Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Greenville, MI – Fire service credits sprinkler system in helping to control fire at plastics plant

An industrial fire at West Michigan Compounding’s (WMC) reclamation center Sunday morning was quickly extinguished by firefighters before it could spread to do additional damage. At approximately 9:15 a.m., the Greenville Department of Public Safety was dispatched to the WMC reclamation center, located at 634 Greenville West Dr. at the former Electrolux property, to the report of a structure fire at the building. According to Public Safety Officer Jamie Sorsen, no one was in the building at the time a water flow alarm was triggered.

“The alarm went off, and when employees arrived on scene, they found smoke,” he said. Sorsen said he requested assistance from the Belding Fire Department for additional manpower and equipment, and together, the departments sent in teams of two and three firefighters at a time to locate and extinguish the fire within the large industrial building.

“We knew that we had a lot of smoke and we knew the area it was coming from, but we didn’t know what was on fire,” he said. “But within minutes they located it.” Sorsen said there were a number of boxes containing plastic that were discovered to be burning about “100 to 200 feet” south of the northeastern corner of the building.

“We were able to locate it quickly, which allowed us to put it out quickly,” he said. It becomes a problem when you can’t locate the fire quickly.” The fire was contained within about one hour after the initial time of call.

“It did not burn through the roof and it was contained to a 30 by 30-foot area,” Sorsen said. “I credit the sprinkler system that was activated and all of the manpower, everybody responding quickly, both part-paid and full time firefighters from here and Belding, as well as the first responders here assisting us.”

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Libertyville, IL – (No Media Coverage) Fire at plastics manufacturing plant held in check by single sprinkler

** No Media Coverage – Fire Department Reported ***  Around 1029 hours on Sunday, the Libertyville Fire Department responded to an activated fire alarm at a plastic manufacturing plant. When the first in engine company arrived, the firefighter in the jump seat thought he saw smoke from the building. After accessing the building and alarm room, he crew found the sprinkler bell ringing. After opening a man door into the warehouse they noticed a heavy haze of smoke. At this time the response was upgraded to a structure fire response. The crews made entry via the north side door and found one sprinkler head activated. This sprinkler was controlling a fire that involved a plastic injection molding machine. The crews used one handline to finish extinguishment and mop up. Fire damage was contained to the machine, while other parts of the building sustained smoke and water damage. ***

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Yuma, AZ – Restaurant kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system

The Yuma Fire Department said Saturday at about 7:30 am an audible fire alarm was reported going off at the Yuma Palace restaurant, 350 East 32nd Street, by a Yuma Police officer patrolling in the area. Yuma Fire Department personnel arrived and confirmed the alarm was signaling water flow to the fire suppression sprinkler system, they also found the smell of smoke coming from the building. The business had not opened for the day and there were no employees on the property.

Firefighters forced entry into the kitchen area finding a sprinkler head was flowing water over the stove area. The water flow was shut down and a fire investigator was called to the scene. It was found that a pot of water had been accidently left heating on the stove top when the business had closed. The water boiled away and the heat ignited material around the cooking surface. The heat from this fire triggered the sprinkler head over that cooking area, stopping the fire spread and extinguishing it.

Fire sprinkler systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them. Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute. Even small fires can cause significant damage to property and endanger those nearby. Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat activate, not those in the rest of the room, building, or complex. Sprinkler systems save lives and protect property.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Moses Lake, WA – Sprinkler system activates to help stop fire at grocery store deli

The Moses Lake Safeway was evacuated Tuesday morning after a fire started in the deli section.

Moses Lake firefighters responded to find heavy smoke coming from the roof vents, according to Assistant Fire Chief Pete Kunjara.

The fire is out and firefighters are assessing the damage. Kunjara said the store’s sprinkler system did activate. It’s unclear if the flames caused damage to the roof.

No injuries were reported.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Watertown, WI – Sprinkler system halts nursing home fire in wing occupied by many nonambulatory patients

The Watertown Fire Department continues to investigate a structure fire that injured one resident at Dycora Transitional Health on Hospital Drive early Saturday morning. “We’re not exactly sure of the cause of it yet, possibly electrical,” fire Chief Greg Michalek said. “The fire burned the bed with the patient in it and part of the wall.”

Michalek said the blaze was contained to a single room of the 112-bed nursing home, but the wing it is located in also suffered water and smoke damage.

He acknowledged that the casualties could have been much worse if things had transpired differently because many of the residents in the wing could not walk by themselves. Thankfully, firefighters along with a number of police officers and Dycora personnel were able to evacuate the 20 patients in the affected wing.

“Most of the people in that wing were nonambulatory,” Michalek said. “They had to be taken out in wheelchairs. The sprinkler system activated and put the fire out but there was a lot of smoke.”

A call to Dycora’s administrator was not returned before the Daily Times press time this morning.

Child Care Facility, Hospital/Care Facility

Lake Forest, IL – Sprinklers extinguish fire at daycare center before firefighters arrive; All children safely evacuated

A fire that broke out at a Lake Forest day care facility Wednesday was extinguished before fire fighters arrived.

The Lake Forest Fire Department received the alarm around 8:52 a.m. The department said all of the children at the day care had been evacuated to a nearby business. As they traveled to the scene, fire crews were told the sprinkler system had been activated and the smell of smoke was in the air.

When they arrived, firefighters found light smoke conditions in a first floor kitchenette, the department said. Sprinklers had extinguished the fire, which had been contained to a cardboard box.

Crews shut down the sprinkler and performed clean up duties, according to Battalion Chief Mike Gallo.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Vernon Hills, IL – Laundry fire at senior living complex contained by sprinkler system

A fire broke out in a Vernon Hills senior living complex’s laundry room Tuesday morning, but officials from the Countryside Fire Protection District say a sprinkler system and collapsible doors contained the fire until crews arrived.

The fire started in a dryer on the fifth floor of the Victory Centre of Vernon Hills, 97 W. Phillip Road, shortly after 9 a.m. No one was injured in the blaze, according to a statement issued by Countryside Fire Chief Jeff Steingart.

“Quick and decisive actions by the Victory Centre staff as well as the emergency response and the fire sprinkler controlling the fire clearly averted a potential tragedy,” Steingart said.

Approximately 110 residents and 25 employees were inside the building when the fire started, according to Steingart. He said investigators are still trying to determine why the dryer caught fire.

The incident was deemed a structure fire and Countryside was assisted by crews from Libertyville, Mundelein and Lincolnshire.

Smoke and heat was contained inside the laundry room and fresh oxygen kept outside by automated doors that closed, Steingart said. He said the laundry room had one sprinkler that functioned properly and limited the fire until crews arrived.

A few residents will be temporarily relocated during the cleanup and investigation, Steingart said.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Marshfield, MA – Trashcan fire in high school woodshop put out with help from sprinkler system

The building has been deemed safe after a trashcan fire at Marshfield High School activated the sprinkler system. There were no injuries.  The Marshfield fire department responded to an alarm at the school at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning. A custodian pulled the alarm after finding a fire in a trashcan in the wood shop area.  The building’s sprinkler system and the fire department put out the fire. The shop has extensive smoke and water damage, and the rest of the building was also lightly damaged by smoke, Fire Chief William Hocking said in a statement.   The trash barrel was next to a table saw in the shop. The fire has been deemed accidental. The building was occupied at the time, but no injuries were reported.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Concord, NC – Sprinkler system helps put out fire at shopping mall; No injuries reported

A fire at Concord Mills Wednesday morning caused the mall to evacuate employees and shoppers for a brief time.

Officials say the fire began inside an exhaust fan in the bathroom of the FYE store around 9:15 a.m.

Concord Fire Chief Ray Allen says the sprinkler system kicked on and was able to help put out the fire.

While the fire was not huge, crews are grateful it happened so early in the morning when the mall was not more crowded.

Most of the stores reopened inside the mall around 11 a.m. No one was injured.

Apartment Building, Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Baxter, MN – Balcony fire at senior apartment complex controlled with help from sprinkler system

Passing motorists on Excelsior Road saw flames on a third-floor deck of a senior apartment complex Friday morning, alerting emergency responders to the Autumn Glenn complex in Baxter. The fire was reported about 7:20 a.m.  At the scene, Baxter Police Chief Jim Exsted said residents on the third floor were evacuated as a precaution. Many had multiple questions as they were temporarily relocated. The 50-unit apartment building has about 16 units on each floor.

Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said the fire was contained to the deck but flames were climbing the wall and around the glass deck door, as well as a window when he arrived on scene. Holmes got the call when he just blocks away from the building. He said deck sprinkler played an important role in keeping the fire contained. The woman living in the apartment was also working to put the fire using a container or bowl filled with water when firefighters arrived. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

The deck remained secure to walk on, Holmes said. Siding was removed around the deck. The torn aqua-colored barrier wrap, formerly underneath the siding, flapped in the morning breeze. The area around the deck doors was charred black and holes were cut above the deck to access the attic. Holiday decorations hung from the deck rail, trailing down to lower floors.

The second floor resident’s deck just below the fire, complete with chairs and potted plant, appeared undisturbed. No injuries were reported. Karen Struthers, community manager for Autumn Glenn, said all the residents were fine. She said the apartment occupant was with family and the complex residents would now have conversation fodder for the weekend. It was too early to determine the extent of the damage in terms of a dollar amount, Struthers said.