Tag Archives: New York

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.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Sprinkler system puts out hotel fire (West Seneca, NY)

A fire that began in the kitchenette of one of the Staybridge Suites Buffalo the morning of October 20th caused an evacuation of 83 guests as well as hotel employees. No one was injured, thanks in part to the fire sprinkler system, which extinguished the flames. 

Seneca Fire Chief Eric Conley said, “Everybody got out safely, and that’s the important thing. The fire was put out quickly by the sprinkler system, and it was confined to the kitchen area where it started.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Mother, two daughters escape apartment fire thanks to sprinkler system (Ithaca, NY)

An unattended pan left on the stove caught fire Wednesday evening in the West Hill Circle apartment complex but was quickly knocked down by the unit’s sprinkler system, according to Ithaca firefighters. A mother was home with her two young children when she left the kitchen. Firefighters said cooking oil left in an unattended pan ignited, causing a flash fire on the stove and the surrounding cabinets. The apartment was equipped with an automatic sprinkler system, and the head in the apartment’s kitchen immediately activated, extinguishing the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Damage minimized at apartment thanks to fire sprinkler system (Rochester, NY)

A second story apartment unit had a kitchen fire the afternoon of September 1. Fire crews were alerted to the fire by the activation of the building’s fire sprinkler system. The sprinklers quickly suppressed the fire.

“This was a great save,” said Rochester Fire Marshal Larry Mueller. “Had the sprinkler not been installed in the structure, the fire would have rapidly grown and caused extensive damage to the structure.”

No one was reported injured, and the cause of the fire was slated as unattended cooking on the stove.

Department Store, Retail

Fire sprinkler system aids firefighters in suspected arson fire (Amherst, NY)

A fire that broke out in a department store on the afternoon of August 15 is now being ruled as “suspicious” by the Amherst Police Department. A stack of men’s shorts spontaneously caught on fire, and the store was evacuated while the store’s fire sprinkler system activated and kept the fire from spreading. There were no reported injuries from the incident, and the store was slated to open the following day.

*** Blog Editor’s Note: Tell us what you think of the coverage by WKBW News and Megan Erbacher. Only the substantial heat from potentially deadly and damaging fire will operate a fire sprinkler, not smoke. Also, the sprinkler saved the store from experiencing a much larger fire, where the damage would have been much worse, and could have possibly caused injury or loss of life. ***