Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Other - Storage / Warehouse, Other Business

Fargo, ND – Sprinkler system helps limit damage in fire at beverage wholesale business; No injuries reported

No one was injured Wednesday morning, Oct. 12, in a fire that was reported about 10:15 a.m. at Beverage Wholesalers, 701 4th Ave. N.  Employees at the business said the fire started in materials surrounding a loading dock door after some work had been done on the door.

The workers said everyone got out safely and no one was injured.  A Fargo Fire Department report on the incident said when crews arrived they found a fire that was being contained by a single fire sprinkler.

The fire was burning on and in a wall separating the loading dock area from the warehouse. Thanks to the sprinkler system and fire walls and doors that functioned as they should, fire damage was limited to a small area in the loading dock area and smoke damage was limited, the report said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.  The Fire Department estimated damage from the fire and smoke at $10,000.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Dillingham, AK – Arson fire at grocery market knocked down by sprinkler system

An automatic sprinkler system kept early morning fires set inside the N&N Market down, but not out, and the Dillingham Volunteer Fire Department was called to the scene before 8:00 a.m.

“When we made entry, the building was full of smoke, pretty heavy smoke,” said Assistant Fire Chief Malcolm Wright. “There were fires in several different places, and they’d been knocked down by the sprinkler system. The sprinklers did their job, but there was still a lot of smoke, and [we] had to overhaul the materials that had burned.”

Wright said there appeared to be two spots fires were started in the store. One was back in the clothing section near the footwear, and another was where bulk paper towels are sold on an aisle end cap, next to the produce section and the freezers. Those were areas firefighters focused on pulling apart materials to stamp out the fire.

Wright, a veteran firefighter, had no doubt the fires had been set intentionally. “Yeah, there is no way I could waffle on that. But I want to leave it to police to say more when they’re ready,” he said.

As to the extent of the damage, Wright said it was “pretty heavy” inside, but credited the sprinklers with preventing the fire from spreading further. “There was a bunch of stuff [damaged] on the shelves, some shelving, some lights, but probably much more water damage I would think. Took us a while to get the sprinklers turned back off,” he said.

Two Dillingham police officers were inside collecting evidence immediately after the firefighters cleared the building. Chief Dan Pasquariello could not be reached for comment Sunday morning.

A witness at the scene, who asked not to be named, told police that noises were heard and the power was out at N&N around 3:30 a.m., and not long after a vehicle sped quickly from behind the store and drove a ways down the road before turning its lights on. Other store employees at the scene said the perpetrator or perpetrators had broken a window in the rear of the building to gain entrance.

No injuries were reported. The N&N Market was closed for business Sunday.

There are city cameras around the port entrance, and in the past N&N Market has operated cameras in the store which have helped lead to the arrest of other burglars. So far Dillingham Police have not said what evidence was collected, what if anything was stolen, or if they are looking for any suspects.

The volunteer crash rescue squad also responded to a vehicle accident north on Lake Road earlier in the morning, and the fire department was pulled away from the scene of the N&N fire after a report of a fire in HUD housing was called in. That turned out to be a false alarm; smoke from fireworks shot into the woodline to scare off a bear had been mistaken for a fire.

Update, 12:45 p.m.: Dillingham Police Chief Dan Pasquariello issued a press release, confirming an arson and burglary investigation is underway, though no suspects have been named. “Investigation revealed that person(s) had broken into the building, stole numerous items from the store, and deliberately set the store on fire,” he wrote.

Pasquariello said the ATM had been targeted, but did not want to comment on other items stolen. He did not say how many people had been involved, or if the Department has suspects in mind. The chief said the police are in the early stages of their investigation, and has asked anyone with information regarding burglary and arson at N&N early Sunday morning to contact DPD at 842-5354.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Jackson, NJ – Sprinkler system activates in fire at senior assisted living complex; No injuries reported

A fire Sunday morning at the Bella Terra assisted living complex at 2 Kathleen Drive resulted in approximately 100 people being evacuated to Jackson Liberty High School, Jackson Township Chief of Police Matthew Kunz said.

Mayor Michael Reina said the fire broke out in the D-wing of the facility and resulted in the evacuation of 44 rooms. More than 30 people living in that wing were taken to Jackson Liberty High School for temporary shelter.

“The only thing I know is that the fire was in the attic area above the third floor. It might have been initiated in a heating, air conditioning unit and spread out into the attic area,” Kunz said late Sunday morning at Jackson Liberty as the evacuees were being transported into the high school. “The sprinkler systems were activated, as a result of the heat and the fire causing extensive water damage on that side of the building.”

Both Kunz and Ocean County Sheriff Mike Mastronardy said the high school was being used as a temporary staging area for the evacuees.

Kunz said: “There were no injuries, but because of the fire and water damage, there had to be an evacuation of the building so the building department and inspections could get in and take an assessment as to what was damaged or if it (Bella Terra) could be rehabitated. That’s going to be an all-day process.”

Denise Olejarz, Deputy Coordinator for the Jackson Office of Emergency Management, said early Sunday afternoon that some of the evacuees had either gone home with family members or been transported back to Bella Terra. Olejarz said not all the rooms at Bella Terra are habitable.

Reina said the D-wing had roof damaged and would remain closed until further notice. Bella Terra had enough open units to relocate the D-wing’s residents, he said.

Ethel Levine, 89, resident of Bella Terra for 13 years, said the fire alarm at the complex went off at about 7 a.m. She said members of the Jackson Township Fire Department arrived at about 7:30 a.m., knocking on the doors of the residents and telling everyone to move into the lobby area.

“Then they told us, which of us had to be evacuated,” Levine said. Levine, who lives on the second floor of the complex, said said she remained calm.

“I’ve been through a bomb scare when I worked at the post office so this didn’t bother me,” Levine said.

John Dittman, 60, a resident at Bella Terra for eight years, also said everyone remained calm before they were transported to Jackson Liberty.

“The only pain was being inconvenienced. It wasn’t scary,” Dittman said.

Mastronardy said there were over a dozen ambulances on site and a bus from the Monmouth County EMS Task Force to assist in the evacuation process.

The fire occurred at about 7:20 a.m, and the Jackson Township Police Department and officers with stations 54 and 55 of the Jackson Township Fire Department responded to the alarm, Jackson Police Deparment Lt. John Decker said.

Fire departments from neighboring towns also came to help, Reina said.

“The evacuation, rescue went seamless and not a single injury,” he said. “I’m a very grateful mayor tonight.”

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Durango, CO – Sprinkler system helps knock down fire at historic bar

El Moro, a popular downtown bar and eatery, filled with smoke early Wednesday, activating the sprinkler system and closing the 900 block of Main Avenue. (BLOG NOTE: Smoke does not cause a sprinkler system such as this to activate.  Only the substantial heat from a fire will activate a sprinkler).

The fire was reported at 7:11 a.m. at 945 Main Ave. The fire had been mostly knocked down as of 8 a.m., said Karola Hanks, fire marshal with the Durango Fire Protection District.

El Moro was named one of the 12 historic bars to visit in Colorado by The Gazette.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Boca Raton, FL – Single sprinkler puts out garbage bin fire at warehouse; No injuries

A fire melted two garbage cans and caused some damage to a Boca Raton warehouse Thursday morning, a city fire official said.

Firefighters responded shortly before 11 a.m. to a fire alarm at 1181 South Rogers Circle, south of Clint Moore Road and east of Congress Avenue. Upon arrival, the firefighters found heavy black smoke in the warehouse area of a suite, Boca Raton Fire Rescue spokesman Bob Lemons said.

The firefighters entered and found two large plastic garbage cans that had melted. A single fire sprinkler had activated and extinguished the fire, Lemons said.

The fire damage was limited to the area where the garbage cans were located. Firefighters shut down the water to sprinkler system, opened the rear garage door and used several large fans to remove smoke from the business.

There were no injuries, Lemons said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Gurnee, IL – (NO MEDIA COVERAGE) Sprinkler puts out trash can fire in hotel room; Small dog found during search

*** NO MEDIA COVERAGE — FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED *** On September 25, 2016 at 9:57 a.m., Gurnee Fire Department responded to the Extended Stay Hotel for a True Alarm. Upon arrival, firefighters found that the building was evacuated.

The first engine went to the panel and noted a water-flow on the 3rd floor. Engine 1311 investigated and found water coming from room #302. Engine 1311 made entry and found a trash can fire that had been put out by the sprinkler in the room. A primary search revealed a small dog in the room.

Truck 1331 ventilated the room and Engine 1312 checked for extension and water damage. Rescue 1344 took the panel and had lobby control. Power was shut off to room #302. The sprinkler system was shut down and the hotel posted a fire watch. Hotel management will take care of clean-up and will contact alarm company.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Yarmouth, MA – Nursing home fire contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire broke out at the Mayflower Place nursing facility on Buck Island Road around 11 a.m. Smoke as reportedly pouring from one of the units when firefighters arrived. A sprinkler system contained the fire and crews quickly put it out. The occupant escaped and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A Hyannis engine assisted at the scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Manchester, NH – Sprinkler system helps limit damage in apartment fire; No injuries

Thirty apartments were evacuated Sunday morning after a small fire broke out in a third-floor unit at 195 Eastern Avenue. Manchester firefighters received an automatic fire alarm at 10:58 a.m. Sunday at Hillview Apartments at 195 Eastern Ave. District Fire Chief Mike Gamache said upon arrival crews discovered water and smoke in a third floor apartment. Firefighters located a small fire, partially extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. 

Gamache said firefighters extinguished the remainder of the fire, then assisted residents in apartments on the first and second floors, where water from the sprinkler system drained onto their possessions. Gamache said extensive salvage operations were performed to save the residents’ belongings. 

No injuries were reported. Gamache said fire and water from the sprinkler system caused an estimated $10,000 in damages.  The property, which consists of four buildings, is owned by Eastern Avenue Associates LLC, with an assessed value of $8,643,200, according to the city’s website.

Other - Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Queensbury, NY – Fire at wood shaving plant contained with help from sprinkler system

A wood-shavings plant caught fire Tuesday morning, two months after federal workplace safety officials cited the company for failing to correct “potential fire and explosion hazards.”

Fire crews from four towns responded to reports of a structure fire about 7:15 a.m. at RWS Manufacturing, 22 Ferguson Lane. The blaze extended from an outside conveyor that moved wood shavings to an inside storage facility, Kingsbury Fire Chief Butch Chase said. “Something may have malfunctioned,” he said.

Investigators do not consider the fire suspicious and no one was injured, Chase said. The fire was extinguished by 8 a.m.  “It’s the nature of their business,” Chase said.

RWS — which makes animal bedding from wood shavings for Quebec-based Royal Wood Shavings — said in July it would shut down if it is not successful in appealing $197,820 in fines from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA claims the plant is exposing its employees to “potential fire and explosion hazards.”

The equipment cited by OSHA was not involved in the blaze, Chase said. A county fire inspection of the plant last month did not identify any problems, he said.

“They are on good order with us,” Chase said. He said he has toured the facility in the past and responded to three other fires on the property in the past six years.

The wood shavings produced there smoke and smolder a lot, Chase said, “but seldom burst into flames.” The building itself was aflame Tuesday, he said.

RWS was operating when the fire started. Staff had safely evacuated the building and started to suppress the fire with hose lines when firefighters arrived, Chase said. The buildings’ sprinkler system stayed on as the fire crews extinguished the blaze.

“They have an extensive clean-up,” Chase said. RWS will undergo a town code inspection and fire chief walkthrough before opening again, he said.

In July, OSHA cited RWS for half a dozen violations totaling about $50,000 and levied an additional $147,000 in penalties after the company failed to fix previously identified violations.

The Queensbury plant, which operates in the Warren-Washington County Industrial Park, was cited for 28 violations in 2013 and fined more than $233,000 for workplace safety violations related to fire, fall and explosion risk. Two of those violations were deemed as “willful,” meaning the company ignored federal safety rules.

“RWS Manufacturing has disregarded its employees’ safety in failing to correct an obvious fire and explosion hazard and in allowing the existence of new and recurring hazards,” said Robert Garvey, OSHA’s area director in Albany in a July press release. “Especially disturbing is the fact that, since OSHA’s last inspection, a significant fire occurred in the plant’s production area in December 2015.”

 

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Redlands, CA – Sprinklers keep large warehouse fire from spreading

Redlands Fire crews responded to a commercial structure fire in the 9400 block of California Street at about 10:40 a.m. Sunday. Upon arrival crews discovered the large Lamps Plus warehouse to be filled with smoke. Reports from workers indicated that a propane powered floor sweeper was involved with fire.

Crews initiated an aggressive fire attack and found the sweeper and adjacent storage racks to be well involved with fire. The building’s sprinkler system assisted in preventing the fire from spreading throughout the warehouse.

The fire was extinguished within 15 minutes after the Fire Department’s arrival. There were no injuries reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Damage to property and contents exceeded $250,000. The property manager reported that more than $40,000,000 worth of product was saved.

Redlands Firefighters were assisted by the Loma Linda Fire Department.