Tag Archives: Morning (7am-12pm)

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Santee, SC – Sprinkler system activates; Helps limit damage in fire at landmark restaurant

A landmark barbecue restaurant in Santee that was damaged by fire on Thursday is scheduled to reopen soon.  The Santee Fire Department was called to Lone Star Barbecue and Mercantile on State Park Road just after 9 a.m. Firefighters say a sprinkler system in the kitchen sprayed the flames until emergency crews arrived.

Fire Chief Edward Barnett, Jr. says the fire started in a smoke chipper drain under a meat oven.  The amount of damage hasn’t been estimated.  The restaurant is closed temporarily. A sign outside indicates management hopes to reopen on March 19.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Elmhurst, IL – Fire at truck maintenance garage put out by sprinkler system

** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Dept Reported**   Dispatch relayed a report of black smoke coming from Unit L to the responding units. The first arriving Company reported an active Water Flow Alarm with smoke showing from Unit L.  Fire Command was established and switched radio traffic to a Fire Ground channel and reported that the sprinkler system was activated and appeared to be keeping the fire in-check.  All occupants of the effected unit were evacuated and accounted for per the Manager.  Dark smoke with very little heat was noted in the office area, with the smoke being heavier in the effected shop area.

The Engine Company deployed a 1 ¾”handline and advanced it to the affected area. Further investigation found that the sprinkler system had already extinguished the fire, requiring no water to be flowed by the Engine Company. The Sprinkler System was shut down and ventilation of the effected units was performed via natural ventilation. Overhaul needs were assessed and utilities addressed.

The post fire investigation found that an employee of Unit L was cleaning grease off the floor with liquid Brake Cleaner when they noticed the floor was on fire. Finding the area of origin being near a gas water heater with flame and heat damage to the area around and above the water heater, with 2 activated sprinkler heads.

Assessment of damages revealed that Unit L had approximately 3″ of standing water throughout the unit damaging interior walls, office furnishings, carpet, nearby mechanical tools and equipment. Units K and M had water damage from seepage under the walls and an odor of smoke. Value of the affected property was estimated at $500,000 with an estimated $15,000 in property damage and $5,000 in contents. 

Date: February 26, 2015

Time of Alarm: 0840 hrs.

Type of Alarm: Full Still for the Automatic Fire Alarm.

Weather conditions: 15⁰ with S/W winds at 4 mph. light snow falling with a 2” accumulation.

Building: Multiple occupancy industrial use.

Construction: Masonry with steel bar joist and metal pan decking covered with rubber membrane.

Occupancy: Diesel Truck Mechanical Service

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Holland, MI – Laboratory fire mostly extinguished by sprinkler system; Damage minimized

** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Dept Reported**   The Fire occurred the morning of March 2 at a lab / testing facility on 48th street.   The fire occurred after some equipment being tested failed.  Two sprinkler heads activated as a result and the fire was 95% extinguished when firefighters arrived.

A small plastic ladder near the equipment being tested caught fire and was in an angle that the sprinkler pattern could not get to. The remaining fire was extinguished by fire crews with a water extinguisher.  Although this building is type 2 construction, the sprinklers saved this building from thousands in fire damage.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Franklin, TN – Single sprinkler extinguishes factory fire; No injuries and operations resume quickly

(NO MEDIA – FIRE DEPT REPORTED):
A single fire sprinkler head extinguished a factory fire this morning, protecting the 300,000 square foot facility and more than 150 workers. The fire started around 7:45 a.m. at Lasko, 300 Confederate Dr., which produces box fans each day. Franklin Fire Investigator Josh Sanders said the fire started after a high pressure paint line ruptured near an ignition source.   The fire activated a single fire sprinkler head, which triggered the fire alarm system, prompting evacuation of the plant and shutting down production. Work was able to resume in less than two hours. Sanders estimated the damage at $5,000. No one was injured.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Redington Shores, FL – Fire at high-rise condo building extinguished by single sprinkler

Firefighters responded to the 2-alarm structure fire at 8:06 a.m. Tuesday at the Anglers Cove Condominium located at 17450 Gulf Boulevard. The firefighters discovered that there was a fire in a storage room adjacent to the condominium office that had been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. There were no injuries, and damage was limited to smoke and water damage to the office area. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Management of Anglers Cove stated that the 48 unit building was at nearly full occupancy at the time of the fire. Upon arrival Firefighters found the building being evacuated and light smoke showing from the north side of the building on the ground floor. Gulf Boulevard was shut down for about 20 minutes, and more than 200 residents had evacuated and were waiting in adjacent parking lots for the firefighters to complete their work.

“It is important to recognize the significance of this fire being controlled by the building’s sprinkler system, one single sprinkler head prevented this from being a much greater incident and prevented injuries and greater loss of property,” said City of Seminole Fire Rescue Public Education Officer Brad Dykens in a news release.

The fire had escalated to two alarms due to the special hazards that exist when dealing with a fire in a high rise building and to ensure the safety of all the residents. During the course of the evacuation one resident in a wheelchair was assisted down the stairwell by firefighters.

Units from Seminole, Pinellas Suncoast, Madeira Beach, Pinellas Park, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg fire departments responded.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Harvey, LA – Dumpster fire outside TGI Friday’s extinguished by sprinkler system

A dumpster fire outside a Harvey restaurant Friday morning (Feb. 20) was quickly extinguished by a sprinkler system, an official said. The incident was reported around 9:40 a.m. inside a structure attached to the TGI Fridays, 1201 Manhattan Blvd., according to Capt. Michael McAuliffe of the Harvey Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2. Workers inside the restaurant smelled smoke and found the trash bin ablaze. One person attempted to use a portable fire extinguisher but could not get close enough because of the smoke, McAuliffe said.

The sprinkler system activated, triggering an alarm that notified the fire department, McAuliffe said. The system suppressed most of the blaze, with firefighters extinguishing a few remaining hot spots upon their arrival. “A little smoke got into the restaurant, which was ventilated,” McAuliffe said. “The restaurant was able to open by lunchtime.”

 

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

San Diego, CA – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in controlling fire at senior living facility

A two-alarm fire inside a four-story senior living facility in the East Village Friday left about 25 residents displaced.  The fire at the 200-unit Potiker Family Senior Residence at 525 14th St. was reported shortly before 8:30 a.m.

Firefighters arrived to find smoke pouring from the window of a fourth-floor unit, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Lee Swanson said. Its resident was rescued and taken to UC San Diego Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Swanson said the building’s fourth-floor sprinkler system was triggered.  Firefighters helped around 20 people evacuate and rescued several others who were wheelchair-bound or otherwise unable to get out on their own, Swanson said.

Up to 150 residents got out of the 12-year-old building safely on their own, and some were allowed to stay inside their homes, according to Paul Downey, CEO for building owner Serving Seniors, a nonprofit organization.

Downey said that after the building is deemed safe and reopened, staffers would assess the damage and determine an exact number of residents who will need temporary housing.  Swanson said the cause of the fire was accidental and that smoking materials ignited combustibles.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Irvine, CA – Sprinkler system prevents restaurant fire from spreading

At 8:15 a.m. Monday, firefighters responded to a report of a grease fire at Taco’s and Company in the 18000 block of Culver Drive in Irvine, OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said. The fire started in a grease vat while a restaurant employee was making french fries, Concialdi said. Flames quickly spread to ducting and vents that also had grease buildup, he said. A sprinkler activated, however, stopping the fire from reaching adjoining restaurants. There were no injuries in the blaze

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Rapid City, SD – Sprinklers help contain arson fire at detox center

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No one was hurt in a fire at a detox center in Rapid City that prompted the evacuation of more than 50 people and the arrest of a client.

Authorities responded to the City/County Alcohol and Drug Program facility shortly before noon Wednesday. The building’s sprinkler system had helped contain the fire, and it was confined to a small area.

Thirty-six clients and 15 staff members were evacuated for a time.
Police determined that a client had set the fire in an isolation room. The suspect was taken into custody pending formal charges.