to look for fire hidden in the void spaces.   

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.