Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Apartment Building, Residential

Richland, WA – Sprinkler system contains apartment fire started by improperly discarded cigarettes

A pair of apartment fires in Richland were likely started by smoldering cigarettes put in flower pots. Fire officials are warning people not to put cigarettes out in flower pots following the fires on Buena Court and Queensgate Drive. 

The Buena Court fire broke out July 25 about 1:30 p.m. and the Queensgate blaze started Monday about 2:15 a.m., fire officials said. A sprinkler system helped put out the second fire. No injures were reported.

Residential, Residential High Rise

St. Petersburg, FL – Sprinkler system saves residents of high-rise residential tower after ninth floor kitchen fire

(Blog Editor’s Note – Smoke does not cause sprinklers to activate – Only the substantial heat from a significant fire).

A small kitchen fire set off the sprinkler system and forced evacuation of the Burlington Towers in downtown St. Petersburg on Monday night, sending dry residents into the evening showers.

The fire in a unit on the 9th floor was put out quickly, but the smoke had activated the alarm system and set off the sprinkler system, officials said. At one point there were two inches of water in the hall of the 9th floor, and water had cascaded down to the seventh floor hall.

Some of the responding firefighters, who normally would haul hoses, were instead told to bring squeegees. There were no reports of injuries.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Henrico, VA – Sprinkler system contains warehouse fire helping to limit damage

Firefighters were called out to the 5200 block of Klockner Drive just before 2:00 a.m. for a fire alarm.  When crews arrived on scene, they initially did not see the blaze — but began to investigate. That’s when they found rubber foam inside the warehouse had caught on fire.

Fortunately, no one was inside when this warehouse caught fire.  16 fire units were called out to the scene to help battle the blaze. With the help of the building’s sprinkler system, firefighters were able to mark the fire under control right around 3:20 a.m.

Now, the investigation begins to determine what caused the fire. The Fire Marshall’s Office is on scene.

Self-Storage Facility, Storage / Warehouse

Contra Costa, CA – Sprinklers assist firefighters in containing vehicle fire in storage unit

A vehicle caught on fire in a storage unit, causing about $35,000 in damages, a Contra Costa County fire official said. Nobody was injured in the blaze in an unincorporated area near the city of Martinez, said Fire Marshal Robert Marshall.

Nearly 20 firefighters responded at 10:18 p.m. Thursday to reports of a fire in a storage facility in the 5700 block of Pacheco Boulevard, near Interstate 680 and Highway 4, Marshall said. Crews arrived and found smoke billowing from one of the units, where a fire sprinkler was spraying water, he said.

Firefighters used four engines and a truck to prevent the flames from spreading to other units, Marshall said. They got the one-alarm fire under control within 10 minutes. The cause is under investigation but Marshall said it might have started from oily rags left inside the vehicle.

“You need to dispose of rags like that because they can spontaneously combust,” he said. “We don’t know if that’s what happened, but all of the right ingredients were there.”

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Newnan, GA – Potential arson fire at pilates studio controlled by sprinkler system

Authorities with the Newnan Fire Department and the Newnan Police Department are investigating a suspicious fire that severely damaged a Newnan business early Tuesday.

The fire started about 4:20 a.m., shortly after someone was seen banging on the door of The Pilates Loft on Field Street, located in the historic cotton mill, witnesses told detectives. According to Sgt. Brent Blankenship with the police department, witnesses said they saw a Caucasian person carrying a red container, possibly a gasoline can, and they thought they saw the person pour the can around the business. The person then fled in a white vehicle, and flames soon appeared inside the building.

The fire inside The Pilates Loft did not last very long because the sprinkler system in the building kicked on quickly from the heat. By the time the Newnan Fire Department arrived, the fire was mostly contained and firefighters were able to quickly control the fire, but the business sustained heat and smoke damage.

During the investigation, detectives found one of The Pilates Loft’s windows had been shattered, which is possibly where the suspect poured the can into the building, Blankenship said. Because of this, authorities are treating the fire as an arson investigation. According to Blankenship, witnesses said the person may have been a man, but detectives are not certain of that at this time.

Evidence gathered by authorities is also being sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Lab to determine if an accelerant was used to start the fire, Blankenship said. If so, the crime will be considered arson.

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

Pittsburgh, PA – Residence hall fire at Duquesne University extinguished by sprinkler system

A small kitchen fire at a dormitory at Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University was quickly extinguished and hurt no one. City firefighters were called to Brottier Hall just before 10 p.m. Wednesday, but the fire was put out by the sprinkler system before they arrived. 

University spokeswoman Bridget Fare says 500 students live in the building, but most are on vacation or not living there during the summer. Still, 30 apartments were affected by water damage from the building’s sprinkler system. Fare says 15 students who live in those units were temporarily staying elsewhere. The university found alternate housing for 11 students, while four opted to stay with friends. 

Some apartments were expected to be repaired by Thursday, while others might take a week to fix.

Other - Retail, Retail

Bonney Lake, WA – Sprinkler system activates to help contain fire at thrift store

Firefighters from East Pierce Fire and Rescue quickly contained an electrical fire at the Bonney Lake Goodwill Thrift store early this morning. Just before 4 a.m., someone who had been walking behind the building at 21153 State Route 410 East, reported the fire. At the same time, the building’s automatic fire alarm notified dispatch.

According to East Pierce Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Jay Adams, the fire started at an electrical panel and had spread to a nearby wall. It was primarily contained to a small room where the electrical panel was located. “Although there was some smoke throughout the store, for the most part, the smoke was contained to that room,” he says. The sprinkler system activated, but only near the fire.

A ladder truck from Central Pierce Fire and Rescue also responded. No injuries were reported.

 

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Howell, MI – Laundry fire at rehabilitation center controlled with help from sprinkler system

A sprinkler system and a fast-acting Livingston County Sheriff’s Department deputy contributed to containing a fire at a Howell Township rehabilitation center late Tuesday evening.

Chief Andy Pless of the Howell Area Fire Department said the fire in the laundry room of the White Pine Rehabilitation and Care Center of Howell at 3003 W. Grand River Ave. was reported just before 11 p.m. Tuesday.

“An on-duty sheriff’s deputy made entry into the basement and put it out with a fire extinguisher as we were arriving,” the fire chief noted. “We cleaned up the mess.”

Pless said the center’s sprinkler system also did its job, helping to contain the fire.  When the alarm first sounded, White Pine staff immediately began evacuating the center’s residents. Pless said they had nearly cleared the facility when the all-clear was given for the fire call.

“White Pine did a fantastic job in getting residents in and out of harms way,” Pless said. “We were in and out in less than an hour.”

White Pine administrator Jackie Jones said she could not comment and referred inquiries to the regional director, who did not return a message seeking comment.

According to its website, the more than 2,000-square-foot center “specializes in medically complex and short-term rehabilitation” and offers long-term care for those recovering from surgery or illness or need rehabilitation.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Murrieta, CA – Sprinkler system helps keep fire from spreading at Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant

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A fire that triggered the sprinkler system at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Murrieta caused enough water damage to force the closure of the restaurant this weekend. The fire, at 40484 Murrieta Hot Springs Road, was reported early last week around 4:45 a.m., according to the Murrieta Fire Department. It appeared to have been sparked by the deep fryer, which may have been left on overnight. A sign on the building says the restaurant is closed because of water damage. Callers to the restaurant can hear a brief phone message that says the location is closed because of a fire.