Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Auto Dealership, Retail

Silver Spring, MD – Sprinkler system activated for fire at car dealership; No injuries reported

A fire broke out at the DARCARS Toyota and Lexus Dealership in Silver Spring on Nov. 12, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) Chief Public Information Officer Pete Piringer.

MCFRS firefighters responded to a call around 4 a.m. about a fire on the 12000 block on Cherry Hill Road near Prosperity Drive. Firefighters located the fire on the DARCARS service department’s second floor, according to Piringer’s X post.

Piringer said the automatic fire alarm and sprinkler system were activated and no injuries were reported.

A computer electronic component mounted on the wall in the service bay is the probable cause of the electric fire, according to Piringer.

The damages were estimated at $20,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

North Liberty, IA – Sprinkler system activated for overnight fire at apartment complex

Emergency responders took two people to University of Iowa Health Care after a fire started in their apartment.

The city of North Liberty says firefighters responded to the fire at 1010 Rachel Street just before 4:30 a.m. Monday. Police who arrived on the scene first warned smoke was coming from the second floor of the building and a sprinkler system was working.

Firefighters broke their way in to find smoke in the living room, but the fire mostly out from the sprinklers.

Crews found two children in a bedroom and a dog inside the apartment and got them out.

There’s no word on the extent of injuries for those taken to the hospital.

Investigators are trying to determine how it started, and how much damage the fire caused.

The North Liberty Police Department, Coralville Fire Department, Johnson County Ambulance Service and Johnson County Emergency Communications Center all helped on the call.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Richmond Hill, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at cinema; No injuries reported

Police have released new video footage that appears to show two suspects using Molotov cocktails to start a fire inside a Richmond Hill cinema while movie-goers were still inside.

The incident happened at a cinema near East Beaver Creek Road and Highway 7 at around 11:10 p.m. on Sunday.

In the video released by police, two suspects are seen arriving at the theatre in a grey SUV and then walking into its lobby.

One of the suspects then places a bag on the ground beside some movie posters.

At that point, both suspects light what appear to be Molotov cocktails and toss them at the bag, causing it to ignite.

The suspects then run out of the theatre and get into the awaiting SUV, which speeds away from the scene.

The whole incident unfolds in approximately 22 seconds.

Police say that the sprinkler system was activated and extinguished the fire.

“There were occupants in a second-floor theatre, however, there were no injuries,” a press release issued on Tuesday notes.

Police say that the vehicle that the suspect arrived in is a grey Acura RDX that was reported stolen in Toronto two days prior.

Police say the first suspect had a medium build and was last seen wearing black shoes, black pants, a black hooded sweatshirt with a white shirt underneath, black gloves and a mask.

The second suspect is also described as having a medium build. He was last seen wearing white shoes, black pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt, black gloves and a mask.

Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

Apartment Building, Residential

New Orleans, LA – Sprinkler system contains arson fire at apartment building

New Orleans police are searching for a middle-aged man suspected of setting fire to an apartment in the Iberville neighborhood late Saturday, resulting in one injury.

According to the New Orleans Fire Department, firefighters responded to a 911 call at 11:43 p.m. about a fire at 1570 Conti Street. Nineteen firefighters arrived in seven units and found light smoke and minor fire damage throughout the apartment. The building’s sprinkler system had mostly contained the flames by the time firefighters arrived, and the fire was under control by 11:55 p.m., the NOFD said.

A man was taken to University Medical Center to be treated for minor smoke inhalation. The injured man told authorities that a friend, also middle-aged, set the apartment on fire after an argument. New Orleans police have identified the suspect, who is wanted on an aggravated arson charge, and are actively searching for him.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cross Lanes, WV – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

A fire inside an apartment building was quickly put out Wednesday morning.

It happened about 4:30 a.m. in Cross Lanes.

The Nitro Fire Department said it happened at Cross Lanes Unity Apartments.

Firefighters said the sprinkler system put out the fire.

All 27 people inside were forced to leave the building. No one was injured.

Most of those were able to go back in once the building was ventilated.

The Nitro fire chief said the sprinkler system probably saved lives.

Firefighters said the fire started when someone in one of the apartments was smoking while in bed.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Bradford, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for apartment fire at senior complex

One person was transported to hospital for precautionary reasons following a fire at a Bradford seniors complex Monday night.

Bradford Fire and Emergency Services crews were called to 100 Miller Park Ave. shortly after 10 p.m. They arrived on scene to find a fire in the bedroom of a third-floor unit.

The department says there was one person in the apartment and they were taken by County of Simcoe paramedics to hospital.

“Sprinklers helped contain the fire to the room of origin,” Fire Chief Michael Rozario said Tuesday morning. “There is water damage in several units below.”

The affordable-housing complex is operated by the Simcoe County Housing Corporation, a division of the County of Simcoe.

Rozario says affected residents are receiving support from the county.

County social housing director Brad Spiewak says water from the sprinkler system damaged three other units, but no residents were displaced.

“Our building fire systems were immediately activated containing the fire to one unit,” he said. “One resident stayed offsite to allow for further cleanup. Social services staff were on-site until Tuesday morning for clean up and to ensure the safety of all residents and work continues today and into this week. All efforts are being made to move affected residents back into their unit as quickly as possible.

“Thankfully, no residents reported serious injury.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Dilworth, MN – Sprinkler system activated for overnight fire at apartment complex

Multiple fire crews from Moorhead and Dilworth responded to an apartment fire early Tuesday Morning.

Fire officials say crews responded to an apartment complex in the 1600 Block of 3 Ave NW just before 1:30 a.m.

Fire officials say the fire was near a window of an apartment. One window broke due to the heat of the fire but officials say thanks to the sprinkler system the fire was contained to one area and didn’t spread.

The total extent of damage is unknown at this time. The investigation has now been turned over to Dilworth Police as they work to locate the resident of the apartment.

Apartment Building, Residential

Rochester, MN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

At around 3:30 a.m. Monday morning, Rochester Fire Department was dispatched to a fire alarm with reports of sprinkler flow at Century Heights Apartments.

The first unit on scene, E4, arrived to find the apartment building being evacuated.

No smoke or fire conditions were visible outside the building, but RFD crews proceeded to apartment #308 where according to RFD, “a slight haze and odor of burnt food was noticeable.”

In the apartment, RFD identified a cooking fire that had been extinguished by the activation of the sprinkler system. Crews ventilated the apartment and worked to remove water from the building.

No injuries occurred, and there was moderate water damage in the affected apartment.

RFD says sprinkler systems are exceptionally reliable, such that the chance of dying in a fire is reduced by 90% when sprinklers are installed in a building. According to the NFPA, property damage in dollars is reduced by up to two-thirds depending on occupancy type when sprinklers are present.

Other - Retail, Retail

Moorhead, MN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at Menards; No injuries reported

Menards in Moorhead is open for business as usual despite a fire in the store early this morning.

According to Moorhead Fire Department, the fire started in the electrical section of the store.

Fire crews reported fire, smoke, and water damage to store displays and merchandise.

Crews could be seen cleaning up water from the store’s sprinkler system, which received the credit for extinguishing the fire.

“That ignition started about 4:30 and sprinkler heads activated at 4:45. So it just sort of sat there and kind of didn’t get the heat all the way yet until it became a bigger fire,” said James Garvey, Moorhead Fire Marshal.

No one was hurt in the fire. A damage estimate is not currently available.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Portland, OR – Sprinkler system activated for commercial fire at roofing plant; No injuries reported

Portland Fire responds to third alarm industrial fire overnight.

At 12:29 AM BOEC tapped out a commercial fire in the NW Industrial District at the Owens Corning Portland Roofing Plant with reports of a commercial fire alarm. This industrial plant is located near the corner of NW Yeon and NW 35th Ave. The initial reports were of a water flow activation from the interior fire suppression system that automatically contacts the dispatch center with information of a possible fire. Crews arrived to find plant personnel evacuating and a significant amount of smoke pushing from a centrally located smokestack of the facility. There was an initial concern that water application would be ineffective in addressing this fire leading the command officer to request Foam Unit 24 (FU-24) and the large foam firefighting equipment housed at the airport by PDX Port Fire. In the end, an internal sprinkler and large bore hose lines banking water off the roof cooled and extinguished the flames. There were no reported injuries.

As crews were arriving there was a significant amount of smoke pushing out of a centrally located smokestack with plant personnel evacuating the structure. The loud internal warning system that was directing people to evacuate the building due to fire was looping each 15 seconds with the message “Fire – Evacuate the building – Fire – Evacuate the building”. This industrial plant produces roofing materials, and the large machinery used to heat up a tar solution to apply to roofing tiles was on fire with flames showing from the machinery that is used to heat up and move the solution through the plant.

Plant personnel met with arriving crews and stated that application of water on the fire is not advised as there would be a large and volatile steam reaction of the water onto the hot tar product. There was an inhouse CO2 extinguishing fire suppression system in place that was activated and overrun by the amount of fire present in this emergency which alarmed both plant personnel and responding crews. This directed the command officer to request the multiple foam units along with the PF&R Hazardous Materials Team and Coordinator. There was a concern that the fire would extend from the machinery into the pans and troughs filled with the slurry of tar products and extend to the multiple storage tanks on the exterior of the structure located on the complex. This increased fire activity could lead to the entire storage vats becoming overrun with fire with a significant amount of stored fuels involved. To be certain there were enough firefighters on scene to address what could have potentially been a long and extended fire, the command officer requested up to a third alarm assignment during the arrival, education, and planning phases of this emergency response.

The priority of the responding firefighters was to find the power shut off to stop the flow of electricity into the machinery. This securing of the electrical system was performed by a crew early on with the assistance and direction of plant personnel. Once power had been secured, a fire suppression plan could be enacted. This initial plan involved large amounts of foam from the specialized fire apparatus on scene from PF&R and Airport Fire to flow a foam solution safely into the area affected by flames to extinguish the fire to not have a steam production emergency due to the water hitting the hot tarry solution.

Crews on the interior noticed a single interior fire sprinkler head had been activated and was raining down water onto the machinery and was able to connect with plant personnel to discover that water can be applied to the machinery but direct waterflow into the pans and troughs filled with the slurry of hot tar is ill advised due to the possible steam production. This redirected command to put two large bore nozzles hoses in place on the interior of the facility to bounce off the ceiling and rain down water to cool and extinguish the flames within the machinery of the plant.

The elimination of the electricity to the machinery along with the large amounts of water raining down on the area affected by bouncing the water off the ceiling suppressed the fire in a 10-minute period. Quick extinguishment of this large industrial fire resulted in a small amount of damage to the facility. All water used in extinguishing the flames was captured by the in-house water retention system and not released back into the municipal water system. The bulk of the second alarm assignment was released within the first hour of the incident with PF&R crews remaining on scene to assist plant personnel in wrapping up this emergency.

PF&R would like to thank the dispatchers at BOEC for their assistance along with PPB Patrol Officers who provided traffic control allowing our crews to operate safely along HWY 30/NW Yeon. PF&R would also like to thank the members of PGE for responding to the site to assist in addressing the flow of electricity in the aerial powerlines in the area.

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