Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Amherst, NY – Sprinkler system quickly contains Christmas night fire at nursing home

Three people are recovering Friday morning after a small fire at a nursing home in Amherst Thursday night.  Catholic Health officials said an overheated motor on an electric wheelchair sparked a small fire.Fire crews arrived at Saint Francis nursing home in Amherst around 9 p.m. Thursday.  They said smoke started pouring from a wheelchair in a vacant room.  The sprinkler system kicked in, and the fire was quickly contained. Neighboring fire companies were called to help move the patients.  Medical personnel checked out 45 people. Two patients and one worker were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. “Most of the residents were not affected by the smoke, but the ones in that area were moved to another part of the building,” JoAnn Cavanaugh, Catholic Health Director of Public Relations. “We have other empty beds in the facility that they will spend the night until we can clear out the rooms from the water and the smoke.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Corbin, KY – Apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Approximately 30 residents at a downtown Corbin apartment building were forced to evacuate the building just before Midnight Tuesday when a fire was sparked in a storage room.  Corbin firefighters were called to Cooper Health Apartments at the intersection of Main and Gordon streets when a fire alarm was activated.

Battalion Chief Larry Jones stated the fire was sparked in a small storage room off of the main office on the first floor by some type of electrical malfunction.  Corbin Fire Chief Barry McDonald said a sprinkler head broke off sending water pouring onto the fire, extinguishing it.

The sprinkler system had to be shut down because of the broken sprinkler head. With the system down, maintenance personnel had to establish a fire watch until it could be repaired.

Other - Retail, Retail

Fairbanks, AK – Sprinkler system douses overnight fire at popular outfitter/retailer

A fire that broke out in the basement of Prospector Outfitters early this morning forced the outdoor retailer at 1512 South Cushman St. to close.  The fire started in the building’s basement in the boiler room shortly after 1 a.m., according to Fairbanks Fire Department Assistant Chief Ernie Misewicz, setting off the sprinkler system, which doused the fire before crews arrived on scene.

Firefighters put out a minimal amount of smoldering inside the building’s walls and helped clean up some of the smoke and water damage from the sprinklers. Crews from Fort Wainwright, Steese and North Star Volunteer fire departments provided mutual aid to Fairbanks Fire Department.  Misewicz speculated the fire may have been caused by a boiler malfunction. He said the Prospector was closed Sunday morning while staff attempted to clean up the damage to reopen.

*** Note from Blog Editor — Smoke cannot activate an automatic fire sprinkler system, but rather only the substantial heat created early on in the growth stage of a potentially deadly fire. Only the sprinkler(s) closest to the fire will activate. ***

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

DeKalb, IL – Overnight fire at wood products manufacturer contained with help from sprinkler system

The fire started in a dustbin at Premium Wood Products in DeKalb about 1 a.m. Friday, authorities said. Crews from the DeKalb Fire Department responded to an alarm at the business at 436 E. Locust St. at 12:54 a.m. When they arrived, they found heavy smoke and flames near a bin for collecting dust and wood shavings, according to a news release from the fire department.

The fire activated the sprinkler system, which controlled the fire until firefighters could extinguish it, the release said. Firefighters had the fire under control after about 45 minutes and remained on scene for about two more hours to ventilate the building. Crews determined the fire was accidental. Business operations resumed fully after the fire, authorities said.

Hospital/Care Facility, Other - Hospital/Medical

Norman, OK – Intentionally set fire at mental health clinic controlled by sprinklers

Cleveland County sheriff’s deputies arrested a teenager in connection with a Thursday night fire at the Southern Plains Treatment Services, 310 12th Avenue NE.  The 17-year-old was charged Friday as a youthful offender with a felony count of first-degree arson in Cleveland County District Court.

Firefighters were notified of the blaze in a bathroom and laundry room at 9:13 p.m. When deputies questioned the juvenile suspect about the blaze, she admitted to starting the fire, according to an affidavit filed with the charge.

The girl told deputies she started the fire by piling a large group of towels next to the laundry room wall and setting it on fire. She said she acted alone and started the fire because she was “tired of being there and tired of the employees,” the affidavit said.

Video footage also shows the girl walking out of the laundry room after the fire was set, the document states.  There was fire damage limited to one wall in the room. The fire caused the sprinkler system and fire alarm to activate, the affidavit said.

Other - Retail, Retail

Yuma, AZ – Sprinklers contain fire at commercial building under renovation

A sprinkler system had mostly extinguished a fire in a commercial building in Yuma Wednesday night by the time firefighters arrived on scene.  Oily rags not disposed of properly are suspected of causing the fire. Yuma Fire Department spokesman Mike Erfert said that shortly after 10 p.m., a water flow alarm was received, indicating a fire sprinkler system had activated in a commercial building located at 475 W. 32nd St.

Erfert said arriving firefighters gained access to the building and found that a fire had been contained and mostly extinguished by an activated sprinkler head. Firefighters immediately began extinguishing some hot spots and ensured the fire was completely out.  A small display case and some wooden dividers sustained damage.  The building is being remodeled to open as a retail store. Lacquer finishing had been applied to wood panels during the work day. Oily rags not disposed of properly are suspected of causing the fire.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Sandy, UT – Quick work of sprinklers and firefighters save day spa from overnight fire

Sandy firefighters credit a sprinkler system, along with their own quick response, for limiting a potentially major early Thursday morning blaze inside a commercial area.

Crews were dispatched to the Sego Lilly Spa, 7475 S. Union Park Ave., at 4:19 a.m. Thursday.

Once the flames were doused, it was determined the fire was sparked by a malfunctioning commercial dryer. The fire-suppression sprinkler system kept the blaze to one room until firefighters arrived

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Belleville, ON, Canada – Electrical fire at small business held in check by sprinkler system

Upon arrival to a Bridge Street West business in response to a report of a structure fire, Belleville fire crews forced entry and quickly found the minor blaze late Tuesday night.

Fire Prevention Officer Tim Vanhecke stated the building’s sprinkler system helped “significantly” in preventing the fire to spread.  He determined the fire was electrical in nature, but damage to the building has yet to be determined.

 

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Watsonville, CA – Sprinkler activates to help control possible arson fire at auto body shop

Authorities investigated a small, Sunday night fire in the doorway on the first block of East Lake Avenue as an arson, Watsonville fire and police officials said.

About 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a structure fire at Auto Tech Auto Body at 18 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville police Sgt. David Rodriguez said. Officers responded to the scene to confirm the fire and firefighters arrived shortly after to extinguish it.

A door to the business was on fire but firefighters doused it within 5 minutes, Watsonville fire Capt. Rick Pettigrew said. Though there was no fire damage inside the building, a sprinkler system was set off by the heat.  Initial investigations showed the fire started at the door, leading investigators to believe someone started the fire.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Vernon, BC, Canada – Suspicious overnight fire at restaurant extinguished by sprinkler system

Police and the Vernon Fire Department are looking into the cause of a suspicious fire at the New Delhi Restaurant in Vernon.  Deputy fire chief Lawrie Skolrood says the fire started inside the building sometime before 3:15 a.m. when the building’s sprinkler system went off and triggered an alarm.

Firefighters forced their way into the building by busting open the front doors, but by the time they got there, the fire was already out.  “The sprinklers did actually put out the fire. It’s lucky they were up and working for sure,” Skolrood says.