Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Wenatchee, WA – Single sprinkler head controls commercial fire between two businesses

Chelan County Fire District 1 was dispatched to a commercial fire a little after 9 a.m. at the corner of 5th and Mission. Locals may know the area as the strip of businesses such as Garlinis, Jimmy Johns and others.

“Crews arrived to find light smoke coming from a vacant occupancy as well as the EarthWise pet store,” said Chief Brian Brett. “We were able to make access, get in and locate the fire.”

According to Chief Brett, the sprinkler system had been activated and one head was controlling the fire. The sprinkler pretty much extinguished it and crews may have had to use one water can to complete the job.

“Now we’re just clearing out the smoke and to get the water mitigated so we can get these businesses on both sides back open,” said Chief Brett.

The cause is still under investigation. Nobody was inside at the time of the fire. Douglas Fire District 2 also responded with an engine.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Moline, IL – Fire caused by incense left burning in shopping mall put out by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

Incense that was left burning inside a store at SouthPark Mall has caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, according to Moline’s fire marshal.

The fire started just after 11 a.m. on Monday, December 16.  The mall was evacuated as the halls filled with smoke.

According to Fire Marshal Jerry Spiegel, the fire started inside the Fig Tree bookstore.  He said incense had been left burning with the ashes falling into a cardboard box; that’s what ultimately caused the fire.

Spiegel said the fire was contained within minutes.  Four sprinklers went off and helped put out most of the flames before crews arrived, but smoke continued to filter through the mall hallways.

Damage to the Fig Tree has been estimated at about $50,000, said Spiegel.  That combined with the smoke damage to other stores adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Spiegel said the biggest challenge for crews was getting the smoke out of the building.  TMI came to help activate the mall’s ventilation system to get the smoke out.

There were no injuries.

The inside of the mall was set to remain closed for Monday.  The anchor stores, JCPenney, Dillards and Von Maur opened from the outside, according to mall management.

Other Business, Place of Worship

Easton, MA – Fire sprinklers keep fire at bay after candles set advent wreath on fire; No injuries reported

A candle-lit wreath caught fire Monday morning, triggering an evacuation at the Museum of Family Prayer at the Father Peyton Center.

An evergreen Advent wreath, which was inside the museum’s chapel, ignited shortly after multiple candles were lit on candle holders within the center of the wreath, Fire Chief Kevin Partridge said in a press release. The wreath was located near the altar and three people were inside the chapel at the time of the fire.

The Easton Fire Department received an alarm around 11:15 a.m. and a 911 call reporting a fire inside the chapel at the museum at 518 Washington St.

Upon arrival of firefighters, the building had been evacuated and the fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system and a maintenance worker who used a fire extinguisher, according to Partridge.

No injuries were reported.

Once the fire started, the sprinkler system in the chapel activated and a maintenance worker heard people yelling about a fire and grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher to help put out the flames, Partridge said.

Firefighters arrived minutes later and shut down the sprinkler system and helped to carry wet furniture and other items out of the chapel.

The fire was contained to the wreath, but the chapel had a significant amount of water inside from the sprinkler, Partridge said. Firefighters used wet-vacs to remove as much of the water from the floor as they could before clearing the scene at approximately 12:20 p.m.

The chapel will be closed temporarily until the water can be completely dried.

“Thankfully the sprinkler system activated and kept the fire at bay and the maintenance worker sprung into action prior to our arrival,” Partridge said, “We are glad that no one was hurt and this incident should serve as a reminder that evergreen is extremely flammable and should never be kept near an open flame. Many churches use Advent wreaths this time of year, but we recommend that they use fake wreaths and keep a close eye on any candles with open flames.”

Partridge also reminded residents to regularly water their Christmas trees and to keep them away from any heat sources or open flames.

In addition, Chief Partridge would like to share some candle safety tips from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services:

Burn candles within a 1 foot circle free of anything that can burn.

Before you leave a room or the house, blow out candles. Never leave candles burning unattended.

Always extinguish candles after use.

Use a non-combustible saucer or candle holder.

Keep candles out of reach of children and pets.

To be safe, consider using flameless candles. Have flashlights and battery-powered lighting ready to use during a power outage instead of candles.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Glendale, WI – Fire contained to maintenance closet on third floor of motel thanks to fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

A Motel 6 in Glendale caught fire Tuesday morning, Dec. 17. Thankfully, the building’s fire sprinklers did their job. 

The alarm came at about 11 a.m., sending the North Shore Fire Department to the motel on Port Washington Road. 

Everybody inside the building was evacuated; some of them elderly and some in wheelchairs. 

The fire was confined to a maintenance closet on the third floor and the sprinkler system helped crews control the fire quickly. 

“Unfortunately one of the things that comes with fire sprinklers is a lot of water, because they’re doing their job to put the fire out. So we’re dealing with a lot of water damage. Not a ton of fire damage, it’s just primarily contained to that affected room,” said Capt. Dan Tyk, North Shore Fire and Rescue. 

One occupant of the hotel reported a minor injury that occurred while evacuating the building. She was evaluated by paramedics on scene and declined transportation to a hospital. There were no other injuries reported.

Fire and smoke damage is minimal, but there is extensive water damage on all three floors due to the activation of the fire sprinkler system.  

The preliminary damage is estimated around $100,000. 

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by North Shore Fire/Rescue and the Glendale Police Department.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Bismarck, ND – Damage limited to superstore after fire sprinklers help contain fire in garden center; No injuries reported

A fire caused the evacuation and temporary closure of a Walmart store in north Bismarck on Friday and city officials say early signs indicate the fire may have been set intentionally.

Authorities say the fire was reported around 8 AM. Crews extinguished the fire in the garden center, which sustained fire and smoke damage, but damage was limited because of the building’s sprinkler system.

A Walmart employee said the store should re-open on Saturday.

Eighteen firefighters were on the scene. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Farmers Branch, TX – (no media coverage) Cooking fire put out thanks to fire sprinklers

On November 27, 2019, at approximately 11:08 am,  the Farmers Branch Fire Department and Addison Fire Department responded to an automatic fire alarm – water flow alarm at Jefferson Landmark Apartments, located at 14650 Landmark Blvd.  Farmers Branch Medic 132, Addison Battalion 101, and Addison Engine 101 arrived on scene at 11:13 am with nothing showing from the exterior.  Crews were directed to apartment #1209.  Occupant stated that she was heating food on the stove and she had turned away for a brief minute.  Later she observed the pan of food on fire.  Occupant grabbed the pan to carry to the sink to put the fire out.  During this time, the single station smoke alarm  activated in the apartment and startled her.  Occupant dropped the pan on the floor and the fire increased in size.  The heat activated one sprinkler head above the sink and stove.  The fire was extinguished.  Sprinkler floor control valve was shut off and water was removed out of the unit. Fire loss was estimated to be $10,000.   Units cleared the scene at 11:54 am. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Conroe, TX – (no media coverage) Apartment fire extinguished by fire sprinkler prior to arrival of fire department

The City of Conroe Fire Department was notified of an apartment fire at 1840 Longmire Rd (The Landings of Conroe) at approximately 08:25 a.m. on December 3, 2019.

Conroe Firefighters arrived at approximately 08:30 a.m. and discovered an extinguished fire in an upstairs apartment. A single fire sprinkler head had activated and extinguished a stove top grease fire. There were no reported injuries to firefighters or other occupants of the building. Thanks to the activation of the fire sprinkler, there was minimal fire or smoke damage. Water damage was limited to the affected apartment and the apartment immediately below. Fire crews worked to reduce property damage by turning off the fire sprinkler and removing as much water as possible.

A fire investigation has been completed by the City of Conroe Fire Marshal’s Office and the fire has been classified as accidental in nature. The Conroe Fire Department would like to remind residents that a leading cause of home fires is unattended cooking.

This incident is an excellent example of the vital role a properly installed and maintained automatic fire sprinkler system can play in saving lives and reducing property damage. It is likely that the automatic fire sprinkler system saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and property loss to the building’s owners and occupants.

Automatic fire sprinkler systems have over 100 years of proven performance protecting life and property.

Apartment Building, Residential

Port Angeles, WA – Fire sprinkler prevents fire from spreading at apartment complex; No injuries reported

A fire sprinkler system prevented a fire from spreading at a Port Angeles apartment complex Sunday morning.

The Port Angeles Fire Department sent five firefighters to 1003 S. C St. for a reported structure fire at about 11:51 a.m. Sunday, according to a press release.

When they arrived they found light smoke showing from unit 3 and all residents had evacuated.

“The sprinkler system had been activated in the bedroom of unit 3 and extinguished the fire,” Lt. Bryant Kroh said in a news release. “Not only did this minimize the damage to the building, it prevented any further danger to tenants on site.”

Firefighters immediately worked to ventilate the apartment and turned off the sprinkler system to minimize water damage. The apartment sustained smoke, fire and water damage.

No one was injured in the incident.

The fire was caused by bedroom furnishings being too close to a baseboard heater, according to the press release.

Apartment Building, Residential

Ottawa, ON, Canada – Kitchen fire in empty apartment unit extinguished by fire sprinkler

The sprinkler system quickly doused a fire at the Minto Suite Hotel Friday morning after a night that kept firefighters busy with two east-end house fires including one that sent three people to hospital with smoke inhalation.

The fire department was called to 185 Lyon Street North at 8:15 a.m. as residents were brought to the building’s lobby. The smoke and water was limited to a unit under renovation and an adjacent unit. Fire crews were clearing the scene within the hour.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

La Grange Park, IL – Malfunctioning furnace fire controlled by fire sprinklers at rehabilitation center; No injuries reported

No one was injured and no one had to be evacuated when a furnace malfunction started a fire Thursday morning at The Grove of La Grange Park rehabilitation center, fire officials reported.

An automatic fire alarm at the facility, 701 N. La Grange Road, sounded at 9:05 a.m. Nov. 21, Fire Chief Dean Maggos said.

A furnace in a sub-basement mechanical room malfunctioned, causing flames from the furnace burners to reach insulation below some ducts, Maggos said. A fire sprinkler located only a few feet away activated, controlled the fire and sounded an alarm. Water from the sprinkler limited the fire and heat damage to the immediate area.

Water damage was minimal, as the staff and firefighters kept the water in the mechanical room where it drained through floor drains, the Fire Department reported.