Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Mt. Juliet, TN – Single sprinkler contains fire at elementary school

Mt. Juliet firefighters extinguished a fire last Sunday morning at Mt. Juliet Elementary School that damaged at least one classroom. Firefighters responded to the school at 2521 W. Division St. at about 8 a.m. According to Mt. Juliet fire officials, the fire started in “hotel-style” heater” that activated one sprinkler head in a classroom, and the school’s sprinkler system contained the fire. Fire damaged the classroom, and four adjoining classrooms suffered water and some smoke damage.

“Something did malfunction, and it did ignite,” said Mt. Juliet fire Chief Jamie Luffman. “There was a significant fire as you can see by that wall over there and it came through the wall.” Luffman said the sprinkler kept the fire contained until firefighters arrived and extinguished the remainder of the fire. The single sprinkler head released a significant amount of water that then leaked into adjoining classrooms, Luffman said. “Obviously this fire was intense for a short period of time,” Luffman said. 

Wilson County Schools spokesperson Jennifer Johnson said in an email clean-up crews responded to the school after firefighters extinguished the fire. Firefighters remained on the scene for several hours. Johnson initially said classes would resume as normal with students returning from spring break Monday, but she later said Monday would be considered a “student holiday” for students. All teachers and staff are expected to report for work as a teacher in-service day to help get the school ready for classes Tuesday.  “We are so grateful to the Mt Juliet Fire Department for their quick response and ability to contain the fire to such a small portion of the school,” Johnson said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Portland, OR – Mattress fire at downtown apartment held in check by sprinkler system

Firefighters are working to put out a mattress fire Thursday morning inside a building in Northwest Portland. Reports came in just before 10 a.m. of a fire on NW 6th and Flanders Street.  Portland Fire & Rescue said the flames were kept in check by the building’s sprinkler system. Arriving crews searched the unit for people, but initial reports state that the area was clear.  A fire crew is working to “salvage” the unit, or try and prevent any further smoke and sprinkler damage.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Fort Worth, TX – No injuries as sprinkler system helps extinguish intentionally-set fire at Walmart distribution center

The Fort Worth Fire Department said a fire at the Walmart Distribution Center on Westport Parkway Friday morning appears to have been intentionally set and is under investigation.

The fire started around 11:10 a.m.The fire department said employees were evacuated as smoke was coming from the building and water was coming out of the sprinkler system.

Soon after firefighters arrived, they called for more units.The fire department said the fire started on a bottom shelf and spread to the second and third shelves.

The sprinklers put out most of the fire and there is now significant water damage to the merchandise.

The Walmart Distribution Center is an open floor plan 8,000 square foot facility.

There are four levels of shelves containing merchandise.

No one was hurt.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Hamden, CT – Sprinkler system holds fire in check at senior apartment complex

More than 40 elderly residents were evacuated during a fire early Friday morning at the Davenport Resident on Putnam Avenue, an eight-story building with 217 apartments that houses mostly senior citizens.

Firefighters responded to the apartment complex, located at 125 Putnam Avenue, at 6:46 a.m. after receiving 911 calls and a report from the fire-alarm company that services the property, according to Deputy Chief Gary Merwede.

The first-arriving crews found multiple elderly residents were in the process of evacuating the building and required assistance. The fire was determined to be in a third-floor apartment, according to Merwede.

Merwede said that several residents were physically carried from stairwells by firefighters.Incident Commander Ronald Desroches called for a second alarm and all remaining Hamden Fire companies were dispatched to the scene and the fire was under control at approximately 7:25 a.m., according to Merwede.

“American Medical Response was asked to set-up a triage center in the adjoining 135 Putnam Dunbar Residence,” Merwede said in a press release. “AMR paramedics triaged more than 40 elderly residents, with one elderly female patient requiring transport for exposure to smoke and cold temperatures. The Hamden CERT Team was activated and assisted with displaced residents during operations. Several disabled residents were protected in place in apartments or designated areas of refuge by firefighters above the fire floor.

“The fire was contained to the room of origin. Companies worked to ventilate smoke, carbon monoxide and the other products of combustion on floors 3 – 8. The ventilation operation took more than an hour following suppression. After firefighters metered for a safe atmosphere, residents were escorted back to their apartments by Hamden CERT.”

Merwede said the building’s sprinkler system held the fire in check and allowed firefighters to stop the fire from spreading to additional floors and apartments.

“The fire-alarm system performed according to design and alerted the occupant of the fire apartment and all building residents of the emergency,” Merwede said. “Due to these fire protection systems, the resident in 313 and others on the fire floor were able to make it to the stairwell and either self-evacuate or await assistance from firefighters.”

Deputy Fire Marshal Tim Lunn determined that the fire was most likely caused by an overheated extension cord.

The management of the Davenport Residence is relocating any resident displaced by this emergency due to fire, water or smoke damage to vacant apartments elsewhere in the complex, according to Merwede.

College/University (on campus), Other - Hospital/Medical, School / University

Palo Alto, CA – Lab fire at Stanford University Medical School held in check by sprinkler system

Palo Alto Fire crews knocked down a 3-alarm fire at Stanford University in Palo Alto after evacuating the surrounding area Saturday morning.  Crews first reported the fire on Twitter around 7:45 a.m. in the Edwards Building at 300 Pasteur Dr., which is connected to the hospital.

A hazmat team is still on site because the fire started in and burned a laboratory containing bio-hazardous waste, Palo Alto Fire said.  Also on site are 60 firefighters from Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, 9 fire engines, five trucks, two medic ambulances, and five Command Chiefs. The main entrance to Stanford’s hospital is closed. Officials are redirecting those trying to enter the facility through other doors

A sprinkler system contained flames to a room on the third floor, according to Palo Alto Fire.  Around 8:00 a.m., the fire was upgraded from a 2-alarm to a 3-alarm.  Around 8:25 a.m., crews reported the fire was out. Since the fire was in the Medical School Building, officials say there was no threat to hospital patients. No injuries have been reported at this time.

 

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Kitchener, ON, Canada – Sprinklers extinguish fire at Colt Canada firearms manufacturing plant; No injuries

The Colt Canada firearms manufacturing plant in Kitchener was evacuated Thursday morning due to a fire inside the building.

Firefighters were called to the Wilson Avenue facility around 8:30 a.m.When they arrived, they found that the fire had already been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.

Water from the sprinklers damaged some computers. Damaged is estimated at $10,000 to $20,000.

Fire officials say the fire began when workers were test firing casings, one of which landed in “residual matter.”

No injuries were reported.

Other Business, Place of Worship

Woburn, MA – Fire in multi-tenant commercial building controlled with help from sprinkler system

The cause of a 2-alarm fire on Sunday that resulted in extensive damage to a building on Green Street in the South End remains under investigation, Woburn Fire Chief Timothy Ring said this morning. The fire broke out in an office in a multi-tenant commercial building at 3 Green St., shortly after noon yesterday, while Blessed of the Lord Church was in session. Congregants apparently notified the Woburn Fire Dept. of the fire.  There were no injuries reported. Everyone managed to exit the church without incident, according to Ring.

The two other businesses in the building are RSK Marble & Granite and Woburn Bottle & Can recycling facility. Areas of the building sustained significant damage, Ring said.

“The fire got up into the roof, so we had to peel back the roof to get at it,” said Ring. “The fire also set off the sprinkler system, so there was a lot of water damage, as well as smoke and fire damage.”

Departments from Winchester, Stoneham, Medford and Arlington provided mutual aid at the scene. The fire was brought under control within about two hours, and crews cleared the scene by 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The State Fire Marshal’s office and the Woburn Fire Cause Determination Unit are conducting the investigation. Traffic along Green Street was disrupted while crews fought the fire.

Other - Retail, Retail

Madison, WI – Damage in furniture store fire limited with help from sprinkler system

Firefighters responded to a reported fire at an east side furniture store Saturday morning, a dispatcher said. The dispatcher said crews were called to the Slumberland Furniture store at 2201 East Springs Drive at 8:57 a.m. on a water flow report from the building’s sprinkler system. Crews found the building filled with smoke, officials said.  Firefighters followed the sound of water coming from a sprinkler to find the fire, since the smoke made it hard to see inside the building, officials said. Firefighters found several pieces of furniture on fire near the back of the store.  The fire was controlled by 9:10 a.m., after which crews remained on scene to ventilate the building, officials said. Firefighters used an airboat to help ventilate the store.  A preliminary investigation showed that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault. A damage estimate was not available Saturday morning, officials said.

Other Business

Falmouth, MA – Dryer fire at commercial building controlled with help from sprinkler system

Fire and rescue responded with a full structure response to the report of a dryer fire at 263 Grand Ave, the British Beer Co building in Falmouth Heights Tuesday just after 11AM.  The fire was quickly controlled with the help of the sprinkler system in the Inn that shares the building. Falmouth Fire officials were investigating the fire during overhaul.  No injuries were reported.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Huntington, WV – Arena fire controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries and no events canceled

Firefighters responded to a fire Friday morning at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington. Crews were able to quickly put out the fire, which started in an administrative office. The sprinkler system helped in the fire.  About 15 to 20 employees were in the building at the time.  No one was reported hurt in the incident.  Events at the arena will continue as normal.