Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

College/University (on campus), Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential, School / University

Holland, MI – Two separate fires contained by sprinkler systems; No injuries reported

Leave a comment

Two fires broke out at Holland-area buildings within 48 hours of each other, and both were stopped by fire suppression systems before causing major damage, according to the Holland Fire Department.

The first fire was reported just before midnight on Feb. 8 at the Resthaven Farmstead, a senior living community in Holland. Crews were initially notified of a waterflow alarm, which was upgraded to a structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find that a bag of linens had caught fire in a kitchen storage area. The fire marshal’s investigation determined the cause was spontaneous combustion of products within the linens. The building’s sprinkler system had already extinguished the fire before crews arrived.

The second fire happened on the morning of Feb. 10 at the Hope College DeWitt Student and Cultural Center, located at 141 East 12th Street. At 7:02 a.m., Holland firefighters and police were dispatched following a waterflow alarm. Hope Campus Safety had been investigating the alarm and discovered smoke in the basement. When firefighters arrived at 7:08 a.m., they found that a fire had occurred in a basement office. The Holland Fire Marshal determined the fire likely started near a desktop light. Again, the building’s suppression system had done its job before firefighters got there.

No injuries were reported at either scene, and the Hope College fire had minimal impact on classes and normal building operations, the department said.

The Holland Fire Department credited proper maintenance of the sprinkler systems for the outcomes at both buildings and is urging all building owners with sprinkler systems and fire alarms to keep them maintained and functioning as designed.

The Holland Township Fire Department, Holland Police Department, and American Medical Response provided assistance at both fires.

Apartment Building, Residential

Franklin, TN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at multi-level parking structure; No injuries reported

The Franklin Fire Department put out a fire at a multi-level parking structure surrounded by a four-story apartment building.

On Friday night, crews with the Franklin Fire Department were called to the McEwen Northside Apartments at 4015 Aspen Grove Drive just before 11 p.m.

While crews were en route, 911 callers reported smoke and a vehicle on fire on the third level of the parking garage.

When crews arrived, firefighters found a 2015 Honda Odyssey van on fire. The building’s automatic sprinkler system activated and helped contain the fire preventing extension to other vehicles, the parking structure and the nearby apartment building, according to the Franklin Fire Department.

No injuries were reported and the parking structure and apartment building sustained no damage. Officials said the cause of the fire is undetermined.

Other - Residential, Residential

Crystal Lake, IL – Sprinkler system held fire in check at residential complex; No injuries reported

Fire officials are crediting fire alarms and sprinklers for preventing further damage or loss of life during a garage fire at a residential complex in Crystal Lake early Thursday morning.

Battalion Chief Brian Tamason of the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department said firefighters were called to a 6-unit complex on Ambassador Circle for an activated fire alarm at 1:17 a.m. Thursday.

Upon arrival, fire crews rapidly identified the activated fire alarm in building 406 and observed smoke showing from an east-side garage door.

Building 406 is a large two-story multifamily residence where units are side-by-side.

Battalion 3 established command and upgraded the response to a working fire while fire crews quickly located a small fire in a garage, Tamason said.

Fire crews noted the small fire was being held in check by an operating residential sprinkler system, which prevented further fire growth and extension.

Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire, Tamason said, reporting the fire was out at 1:36 a.m.

Smoke, fire, and water damage were isolated to the single two-car garage, Tamason said. The estimated loss to the property is $5,000.

No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.

Tamason said all residential units at this location remain habitable and no residents were displaced because of the blaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Tamason said the fire serves as a powerful example of the life-saving importance of fire sprinkler systems.

Nationally, fire sprinklers are estimated to control or extinguish approximately 52,800 fires each year, he said, Tamason said.

In this incident, the fire was held in check by the building’s sprinkler system, resulting in minimal damage and no civilian injuries.

Because the fire was contained, Tamason said the resident was able to safely return home without being displaced.

Area fire departments, including Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District, Cary Fire Protection District, Huntley Fire Protection District, McHenry Township Fire Protection District, Nunda Rural Fire Protection District, and Wauconda Fire District, were dispatched to the scene to assist.

Carpentersville Fire Department and the Woodstock Fire and Rescue Districts worked to handle change of quarters duties for the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Levittown, PA – Sprinkler system contains warehouse fire

A fire involving two pallets of wood triggered a sprinkler system at a local warehouse early Thursday morning.

Firefighters were dispatched to a business in the 5000 block of Bristol-Emilie Road shortly after 2 a.m. for a water flow alarm activation, according to Levittown Fire Company No. 2.

Crews used a key from a Knox box to enter the unoccupied industrial building.

Once inside the building, they encountered heavy smoke and an active sprinkler system that had successfully contained a blaze involving two pallets of wood pallets, the fire company said.

Bristol Township Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito said an investigation determined the wood had been slowly burning for some time.

According to Dippolito, the wood caught fire after being placed in a kiln. Company staff pulled out the wood, didn’t see any signs of fire, and left the facility around 1 a.m.

The wood ignited after the staff left and led to the fire call, Dippolito said.

Firefighters extinguished the remaining hot spots and ventilated the warehouse.

Levittown Fire Company No. 2 was assisted at the scene by the Edgely and Third District fire companies.

Apartment Building, Residential

Caribou, ME – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

A fire was quickly put out in an apartment building in Caribou. On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 12:22 a.m., the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department was dispatched to a fire alarm at Hilltop Apartments, located at 19 Marshall Avenue in Caribou. According to the Caribou Fire Department, while crews were responding, multiple 911 calls were received from tenants reporting smoke and fire in a hallway.

Initial crews arrived to find smoke conditions in one wing of the building and an activated sprinkler head. A partial evacuation was already underway, and firefighters immediately completed evacuation of the remaining residents. The fire was determined to be out prior to fire department arrival due to the sprinkler activation and the quick actions of a resident who used a fire extinguisher. The source of the fire was identified as a malfunctioned battery powered string lights device, located in a decorative item in the hallway.

A total of 36 residents were displaced from their apartments. The Caribou Fire Department says the area of origin sustained extensive water damage as a result of the sprinkler activation. RSU 39 provided a heated school bus for affected residents to remain warm during below-zero temperatures until fire department operations were completed.

The Caribou Fire Department says properly working smoke detectors and sprinkler systems played a critical role in preventing the fire from spreading beyond its area of origin.

Assistance was provided by the Caribou Police Department, the Caribou School Department and the Presque Isle Fire Department for providing station coverage during the incident.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Harrisonburg, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Walmart; No injuries reported

A properly functioning fire alarm and sprinkler system contained a serious fire at the Walmart in Harrisonburg early Monday morning, January 19, 2026.

According to a release, Harrisonburg firefighters were called to the Walmart on Burgess Road at approximately 4 AM with what was initially dispatched as an automatic fire alarm. The incident was upgraded by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Communications Center when they received a 9-1-1 call from the store reporting a fire in the warehouse area.

Upon arrival, firefighters confirmed the presence of a fire and an activated sprinkler system actively containing the fire. A second-alarm assignment was requested, bringing a total of approximately 40 firefighters to the scene. The fire was contained within 15 minutes and completely extinguished within 30 minutes. Personnel remained on location for an extended period of time clearing smoke from the 207,000-square-foot facility.

The cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental as a result of button-cell (or coin-cell) lithium-ion batteries that ignited inside combustible packaging within a heavy-duty wire framed storage unit.

“The presence of a properly functioning fire sprinkler system contained what could have otherwise been a catastrophic fire,” HFD Fire Chief Matthew Tobia said. “Lithium-Ion batteries, even properly stored, have the potential to fail, causing a fire. As we are seeing globally, these batteries are posing new challenges for firefighters in an ever-evolving technologically driven marketplace. Firefighters did an outstanding job of completing extinguishment, preventing further damage.”

The building was evacuated prior to the arrival of firefighters, and there were no injuries to employees, community members or responders. A damage estimate has not been set while clean-up and recovery efforts are underway. HFD was assisted at the scene by units from Rockingham County Fire Rescue, Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, Harrisonburg Police Department and the Merck facility (located in Elkton).

The majority of fire department personnel cleared the scene by 7:30 AM, and the last fire department unit left the scene at approximately 8:45 AM.

Other - Storage / Warehouse, Storage / Warehouse

Clearfield County, PA – Sprinkler system contains fire at Walmart distribution center

Emergency crews were called to the scene of the Walmart Distribution Center in Bradford Township, Clearfield County around 11:15 p.m. Friday evening.

According to the Lawrence Township Volunteer Fire Company, crews arrived at the scene to assist the BJW Volunteer Fire Company after a robotic machine had caught fire.

Emergency officials said crews were on scene for approximately one hour.

Officials also said that, after emergency crews cleared the scene, they were immediately paged back to the same location after another fire had broken out.

According to the Morris Township Volunteer Fire Company, the sprinkler system contained the second fire to the second and third floor racking systems, and crews were able to quickly extinguish the blaze.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Mount Crawford, VA – Sprinkler system activated for lithium battery fire at Buc-ee’s; No injuries reported

Fire crews responded to a structure fire at the Buc-ee’s location in Mount Crawford on just after 9 p.m. on Friday evening.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, they discovered smoke billowing from the building. Upon entering to investigate, crews found flames in the storeroom area. The facility’s sprinkler system automatically activated, helping contain the fire and prompting an immediate evacuation of the building.

Chief Jeremy Holloway of the Rockingham County Fire and Rescue explained that the fire originated from lithium batteries on a golf cart used to service the fuel pumps.

“The battery started to smoke, and within a minute or so, the golf cart was engulfed in flames,” Holloway said.

Employees attempted to extinguish the fire using portable fire extinguishers, but the effort was unsuccessful against the rapidly spreading flames.

Holloway credited the building’s sprinkler system with preventing a catastrophe.

“Due to the good working sprinkler system, the fire was contained and held to the storeroom area until the fire department arrived and extinguished the fire,” he said.

After firefighters finished extinguishing the blaze, they placed several large fans inside the building to exhaust the smoke.

According to a Facebook post by the Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department fire was completely cleared within two hours and five departments responded to the incident:

  • Rockingham County Department of Fire & Rescue
  • Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Company
  • Bridgewater Volunteer Rescue Squad
  • Weyers Cave Volunteer Fire Department
  • Grottoes Volunteer Fire Department

No injuries were reported.

Chief Holloway issued an important safety reminder regarding lithium batteries.

“If these batteries heat up, please get them out in the open air immediately because they will ignite and burn rapidly,” Holloway said.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Winkler, MB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for late night fire at business; No injuries reported

Winkler Fire Department crews responded to a fire at ICON Technologies Limited late last night after alarms were reported just after 11 pm. 

According to Fire Chief Richard Paetzold, WFD was called to the business, where night shift workers confirmed there was an active fire upon crews’ arrival. The building’s sprinkler system had already been activated, helping to contain the fire and extinguish much of it before firefighters entered.

Fire crews then laid approximately 400 feet of hose to put out the remaining fire. Once the situation was under control, water flow from the sprinkler system was shut off.

Chief Paetzold praised the sprinkler system, saying it “Saved the day,” and that without it, “This would have been a very different story.”

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and a damage estimate has not yet been determined.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Los Angeles, CA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at shopping center; No injuries reported

A laundry room caught fire Friday at the Sherman Oaks Galleria but the sprinkler system put it out.

The fire was reported at 2:31 a.m. Friday at the mall at 15301 W. Ventura Blvd. at Sepulveda Boulevard, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart

Arriving firefighters were tasked with ” a significant water removal operation due to the fire sprinklers,” Stewart said.

The laundry room was on the second floor of the mall, she said.

No injuries were reported, Stewart said.

Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers