Tag Archives: New York

College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

New York, NY – Early morning residence hall fire at Columbia University contained by sprinkler system; No injuries

A small fire broke out in a fifth-floor suite of Elliott Hall at 2:20 a.m. on Sunday, with water damage from the sprinkler response affecting rooms on the second through fifth floors of the building.

After students were evacuated from the building following the sounding of the first alarm early Sunday morning, the Diana Center was opened for residents of Elliott Hall to wait in while the building was inspected by Public Safety, according to a resident assistant in Elliott Hall.

The building was cleared for students to re-enter at around 3:30 a.m., but due to the sprinkler system’s response to the fire, the rooms immediately adjacent to the source, as well as the ones located several floors below it experienced flooding. A Barnard spokesperson confirmed that some administrative offices and hallway carpeting were affected by water damage.

According to the RA, who wished to remain anonymous because RAs are prohibited by Residential Life to speak to the press, the flooding was caused by the sprinkler in the source room and not by multiple sprinklers.

Residents living on the fifth floor near the room where the fire began said that aside from some smoke and ash in their rooms, they experienced no significant damage.

The RA said that there was a second fire alert after the building was reopened, but that they thought that it had to do with the alert system and was not indicative of a second fire. It did, however, drive some students from the building for the night.

Fifth-floor resident Maya Edwards, BC ’17, said that, although she did not leave for the night, she knew of students who left to stay with friends in other buildings.

Although Barnard’s emergency alert notification system was not used for the fire, the RA said that they didn’t think that was a problem.

“I feel like it was very contained so I feel like it wasn’t the same magnitude as in the 600s,” the RA said, referencing last year’s fire in 600 West 116th Street.

Facilities is still working to address the problems caused by the flooding, but the building is fully operational, a Barnard spokesperson confirmed

Residential, Residential High Rise

Rochester, NY – Kitchen fire on 14th floor of residential high-rise controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuries

There was a small fire Tuesday night at the city’s new downtown residential high rise. It started as the result of a cooking accident in the kitchen of one of the units on the 14th floor of Tower 280 around 8 p.m. The automatic sprinkler system that was triggered did cause water damage to three elevators, to the apartment where the fire started and some units below it.  No one was injured.

Tower 280 opened in January. Ken Glazer of Buckingham Properties tells WXXI News about ten percent of the building’s units are now occupied

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Albany, NY – Early morning fire at University of Albany dorm controlled with help from sprinkler system

An unattended candle is being blamed for a dorm fire at the University at Albany. The fire broke out on the third floor of Oneida Hall just before 1 a.m. on Tuesday. The dorm is located on the Indian Quad of the campus.  The fire was contained to one room and was out within a half-hour.

One student had minor injuries and was taken to Albany Medical Center for treatment. The fire also activated the fire sprinkler system in that room, which caused water damage. Some of the rooms around it and below it also suffered water damage due to the amount of water that was used. Around 120 students were evacuated for a time.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Horseheads, NY – Sprinkler system and quick-thinking manager stop fire at Outback Steakhouse

The Outback Steakhouse at 200 Colonial Drive in Horseheads closed Sunday following an electrical fire at about 12:30 a.m.

Bill Degraw, Big Flats Fire Department chief, said the fire was caused by the failure of an electronic label printer, and nobody was hurt. He added the building’s sprinkler system put out the fire before officials arrived on the scene.

The fire remained isolated to one small wall in the facility and caused minor damage, said restaurant proprietor Dan Collins.

A manager on duty who was in the restaurant when the fire started “saved the day,” Collins said.

He unplugged the equipment that was on fire and then called 911, Collins said. He also insured all of the restaurant employees working at the time made it out of the restaurant safely.

Collins said the restaurant will open again after its sprinklers are reinspected by a fire marshal.

The Outback Steakhouse is scheduled to open at 5 p.m. Monday, according to director of media and community relations for Bloomin’ Brands Elizabeth Watts.

Apartment Building, Residential

Niagara Falls, NY – Sprinklers assist firefighter in controlling fire in multi-family residential building

Downtown fire crews received a report of a working structure fire on Main Street in a large, multi-family dwelling. Engine 3, Platoon 4 was first into the building and dragged a hose line to the third floor while notifying residents to evacuate the building. Between the building’s sprinkler system and firefighter hoselines, significant water damage was sustained. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Staten Island, NY – Sprinkler system activates to help control restaurant fire

Firefighters are on the scene at Bocelli Restaurant in Grasmere after a report of a grease fire, according to an FDNY spokesman. Several units responded to the restaurant, located in a shopping center at 1250 Hylan Blvd., after the fire was reported at 1:03 p.m., the spokesman said.

No injuries have been reported and the incident appeared to be minor, the spokesman said. An employee said the sprinkler went off in the restaurant.

Several FDNY engines were inside the shopping center, and blocking the right lane of northbound Hylan. According to a patron inside the establishment at the time, the restaurant was fairly crowded when customers began smelling a strong gas odor. Workers asked everyone to leave and once the patrons were outside, the sprinkler system went off.

Primary / Secondary School, Residential

East Hampton, NY – Fire at boarding school extinguished by sprinkler system

The fire that broke out at the Ross Upper School on Wednesday night appears to have been caused by a dryer that caught on fire in the laundry room at the Center for Well Being, according to a report in 27east. The fire, which caused minor damage to the laundry room, was extinguished by automatic sprinkler system in the building, according to the report.  Members of both the East Hampton Fire Department and the Bridgehampton Fire Department blew the fire smoke out of the building’s basement and outside using large fans, 27east.

A fire broke out at the Ross Upper School campus in East Hampton on Wednesday night, according to a report in The East Hampton Star. Police responded to the school on 20 Goodfriend Drive at about 10:15 p.m. and put out a fire in the basement laundry room at the Center for Well Being, according to the report.  The fire was put out by about 10:40 p.m., The East Hampton Star reports.

 

 

 

Apartment Building, Residential

Poughkeepsie, NY – Sprinkler system controls accidental kitchen fire at Hillcrest House

Approximately 120 people were displaced after a kitchen fire in the Town of Poughkeepsie Saturday. At 3:38 p.m., the Fairview Fire District responded to a fire at the Hillcrest House, 28 Snow Terrace.

The blaze was kept under control by the sprinkler system in the building until firefighters arrived, Chief Christopher Maeder said.

The cause of the fire was ruled “accidental,” and the result of unattended cooking, Maeder said.

Temporary housing needs for displaced residents was provided by the New York State Office of Mental Health and the American Red Cross. The residents are expected to return to the home Sunday afternoon, Maeder said.

Mutual aid from the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, Roosevelt Fire District and Mobile Life Support Services. The Hillcrest House is managed by Hudson River Housing.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Flushing, NY – Sprinkler system knocks down fire in supermarket basement

A fire broke out in the basement of a supermarket in Flushing late Wednesday morning, the FDNY said. The Fire Department received a report of a manhole fire at about 10:51 a.m., according to an FDNY spokesman.

The manhole may be connected to the basement of the building of the H&Y Marketplace, located at 150-51 Northern Blvd., the spokesman said. There were elevated carbon monoxide readings as high as 700 parts per million, but the sprinkler system activated and the fire was knocked down at about 12:19 p.m., the spokesman said.

Con Edison shut off the power and it was evaluating the air quality to make sure that people remain safe, the spokesman added. There were no reported injuries and the FDNY was still actively working on the scene, he said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Watertown, NY – Sprinkler contain apartment fire while firefighters battle series of arson fires

… The car fires in the city were reported as firefighters worked at 308 Creekwood Drive,  Watertown. Crews were dispatched about 12:35 a.m. Saturday as flames shot from the building’s rear, which sustained major damage.

“The whole backyard was lit up,” said Hamilton A. Hewitt, who lives next door to the building’s apartment 6, where the fire began on a back patio and which sustained the most damage.

Nobody was injured in the apartment fire. Mr. Hewitt said several neighbors were checking

doors to ensure people had left the building and helped an elderly woman get out in time. Brittany A. Brady-Davis, who lived across the street, said she was initially worried about the children inside.

“It’s scary having it that close,” she said. At the scene, Battalion Chief Matthew R. Timerman said the building’s sprinkler system and firewalls prevented the damage from spreading to other portions of the building. 

“Without them, we lose at least three apartments, if not the whole building,” he said.

Fort Drum fire crews also aided at the apartment scene. Chief Herman’s statement Saturday about the fire said the cause is currently listed as undetermined.

Nobody was injured in the three vehicle fires. The city fire department asked that those with information about the vehicle fires contact them at 315-782-3211 or city police at 782-2233.