Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Sprinklers minimize damage in electrical fire at lumber yard (Birnamwood, WI)

A fire that caused relatively minor damage to a Birnamwood business Sunday night likely was caused by an electrical malfunction. Fire crews responded to a sprinkler alarm at Kersten Lumber at about 9:35 p.m. Sunday, Birnamwood Area Fire Chief Randy Berger said.  When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the building, he said. One wall had burned, he said, but the damage was not bad. No one was hurt in the incident and the sprinkler system kept the fire contained, he said.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Sprinkler extinguishes early morning fire at nursing home (St. Paul, MN)

Early Monday morning, firefighters were called out to 512 Humboldt Avenue after alarms began to sound.  Nursing home staff found a light fixture in one of the bathrooms had caught fire at 2:20 a.m. — but a single fire sprinkler extinguished the fire.  There were no reported injuries.  According to firefighters, none of the residents were ever aware of the ordeal and were able to sleep through the night undisturbed. Firefighters say the incident is proof that they were well-protected by the sprinkler system, which was installed only a year and a half ago.

Department Store, Retail

Fire sprinkler system helps to save discount department store (Great Falls, MT)

A discount department store had a small fire occur on Monday night, and after being alerted by a passerby, fire officials responded to the incident. They entered the building to find smoke, but no flames, thanks to the structure’s fire sprinkler system. A mechanical malfunction is being blamed for the incident, but investigators are still unsure if it was electrical or not. 

Great Falls Fire Marshal Dirk Johnson said regarding the incident, “We had two sprinkler heads go off that pretty much put the fire out and saved a lot of damage to Kmart, so sprinklers save lives.”

There were no injuries reported.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Fire sprinkler system extinguished industrial fire at recycling plant (Sidney, OH)

Crews were called to an industrial fire Sunday night inside a plastics recycling plant.  There were no workers in the facility at the time of the fire.  Smoke was visible from a door outside of the facility, but the fire remained inside and was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. The fire suppression equipment worked just as it’s intended, said Sidney fire officials.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Fire sprinklers prove worth in college dormitory fire (Burlington, VT)

Fire departments responded to a fire at a college dormitory at about 2:45 a.m. on Thursday. The apartment, which was being renovated, was saved from extensive fire damage by the installed fire sprinkler system. The sprinklers, upon activation from the heat of the fire, then automatically alerted the local emergency response units. The fire was extinguished within ten minutes. Investigators have deemed the fire as arson.

Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinklers make the difference in apartment fire (Plano, TX)

During the early hours of Tuesday, a grill caught fire on a second story apartment balcony. Before fire crews arrived to the scene, the apartment’s fire sprinkler system activated upon the flames and put them out. Upon being questions by fire investigators, residents of the apartment reported that the grill malfunctioned and ignited surrounding items on fire. No other part of the apartment had damage from the fire. 

Fire Chief Brian Crawford said about the incident, “This is an example of a fire that exemplifies why it’s so important to have these codes in place. Had the apartment and it’s balcony not been fitted with residential fire sprinklers, this fire had the potential to grow much larger and affect many residents. Plano is fortunate to have a large number of apartment complexes with fire sprinklers.”