Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Apartment Building, Residential

Harris County, TX – (no media coverage) Apartment balcony fire contained by sprinkler system; Assists firefighters with extinguishing blaze

*** FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED – No Media Coverage *** On Sunday, March 18 at approximately 8:17 am, HCFMO was requested by Cy-Fair Fire Department to assist with an apartment fire. Upon arrival, investigators noted the fire was contained to an exterior balcony because of the activation of one sprinkler head. The total loss due to fire and water damage was $5,300, with pre-incident value at $510,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fitchburg, MA – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by automatic sprinkler system

A small kitchen fire at the Riverside Commons apartment complex left two units water-damaged Wednesday morning.  According to apartment manager Lisa Chaves, the fire started when a tenant was cooking on their stove top at about 10:30 a.m.  She said that no one was injured in the fire and that flames were extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. However, Chaves said two apartments were damaged by the water from the sprinklers.

Apartment Building, Residential

Spring Township, PA – Sprinkler system holds apartment hallway fire in check; Firefighters extinguish blaze

Ten apartments at a Spring Township complex were evacuated Monday because of a fire that started in the second-floor hallway of the building.  Spring Township Fire & Rescue crews responded about 9:50 a.m. to an on-site fire alarm at Penns Crossing, 1400 W. Wyomissing Court, near West Wyomissing Boulevard and Route 724. Crews found fire around a hallway light fixture, Chief Colin Hackman said. The fire-suppression sprinkler system had activated and that kept the flames from spreading beyond that portion of the ceiling, he said.

Firefighters put out the rest of the flames and declared the fire under control within six minutes. Fire personnel assisted the facilities staff in accounting for the residents, who were taken to a common room on the first floor, Hackman said. The number of tenants affected was unavailable. Crews remained at the scene for a couple of hours, helping to contain water runoff so it wouldn’t damage the units below. The complex is next to Lincoln Park Apartments & Townhomes. All the tenants except one returned to their units by noon. The one could not return because of water damage and was staying with relatives, Hackman said. The township fire marshal is investigating the cause. A damage estimate was unavailable.

Apartment Building, Residential

Bend, OR – Sprinkler system credited with halting apartment fire; No injuries reported

A fire broke out in a southeast Bend apartment Friday morning, but a sprinkler system confined it to one room and doused the blaze before firefighters arrived, officials said.

The fire was reported around 10 a.m. in one unit of a three-story complex at the Seasons at Farmington Reserve apartments on Southeast Aaron Way.

Five engine crews and two medic units arrived to find light smoke coming from the one apartment and that residents of nearby units had evacuated properly, Bend Fire Department Capt. Scott Wyman said.

“We were prepared to pull hoses, but by the time we got here, there was no need to put any of our water on it — the sprinkler had done its job,” Wyman said. 

While the fire was confined to one room in the apartment, with smoke and water damage, Wyman said crews performed overhaul for some water that made into the units lower in the building.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. The American Red Cross was called in to assist the apartment’s resident, Wyman said.

Other Business

Fallston, MD – Fire that started in movie theater popcorn machine controlled with help from spinklers

A small fire inside a movie theater Tuesday, prompted an emergency response from local fire stations.  Just before 11:30 a.m., Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance along with the Joppa – Magnolia Fire Company responded to the Horizon Cinemas located at 2315 Bel Air Road in Fallston.  Upon arrival, units discovered one of the buildings sprinkler systems activated after a popcorn machine caught fire.  No injuries were reported according to Chief Dave Williams, of Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company.

Apartment Building, Residential

Columbia, MD – Apartment kitchen fire put out by sprinkler system

A fire overnight in Columbia sent one person to the hospital, according to officials. Authorities said Thursday morning that the victim’s injuries were minor.  Firefighters were called to a residence in the 5400 block of Cedar Lane for an automatic fire alarm, according to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.  At the location, crews found a small kitchen fire that had been put out by the sprinkler system in the building.

One resident was taken to Howard County General Hospital with what officials said were minor injuries.

Apartment Building, Residential

Lowell, MA – Sprinkler system contains apartment blaze caused by electrical issue

Ten people were displaced following a one-alarm fire that broke out in a rear apartment unit behind the Acre Sports Pub on Fletcher Street at around 7:45 a.m. Sunday. The sprinkler system was activated and contained the fire until Lowell firefighters arrived on scene and quickly extinguished the blaze, according to Lowell Fire Chief Jeff Winward.

“Because of a working fire-alarm system, all occupants of the building were able to escape from the fire without injury,” Winward said. The displaced residents of the multi-unit building at 282 Fletcher St. were assisted by the American Red Cross, according to the chief. All other occupants were able to return to their apartments. The Acre Sports Pub remains open. The cause of the blaze was ruled accidental after starting due to an electrical problem, Winward said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Carlisle, OH – Dust explosion contained with help from sprinkler system

Static electricity built up caused a spark and small explosion, said Brad Wymore, director of marketing and sales at Mar-Flex Waterproofing and Building Solutions. He said there were some flammable materials within the solvent-based product manufactured in the Carlisle facility. Wymore said the on-site sprinkler system was triggered, and there was a fast response from the fire departments. There were no flames at any time, but a foam used to put out the small explosion does cause some smoldering. Wymore said 10 people were inside the building at the time, but only one was in the back near the explosion.

A small explosion at Mar-Flex Waterproofing and Building Solutions led to no structural damage at the business. Just a wall panel was torn off. Lt. Dustin Perry, Franklin Twp. fire, said the damage was contained to a mixing tank. He said a dust explosion caused the incident.

UPDATE @ 11:33 a.m.
A small explosion was reported inside the business around 10:30 a.m. Crews on scene report part of a wall is laying out from the side of the building.

No injuries are reported, and all employees are accounted for.

On scene were fire department crews from Carlisle, Franklin, Madison Twp., Middletown, Miami Valley, Clearcreek Twp., Franklin Twp., Germantown and the Joint Emergency Medical Service.

The company, Mar-Flex Waterproofing and Building Solutions, has been located here for less than a decade.

Multiple fire crews have responded to a reported fire at a factory in Carlisle Monday morning.

Crews were dispatched around 10:30 a.m. to Mar-Flex Waterproofing and Building Solutions at 500 Business Parkway on reports of a fire and possible explosions from the building.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Boerne, TX – (No Media Coverage) Utility room fire at long term care facility contained by single sprinkler head

**NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Department Reported ** On 3/2 at approximately 8 am a fire occurred at a long term care facility.  The fire was located in the utility room and was due to a gas fired water heater malfunction.  One sprinkler head activated and contained the fire to the utility room.  Fire loss was under $2500.  Appraised property value is $2.1 million.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential, Residential High Rise

St. Louis, MO – Sprinkler system activates in fire at high rise for the elderly and disabled; No injuries reported

Tense times for residents Thursday morning at a Midtown St. Louis apartment high-rise after a fire temporarily shut down the elevators. The apartments are home to senior citizens and people with disabilities. All three elevators in the building were disabled after a cooking accident. The fire set off the building’s sprinkler system. “When there is a fire, the sprinkler goes off. The sprinkler kicks on and it shuts down the elevator – all elevators,” said Vince Turner.

Those sprinklers sent water into a lot of different areas, including the electrical components of the elevators. The St. Louis Fire Department said the trouble began Wednesday night after Turner, a resident on the 21st floor, burned his dinner. “I was frying some fish in the skillet, then it exploded-boom-big ball of fire and smoke,” he said. The high-rise Council Towers Senior Apartments is home to senior citizens and those with disabilities. After about 12 hours of nonstop work by repair crews, two of the three elevators were back up and running. Although many of the residents struggled to get up and down the stairs, no one was hurt. “I never had to walk this many flights in my life,” said Debora Hall.

Hall, 61, said she walked down 27 flights of stairs. “It was very painful; my whole right side. I have a disc in my neck and my lower back so my whole right side is very weak,” Hall said.