Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Apartment Building, Residential High Rise

Stamford, CT – Laundry fire in high-rise apartment building held at bay by sprinkler system

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Though tenants had to wait outside for a bit as firefighters did their work, nobody was hurt and nobody displaced after a drier caught fire in a 12-story high rise on Strawberry Hill Avenue late Friday night. The fire department got the call for a fire at the Carlton Plaza apartment building, situated roughly between the Stamford Police Department headquarters and Stamford High School as the crow flies, shortly before 10:30 p.m.

Fire Capt. Michael Terenzio said that the fire started in or near a drier on the third floor. It is as yet unclear whether a malfunction in the drier started the fire, and the fire marshal is still investigating. “The third floor was evacuated, no one lost use of their apartments, everyone did react to the fire alarm system and it looks like the damage was confined to the object that was on fire, except for, obviously, smoke damage,” said Terenzio. “Everyone was probably out for an hour or so.”

After that, the 120 tenants were able to go back to their units. The captain said the building’s sprinkler system worked as it should and helped keep the fire at bay until firefighters were able to bring up a hose.  As a precaution, firefighters recommend regularly cleaning highly flammable drier lint out of traps and ducts.

Uncategorized

Bensalem, PA – (NO MEDIA COVERAGE) Two sprinklers halt car fire in parking garage

*** NO MEDIA COVERAGE — READER REPORTED ** A Sprinkler Saves reader reported that two sprinklers extinguished a car fire in the lower level parking garage of a 6 story building around 9:00 p.m. on January 20, 2016.

According to the reader, a passerby saw the fire, and called 911.

The fire company arrived on the scene within minutes, and witnessed the sprinkler heads activating and extinguishing the fire before any major damage was done.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Stillwater, OK – Sprinklers prevent overnight fire from spreading at popular restaurant

A small kitchen fire at El Vaquero early Sunday morning has forced the restaurant to temporarily close. A pot with oil in it was left on a lit gas burner after all the employees had gone home for the day, according to General Manager Gustavo Villasenor, who Monday said he may need to get more strict with his closing procedures.

The hood above the stove and ventilation system suffered the brunt of the damage from the fire, which started about midnight Sunday morning, about an hour after the last employee had left for the night. Villasenor said a sprinkler system above the stove turned on and prevented the fire from spreading.

Fire Marshal Neal Moore said the fire was pretty much out when firefighters arrived on scene. This isn’t the first time the business has been impacted by fire.

A 2003 electrical fire in the walls of the Mexican restaurant forced them to close for a year as they worked to rebuild the front of the building. “I feel fortunate that it wasn’t worse and that everybody is okay,” Villasenor said.

If all goes well with the cleanup effort and minor repairs, Villasenor said he hopes to reopen Wednesday evening or Thursday in time for lunch.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Carthage, NC – Sprinklers help confine laundry fire at nursing home

The Aberdeen Times reported that a fire broke out in the laundry room at Tara Plantation at 820 South McNeill Street in Carthage around 9:15 p.m. The fire forced the facility to evacuate.

Once the fire was put out, crews helped with returning the resident back inside.

Carthage Fire Chief Brian Tyner told The Aberdeen Times that the sprinkler system worked, helping to confine the fire to the laundry room.

The newspaper reported that two residents were taken to FirstHealth Hospital in Pinehurst with non-life threatening injuries.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Other - Retail, Retail

Bellingham, WA – Overnight arson fire at Goodwill store extinguished by sprinkler system

Three arsons have been set in three mornings behind a Goodwill store, according to police. Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying who has been setting the fires.

The first fire was reported at 5:50 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, in a Dumpster near the donation drop-off of the Goodwill at 1115 E. Sunset Drive, said Bellingham Assistant Fire Chief Bill Hewett. Firefighters responded to a second arson at 5:08 Thursday, in another Dumpster.  And a third fire was reported at 3:25 a.m. Friday. This time someone set up debris against the building itself, and lit it on fire. By the time firefighters reached the scene a sprinkler had extinguished the flames, but it was damaged in the process.

So far most of the damage has been limited to the sprinkler, two waste disposal units that are now warped, and the garbage. Police would like it to stay that way. Tips should be directed to Bellingham Police Detective Dan Kelsh at 360-778-8690.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Austin, TX – Fire in downtown residential high-rise held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries

Two people have been displaced after a Wednesday night fire in a high-rise in downtown Austin, fire officials said. Firefighters responded at 10:22 p.m. to a fire that started on the stove of an eighth-floor unit at 85 Trinity Street, the Austin Fire Department said.

No one was injured. The sprinkler system activated and held the fire in check until firefighters arrived and extinguished the remaining fire, the department said. The apartments were evacuated, and everyone returned to their homes except the two displaced residents.  The Austin Housing Authority is assisting the two residents, firefighters said.

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Port Moody, BC – Sprinkler system contains fire at sawmill; No injuries

No one was injured following an explosion and fire at a Port Moody sawmill early Tuesday morning.

Firefighters received a call at 2:30 a.m. that there was a fire at the Flavelle Sawmill. It turns out that a nitrogen tank that was part of a hydraulic system had exploded, due to a nearby fire.

When crews arrived, there was a small fire at the mill, but the sprinkler system had activated and contained the fire.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause.

The explosion did blow a “significant hole” in the sawmill wall, according to the PMFD.

Workers were on break at the time so there was no one in the area.

Other - Retail, Retail

Laconia, NH – Early morning fire at salon extinguished by sprinkler system

A salon in Laconia sustained smoke and water damage in a fire early Monday morning, according to authorities. Crews were called to Jerico’s Salon on Union Avenue around 3 a.m.  Firefighters found heavy smoke inside, but the building’s sprinkler system extinguished the flames.

Officials said the fire was located in the hair salon area. No one was there and no injuries were reported.  Officials said the salon sustained smoke and water damage and will likely be closed for some time.  The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it is not believed to be suspicious. 

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Hastings, MN – Sprinklers contain dump truck fire at excavating business

Firefighters stopped what could have been a major fire Saturday, Jan. 9, at DSM Excavating in the 2900 block of Enterprise Avenue. Crews responded at 9:33 p.m., after the building’s fire alarms activated.  According to Fire and EMS Director Mike Schutt, smoke was visible on the south side of the building when firefighters arrived and the automatic sprinkler system was already operating.  Crews entered the building, which was filled with thick black smoke that allowed zero visibility.  Inside, they found a dump truck on fire, which they extinguished.

The dump truck’s engine and cab were totally destroyed, with damage estimated at about $200,000. However, the fire could have been much worse, as there was other heavy equipment parked very close to the engulfed truck. Schutt credited the sprinkler system with saving the rest of the equipment and the building, which would have been a $4 million loss.

“While the firefighters did a fantastic job tonight, much credit goes to the automatic fire sprinkler system and the monitored fire alarm system,” Schutt wrote in an email the night of the fire. “As the fire grew in size, the automatic fire sprinkler system activated, keeping the fire contained to the dump truck and not allowing it to spread. Literally, other dump trucks and heavy equipment were parked within two feet of this fire and had no damage.”

Hastings firefighters were assisted by Hastings police and the Miesville Fire Department. The fire department, which also operates an ambulance service, also responded to two separate medical emergencies and one other fire response for downed electrical lines in Marshan Township while battling the Industrial Park fire. Investigation into the cause of the fire continues this week.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Prescott, AZ – Room fire at La Quinta Inn extinguished by sprinkler system

The Prescott Regional Communications Center received multiple notifications of smoke coming from a hotel room and the fire alarm sounding at the La Quinta Inn and Suites Conference Center, 4499 E. Highway 69, at around 10:15 p.m. on Friday Jan. 8, according to a press release from the Prescott Fire Department. It was the second hotel fire in Prescott within two days.

Prescott Fire Department and the Central Yavapai Fire District responded with three truck companies, an engine company, a battalion chief, a division chief, a utility truck and the Prescott Police Department, the release stated.

“Fire personnel made access to the second floor finding a wing that was being remodeled, to find moderate to heavy smoke but no flames,” the release stated. “Upon entering the involved room, they found the fire under control because an automatic fire sprinkler head was flowing water that had extinguished the fire, although there was still electrical arcing taking place in the area.”

Crews assured the fire was fully extinguished by checking wall and ceiling spaces around the fire, the release stated. They remained on the scene for two hours, evacuating water and assisting occupants with retrieving items from six rooms that were deemed unsafe to occupy. The occupants were relocated to another hotel, according to the release.

Investigative efforts determined that a wall heating and cooling unit was involved in the ignition and investigation is currently underway to determine the cause, the release stated. There were no injuries and there is no current estimate for the damage caused