Crews remained on scene for three hours putting out hot spots and investigating.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, but foul play is not suspected.
Preliminary damage to the hotel is approximately $100,000.
Crews remained on scene for three hours putting out hot spots and investigating.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, but foul play is not suspected.
Preliminary damage to the hotel is approximately $100,000.
Three people in the suite were able to escape with no injuries and the displaced residents will be helped by Emergency Social Services with finding accommodations until their insurance can assess the damage.
Hurst noted the suite is not livable and temporary accommodations have been made for the family.
B.C. Ambulance Service, West Shore RCMP and BC Hydro were also on scene.
“A number of people believe that water damage from a sprinkler system will be more extensive than fire damage or that when a fire occurs every sprinkler head goes off,” explains Public Educator, Whitney Burk. “This is not the case as water damage from a building sprinkler system is less severe than the damage caused by a fire that is able to spread and sprinkler heads are individually activated by temperature.”
***NO MEDIA – FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED***On November 16, 2017, Farmers Branch Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire at a multifamily residential apartment building located at 11700 Luna Rd. (Bldg 4) in Farmers Branch. Forty apartment units are within Building 4. The Farmers Branch Fire Department discovered a kitchen fire had been extinguished prior to their arrival by a single 25 gallon per minute residential sprinkler head.
Occupant reported that she was cooking breakfast in a skillet and stepped away from the kitchen for a few minutes. Upon returning to the kitchen, she observed the frying pan on fire and extending upward to the microwave. Sprinkler head activated. Her husband was in the shower at the time of the fire. Fire damage was estimated at $1,050. Multiple lives were saved by a single sprinkler head activation.
But in this case, the apartment complex near George Mason University is home to several college students and many were still asleep at the time.
“He didn’t even wake up. I had to wake him up,” said Peter Milonas, referring to his twin brother Chris.
The Milonas brothers live on the building’s first floor. They and their neighbors – in 12 different units – have now been forced to vacate their apartments due to fire damage or water damage.
“The fire activated the sprinkler system and it started to suppress it. So it kept it in check for our folks to be able to operate efficiently,” Vita said.
Vita added that everyone got out safely; no residents or firefighters were injured. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.