Tag Archives: New York

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Watertown, NY – Sprinkler system activated for dryer fire at university dorm; No injuries reported

Leave a comment

A sprinkler system is getting the credit for preventing a fire from causing severe damage and injuries at a St. Lawrence University dorm over the weekend.

Canton firefighters rushed to a third-floor laundry room at Whitman Hall late Sunday afternoon.

Officials said they found the remnants of a fire in a dryer. The sprinkler system had activated, keeping the flames from spreading.

“Had the sprinkler system not been in place, the fire would have gained a much more significant foothold, resulting in much more damage to the building and the potential for injuries to the residents. The benefits of fire sprinklers was realized today, even though there was some water damage. Everything will dry out, nothing unburns,” the fire department said on its Facebook page.

Officials said students were evacuated from the dorm. There were no injuries.

Firefighters checked rooms on all three floors of that wing of the dorm for water damage before turning over the building to SLU for cleanup.

SLU said approximately 20 students have been displaced by the damage.

“The affected area of the building remains secured while the University continues to assess smoke and water damage. Students who were living in the north wing have been temporarily relocated to alternate rooms or other accommodations within Whitman Hall,” said university spokesperson Kim Asch in a statement.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Rochester, NY – Apartment building kitchen fire held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Smoke filled the upper floors of a Litchfield Street apartment building Wednesday afternoon after a kitchen fire broke out, but an automatic sprinkler system kept the flames in check until firefighters arrived.

Rochester fire crews were dispatched just before 1 p.m. for an automatic alarm, followed by reports of an apartment on fire. When firefighters reached the five-story brick building, they found smoke coming from a third-floor unit.

Crews entered the apartment and found an active sprinkler head flowing water, which had already contained the blaze. Firefighters made sure the fire was fully extinguished, rescued a dog from the apartment, and shut down the sprinkler system to prevent further water damage.

Smoke was ventilated and crews remained on scene to help mitigate water throughout the building. Water damage was limited to two apartments.

No one was home at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

Investigators determined the fire was accidental, caused by unattended cooking.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Lafargeville, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire in plant office building; No injuries reported

Firefighters responded to the H.P. Hood plant on Route 411 in LaFargeville Friday morning to put out a fire.

Officials said the fire began under a desk in a second-floor office. It was dealt with quickly, but the office sustained heavy water damage.

“Extinguish the fire. Overhaul, salvage, ventilated the smoke out of the second story of the building and the scene was clear. No injuries,” said Plessis Volunteer Fire Chief Mike Hunter.

Employees were briefly evacuated from the facility. Production has since resumed.

A Hood company spokesman described the fire as a “small electrical fire.”

“We are grateful to the local emergency responders who assisted with the incident,” he said.

“Crews were able to put it out fairly quickly. There’s heavy damage with water, things of that nature,” said Redwood Volunteer Fire Chief George Martin.

Firefighters and employees were seen pushing water out of the building.

“After the fire was out, the sprinkler continued to push lots of gallons of water on that second floor, so it took us a while to get that sprinkler head isolated and shut off. And then we just had to do overhaul, so we were just pushing lots of water off the floor,” said Hunter.

The 8 a.m. fire call brought a good number of volunteers to the plant to protect a major employer.

Town of Orleans Supervisor Kevin Rarick says it was a great response from fire departments and commended those in the community for coming together when help is needed.

Town of Orleans, LaFargeville, Town of Clayton, Depauville, Theresa, Redwood, Alexandria Bay and Plessis firefighters were all on scene.

State police and Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies were also at the plant.

Historic Building, Other Business

Syracuse, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at historic building; No injuries reported

Firefighters put out a fire Tuesday afternoon on the third floor of the historic Gridley Building in downtown’s Hanover Square.

The fire at 101 E. Water St. was reported at about 2:35 p.m., according to 911 Center dispatches.

Firefighters found heavy smoke on the third floor, according to District Chief Matt Craner, a fire department spokesperson.

No injuries were reported, according to a fire official.

Water Street was closed from Washington Street to South Warren Street. Washington Street was also closed from East Genesee Street to South Salina Street.

The fire set off the sprinkler system, causing heavy smoke. All occupants were evacuated, Craner said. The fire was out after about 50 minutes, he said.

The third floor contains office space, Craner said.

The third floor of the building suffered moderate fire damage, Craner said.

The third and fourth floor suffered smoke damage. All floors of the building suffered water damage, including the Prime Steak House restaurant on the ground floor, he said.

Designed by local architect Horatio Nelson White, the building was completed adjacent to the Erie Canal (now Erie Boulevard) in 1867 for the Onondaga County Savings Bank.

White is also known for designing Syracuse University’s first building, the Hall of Languages, which was completed in 1870 and has a similar style as the Gridley Building.

Over recent decades, the building has housed restaurants on its ground floor and office space in its upper floors.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Coeymans, NY – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at elementary school

A fire in Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School was purposely ignited, according to the superintendent of schools. The fire was set in an upstairs boys’ bathroom on Tuesday.

Superintendent Brian Bailey said the student will be held accountable for their actions.

The school’s sprinkler system put out the fire, but smoke spread throughout the building. There was also water damage on the first and second floors. The school was evacuated, and the building was closed on Wednesday for cleaning by a fire remediation team.

The bathroom where the fire occurred and the bathroom immediately below it will remain closed as cleaning and repairs continue.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Syracuse, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire on 20th floor of hotel; No injuries reported

Firefighters responded in big numbers to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Syracuse Wednesday evening.

Around 9 p.m., Syracuse Firefighters were dispatched to investigate a fire alarm activation at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 701 East Genesee Street, in downtown Syracuse.

When firefighters arrived on the scene moments later, they found an active alarm in the building, indicating a fire sprinkler activation on the 20th floor. Firefighters also noticed water leaking from elevator shafts on the first floor, and a faint odor of smoke in the lobby. The incident commander at the scene immediately requested the alarm be upgraded from an alarm investigation response.

The water leaking into the elevators had caused them to become disabled, and unusable, on the first floor. As additional crews of firefighters arrived at the scene, they began moving equipment and personnel up to the 20th floor via the stairwells to investigate. As crews neared the top, they encountered a worsening smoke condition, and eventually found fire on the 20th floor.

Teams of firefighters searched the 20th floor for any trapped occupants as other teams of firefighters connected hoses to the building’s standpipe system to fight the fire. It was quickly determined that the 20th floor, an open-plan event space frequently used for large gatherings, was empty. The fire was located and extinguished.

A sprinkler head nearby had activated as designed and held the flames in check. Crews also checked the floor below the fire, as smoke that filled the 20th floor had begun to affect the 19th floor. Incident commanders requested a ‘second alarm,’ bringing additional personnel and resources to the scene.

With the bulk of the fire knocked down, crews shifted to a ventilation operation. This involved bringing in large, powerful fans to remove smoke and other products of combustion from the affected floors.

The 20th floor sustained fire, smoke, and water damage. Syracuse Fire Investigators were at the scene working to determine the exact origin and cause of the fire. That investigation is ongoing.

Firefighters worked to protect belongings and property in the affected area, using large tarps to divert water away. No one was injured.

Hotel staff are working with fire officials to ensure any guests displaced by the fire and subsequent fire suppression operations are accommodated.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Dolgeville, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at fabric company

A fire broke out at Gehring Tricot, a fabric company in Dolgeville, on Wednesday morning.

The fire was extinguished swiftly, preventing the entire building and fabric from being destroyed.

The incident occurred around 10:10 a.m. and was contained to a single room at the back of the structure.

According to Dolgeville’s Fire Chief David Jaquay, the sprinkler system was triggered, and it put out most of the fire before the arrival of firefighters.

Fire departments from Salisbury, Hilltop, Little Falls, and Oppenheim assisted Dolgeville’s fire crews.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

New York City, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at four-story warehouse

A fire burned through a building in Brooklyn Sunday afternoon.

The FDNY received a report of a fire at a four-story storage warehouse shortly after noon.

The Stop and Stor warehouse is in Sunset Park on 63rd Street.

By 1 p.m., firefighters identified the blaze as a three-alarm fire.

One firefighter suffered smoke inhalation because his mask became dislodged, said Assistant Fire Chief Michael Myers.

At first, three e-bikes or mopeds were on fire, Myers said. They later found 300 e-bikes and scooters inside.

The sprinkler system was not strong enough to douse the flames, so the firefighters worked frantically to keep the fire from spreading to more e-bikes.

In total, 33 units and at least 135 EMS and FDNY personnel responded to the scene.

At this time, first responders are still working to put out the flames.

The cause of the fire was not immediately made clear.

College/University (on campus), Other - Residential, Residential, School / University

Auburn, NY – Sprinkler system extinguishes stovetop fire at community college; No injuries reported

A minor fire, ignited by food on a stovetop, led to the displacement of several Lattimore Hall residents on Saturday, according to the Auburn Fire Department.

The incident, which occurred at the independent student housing complex for Cayuga Community College, was reported at approximately 4:47 p.m.

Officials said the dormitory’s sprinkler system quickly extinguished the fire before firefighters reached the scene.

However, the resulting water damage prompted the Auburn Code Enforcement Office to condemn the affected third-floor unit and the units directly beneath it on the first and second floors.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Lattimore Hall’s management is currently arranging alternate accommodations for the displaced students, and the fire department has taken measures to manage the aftermath of the incident, including shutting down the third floor’s sprinkler system and ventilating the smoke. Auburn City Ambulance was also present on-site.

Apartment Building, Residential

Niagra Falls, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building

On Dec. 30, at 6:23 p.m., the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office communications center received a fire alarm from the Wheatfield Towers Apartment Building. The fire alarm was followed by a water flow alarm from the same location.

The first arriving unit was Deputy Tighe from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, who confirmed a large amount of water coming from the second floor, and smoke in the building. Deputy Tighe made his way to the second floor and confirmed a fire in apartment 210. He immediately radioed for additional units and began evacuating residents.

Additional responding units arrived and assisted with the evacuation of the building’s residents. Responding fire companies arrived and continued with the evacuation and extinguished the fire. The fire was contained to apartment 210 – where it originated – due to the building’s sprinkler system.

The American Red Cross responded to assist with displaced residents.

Investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing by the Niagara County Origin and Cause Team. There is no estimate on damages at this time.

Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers