Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Other Business

Chesterton, IN – Electrical fire in “Escape Room” business extinguished by sprinkler system

fire believed to have been electrical in nature damaged the Mission: Escape suite in The Factory building on Saturday, the Chesterton Fire Department is reporting.  Capt. Rudy Jimenez told the Chesterton Tribune today that, at 7:20 a.m., the CFD was initially dispatched to the Frontline Foundations Inc. offices in response to an activated alarm. Chesterton Police officers, first on the scene, quickly determined that there was no fire at Frontline, then proceeded to The Factory, where they made entry and subsequently traced smoke and an odor of natural gas to Suite 3 on the second floor, where the Mission: Escape business is located.

On their arrival firefighters found that the sprinkler system had done “an excellent job in extinguishing the fire” and confining it to its point of origin, Jimenez said: a small hallway off the main lobby leading to one of the escape rooms.  The source of the fire appears to have been a short circuit in a smoke machine or its extension cord, which on igniting began to burn a nearby stage prop from the bank heist escape room: a cardboard swag box containing fake money, Jimenez said.

Fire damage was minimal but water damage was fairly extensive–both to Suite 3 and to Suite 2, beneath it on the ground floor–inasmuch as the sprinkler system continued to release water until firefighters turned it off.  Jimenez estimated damage to the building at $10,000 and that to contents at $5,000. He added that Suite 2 on the ground floor is currently vacant. The CFD cleared the scene at 8:37 a.m.

Storage / Warehouse

Cheyenne, WY – Sprinkler system keeps fulfillment center fire at bay

The Sierra Trading Post Fulfillment Center was evacuated Monday morning following a fire on the building’s east side.  Cheyenne Fire and Rescue was dispatched to the scene at 10:07 a.m. and arrived at 10:15 a.m. to see the building had already been evacuated, according to a news release.  Firefighters encountered “dense smoke” when they got inside and were able to locate the fire in the eastern portion of the building. They had it under control by 10:40 a.m. but were still on scene at 3 p.m.  No injuries were reported, and Scott Smith, Fire and Rescue public information officer, said the building’s sprinkler system likely kept the fire at bay in the Fulfillment Center, where orders are often stored.  Officials are still working to identify the cause of the fire and assess damage.

College/University (on campus), School / University

New Haven, CT – Sprinkler system activated for dining hall fire at Yale University

A fire broke out in the the Pauli Murray College dining hall kitchen at around 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, forcing diners and staff to evacuate and the dining hall to close temporarily.

The fire alarm blared across Murray’s first-year courtyard from the dining hall to adjacent entryway A. While the source of the fire remains unknown, the incident was minor and the flames did not carry from the kitchen into the dining room, according to Christian Fischer, senior director of Yale Dining. He said that a dining hall staff member activated the sprinkler system as a precautionary measure, triggering a call to the fire department.

“Safety is our number one concern and our staff is trained to deal with these types of minor incidents,” Fischer said. “Small nonalarm issues happen from time to time in commercial kitchens, and this fire, minor in nature, did not activate the alarm.”

In 2017, there were 16 fire incidents recorded in the residential colleges, including one in Murray, according to the 2017 Yale University Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. According to a member of the Murray dining staff who asked for anonymity for fear of retribution from his boss, Wednesday morning’s incident was the first time a fire has broken out in the Murray kitchen. He speculated that the flames were fueled by grease that was sparked behind the serving counter in the kitchen. The staff member contended that the whole team worked together to “take care of it” and that he was thankful that everyone was okay.

Lillie Horton ’22, one of just a few dozen students eating breakfast when the fire broke out, said she admired that everyone managed to stay calm.

“A worker ran out and screamed, ‘There’s a fire behind the skillet!’” said Horton. “You couldn’t see anything — or at least I couldn’t — but they turned on the sprinklers and [everyone] walked out really calmly.”

Horton, along with classmates Danny Kaplowitz ’22 and Carla Sanchez-Noya ’22, explained that this was not the first time the fire alarm had gone off in their courtyard. On separate occasions the three have been urged to evacuate entryways A and B for non-emergency reasons.

As a result, Kaplowitz was not worried by the ringing, as he assumed it was another false alarm. Still, both he and Sanchez-Noya evacuated their entryway.

Eight students interviewed by the News said that the fire was purely a minor inconvenience. Every member of Murray received an email about an hour after the event, explaining that the dining hall would be closed for breakfast “due to unforeseen circumstances.” Lunch and dinner options were also limited, as the grille and pizza stations remained closed.

“I stayed up really late studying for a quiz expecting to be able to sleep in,” Kaplowitz said. “The fire alarm really messed up my morning.”

In any fire emergency on campus, the Office of the Fire Marshal requires that bystanders call 911.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Chattanooga, TN – Fire at foam facility controlled by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Chattanooga dispatchers confirm an early morning fire damaged a foam facility in Chattanooga.

This happened at Woodbridge INOAC Technical Products on Judd Road. 

Battalion Chief David Thompson Jr. said that when firefighters with Quint 10 arrived on the scene and confirmed they had a fire at the rear of the building, a second alarm was requested to bring in additional firefighters and equipment.

Chief Thompson said the fire was located in a stack of foam blocks. The building’s sprinkler system activated and helped to contain the spread of the flames. The fire was declared under control in about 45 minutes. No one was hurt.

CFD spokesman Bruce Garner says an estimate on the dollar loss was still being assessed, but most of the commercial business was spared any serious fire damage. The cause of the fire will be ruled accidental.

Apartment Building, Residential

Prince George, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for apartment building fire; No injuries reported

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Prince George Fire Crews responded to a commercial fire alarm at the 3200 block of Westwood Drive just before 10 this morning. 11 firefighters from three halls responded and found a sprinkler system had activated inside the apartment building due to a fire in one of the suites. The fire was contained to the suite involved though some water damage was caused to other suites before the sprinklers were shut off. Fire and water damage is estimated at 70 thousand dollars. The cause is under investigation and no injuries were reported.

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Reading, PA – University dormitory fire contained to one unit by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

…. Firefighters had just been dispatched to a dormitory fire at Alvernia University, so some of the crews responding to the college were diverted to Lancaster Avenue. … The dorm fire at Alvernia occurred in Judge Hall, 440 Adams St. Searfoss said the fire sprinkler system contained the fire to one unit until firefighters arrived. No one was injured.

Retail

Brampton, ON, Canada – All animals safe at PetSmart store after sprinkler system isolates fire

The incident called firefighters to the scene of a PetSmart location at 547 Steeles Avenue.  Brampton Fire & Emergency Services reported on Twitter that the fire was isolated by the sprinkler system and is under control.  All animals in the store have been reported safe.

Reported on Twitter – Crews operating at a commercial property fire at 547 Steeles Av. Fire is under control. Sprinkler system has isolated the fire. All animals are safe. Smoke control is underway. @CityBrampton @BPFFA1068 ^hg

 

Retail, Shopping Mall

Providence, RI – Sprinkler system controlled tractor trailer truck fire in parking garage

A tractor trailer truck caught fire Tuesday morning at the loading dock of the North Garage at the Providence Place mall.

Firefighters responded at 8:17 a.m. and found the cab of the truck fully in flames, according to an email from Lindsay Lague, spokeswoman for Providence public safety.

Two sprinkler heads above the truck activated, and fire crews helped extinguish the fire with a hose, Lague wrote.

The fire was under control as of 8:50 a.m., but smoke persisted in the loading dock area, the parking garage and some areas of the mall.

Crews metered the parking garage and other public areas for carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, but there were no issues with either gas.

Crews were able to clear the smoke and the mall opened on time at 10 a.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Baton Rouge, LA – Third-floor hotel fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Firefighters rescued an elderly woman from a fire and severe smoke in a hotel off South Shewood Forest Boulevard Tuesday morning, said St. George Fire Department spokesman Eldon Ledoux. 

The fire was reported just before 10 a.m. Tuesday on the third floor of the In Town Suites at 11616 Sherwood Forest Court, Ledoux said. The sprinkler system had activated and extinguished the fire, but smoke remained heavy. 

While firefighters worked to clear the smoke, they went around checking rooms to ensure everyone evacuated safely, Ledoux said. During the checks, firefighters found an elderly woman on the floor in distress from smoke inhalation, Ledoux said. She was transported to a hospital for treatment. 

Fire investigators determined the fire was an accident, starting in the area of a battery charger, Ledoux said. 

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Hershey, PA – Minor fire at Hershey Kiss factory extinguished by sprinkler system

A small fire broke out at the Pennsylvania chocolate factory that manufactures more than 70 million Hershey’s Kisses a day.  Firefighters were called to the Hershey Co.’s plant in Hershey, Pennsylvania, for a minor fire Friday morning.  A company spokesman said a short-circuit in a storage area heater activated a sprinkler system, which immediately put out the fire.  He said workers were evacuated from a section of the plant out of caution.  He said everyone is fine and no employees were ever at risk.  According to the company’s website, the plant also makes Hershey’s milk chocolate bars and Hershey’s syrup.