Tag Archives: New York

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Amherst, NY – Sprinkler system quickly contains Christmas night fire at nursing home

Three people are recovering Friday morning after a small fire at a nursing home in Amherst Thursday night.  Catholic Health officials said an overheated motor on an electric wheelchair sparked a small fire.Fire crews arrived at Saint Francis nursing home in Amherst around 9 p.m. Thursday.  They said smoke started pouring from a wheelchair in a vacant room.  The sprinkler system kicked in, and the fire was quickly contained. Neighboring fire companies were called to help move the patients.  Medical personnel checked out 45 people. Two patients and one worker were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. “Most of the residents were not affected by the smoke, but the ones in that area were moved to another part of the building,” JoAnn Cavanaugh, Catholic Health Director of Public Relations. “We have other empty beds in the facility that they will spend the night until we can clear out the rooms from the water and the smoke.”

Other Business

New York City, NY – Sprinkler system helps control fire at American Museum of Natural History

The blaze started when maintenance workers were using a blow torch to repair an AC unit on the outside of the building’s first floor around 3:30 p.m.  One of the unit’s filters caught fire, sending clouds of thick, black smoke circulating into the hall of Northwest Coast Indians, the FDNY said.

Several artifacts at the American Museum of Natural History suffered minor damage when a fire on the outside of the building sent smoke circulating inside, activating the emergency sprinkler system, officials said.

Schiralli said three or four thousand people self evacuated from the Museum while firefighters went to work extinguishing the blaze.

The extent of the damage to the artifacts was not immediately clear but museum staff insisted the they would be open for business as usual on Saturday.

 

 

Retail, Shopping Mall

Riverhead, NY – Sprinkler activates to help control fire at Tanger Outlet Mall

A fire broke out at Tanger Outlets on Sunday afternoon, prompting the evacuation of a handful of stores at the crowded shopping mall.

Riverhead firefighters responded to the alarm at about 2:40 p.m. and quickly contained and stopped the fire in the back room of the Charlotte Russe store in Tanger 2.  The fire triggered the store’s sprinkler system.

The Riverhead fire marshal was called to investigate the origin and cause of the fire. The investigation is ongoing at this time.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Albany, NY – Fire sprinkler activates to control fire at University of Albany

Husted Hall on the University at Albany’s downtown campus, was closed through Wednesday evening after a small fire at about 1:30 p.m., according to an advisory sent to students.

University police said a chair Room B-008 was found on fire but no other damage was reported. At 4:40 p.m., another chair in the same room was set on fire, causing the building’s sprinkler systems to activate, according to the advisory.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Fire at coffee shop doused by sprinklers, store expected to re-open tomorrow (Rochester, NY)

Firefighters were called to Spot Coffee, at the intersection of East Avenue and Matthews Street, around 10:15 p.m. At the scene, crews found some boxes in a storeroom had caught fire, but the sprinkler system had knocked down the flames. Workers, customers and some residents evacuated the building. No one was injured and the restaurant should be able to re-open tomorrow.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Fire on college campus eliminated by sprinkler system (Cortland, NY)

State University College in Cortland, New York had a fire begin in the Old Main Building on December 30. Firefighters found that the majority of the fire had been extinguished by the time they arrived; it appears that the fire began on or above the third floor of the building. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by Syracuse.com, which focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system**

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Fire at business extinguished by sprinkler system (New Hyde Park, NY)

Authorities are investigating a fire that broke out Wednesday in North New Hyde Park. Firefighters from Lakeville and Manhasset responded to an alarm for a working fire at 1111 Marcus Avenue in Building 6, according to NCPD. Nine trucks and about 40 firefighters arrived at the scene but found the fire had already been extinguished by a sprinkler system. Authorities stated that the fire appeared to be contained to one room in the building and started in a garbage pail in a cubicle.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Sprinklers save lives and property in assisted living facility fire (Rochester, NY)

Residents of the Madonna Meadows Assisted Living Facility were able to remain “protected in place” after a small fire began and was extinguished at about 1 a.m. on Tuesday, December 16. Residents did not have to be evacuated into the cold outdoors thanks to the facility’s fire sprinkler system, which eliminated the fire and limited smoke exposure. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Department Store, Retail

Macy’s flagship Manhattan store saved with help from sprinkler system (New York City, NY)

The fire broke out at the iconic Macy’s store a little after eight and the store was filled with shoppers. Everyone got out without injury and folks were let back in to collect their personal belongings once the fire was extinguished. The blaze was in the basement and the store’s sprinkler system kept the blaze from spreading onto the upper floors of the store. It was the store’s sprinklers that actually saved the store because it stopped the fire from spreading.