Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

St. George, UT – Sprinkler system keep fire from spreading at Olive Garden restaurant

Dinner was interrupted late Friday evening when a fire broke out at Olive Garden Restaurant, triggering a heavy response from the St. George Fire Department and a quick evacuation by restaurant staff. No injuries were reported.

Just after 10 p.m. firefighters and emergency personnel were dispatched to a fire reported at Olive Garden Restaurant, located at 1340 E. 170 South St. George. Upon arrival firefighters observed heavy smoke coming from the rear of the building, St. George Fire Department Battalion Chief Darren Imlay said.

The heavy smoke activated the fire alarm initially, Imlay said, which also activated the emergency sprinkler system within a few minutes. The sprinkler system partially extinguished the fire.

“That system did what it was designed to do,” Imlay said.

Firefighters then entered and fully extinguished the area that was still actively burning, he said, and began ventilating the building to remove the smoke.

Meanwhile, the alarm sounded throughout the restaurant which initiated an evacuation, Imlay said.

“The restaurant staff did a great job of evacuating the customers safely, which resulted in no reported injuries during the incident,” Imlay said.

Many customers remained in the parking lot while firefighters extinguished the fire and some folks simply finished their meal or dessert outside as they watched the activity, Bryce Berry said. Berry was dining with friends when the alarm sounded. After being evacuated, the group gathered outside to watch the activity.

“Everybody was calm and just eating in the parking lot,” Berry said, “I’ve never been in a restaurant that caught fire before.”

Rhode Island resident Patrick Flanigan was dining with family and had just started ordering when the alarm sounded. At first they thought it was a false alarm, he said, but quickly realized it wasn’t a drill once they observed the staff going from table to table advising customers of the fire and the need to evacuate.

“It didn’t seem urgent at the time,” Flanigan said, “because they got us out so quickly.” 

It wasn’t until Flanigan and his family were out in the parking lot and saw all the smoke that they realized it was an actual fire, he said.

Flanigan and his family stopped at Olive Garden during a road trip to help his sister move, he said, adding they were on their way to Fort Collins, Colorado.

“Yes, we just pulled off the freeway to eat dinner here, before continuing on with the road trip,” Luva Flanigan, Patrick’s mother, said.

The fire damage was contained to a small service area, but there was also damage to the building from smoke and water, Imlay said.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. A full investigation will begin after the building has been completely cleared of smoke, Imlay added.

The Olive Garden management staff were unable to comment.

St. George Fire Department sent six fire engines and one ladder truck to the scene. Gold Cross Ambulance responded and remained at the restaurant in the event there were any injuries.

 

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Naches, WA – Machinery fire at wood products manufacturer contained by sprinkler system

A smoking piece of machinery at Spinner Wood Products triggered an early morning response from the Naches and Gleed fire departments today. At about 4:11 a.m., firefighters responded to a fire alarm activated from the business, located at 10533 Old Naches Highway. Naches fire chief Alan Baird said the alarm was for a trip to the sprinkler system.

Baird said he originally upgraded the incident to a second-alarm fire as they didn’t know the size of the fire. It was determined that the fire originated in a piece of machinery used for printing names on pallets and bins. The combination of heat from the machine’s electrical motor and sawdust smoldered for hours, Baird said.

The fire was contained to the machine thanks to the sprinkler system, which activated over the machine in question. Baird said they wrapped up shortly after 6 a.m.; the fire chief added 10 firefighters were on scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cheltenham, PA – Arson fire at apartment building suppressed by sprinkler system

Residents of one of the rebuilt buildings at the apartments at 1600 Church Road were evacuated May 31 after a fire alarm went off at 2:46 a.m., Cheltenham police reported. The fire was believed to be arson, police said.

Several people reported smelling an odor of gasoline and there was an odor of gasoline in a stairwell in the first floor of the B building, where the fire was located, said Cheltenham Fire Marshal Joe O’Neill, who confirmed “the fire was set” and is under investigation. “The sprinkler system put out the fire almost immediately,” he said.

There was fire damage to the stairwell and smoke, soot and water damage to carpet in that area, O’Neill said. The building had previously been destroyed in a fire in October 2012.

Glenside Fire Company assisted by Edge Hill and LaMott fire companies responded to the scene to “make sure the hazard was addressed” and clear the smoke and odor of gasoline from the building, O’Neill said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cheltenham, PA – Arson fire at apartment building suppressed by sprinkler system

Residents of one of the rebuilt buildings at the apartments at 1600 Church Road were evacuated May 31 after a fire alarm went off at 2:46 a.m., Cheltenham police reported. The fire was believed to be arson, police said.

Several people reported smelling an odor of gasoline and there was an odor of gasoline in a stairwell in the first floor of the B building, where the fire was located, said Cheltenham Fire Marshal Joe O’Neill, who confirmed “the fire was set” and is under investigation. “The sprinkler system put out the fire almost immediately,” he said.

There was fire damage to the stairwell and smoke, soot and water damage to carpet in that area, O’Neill said. The building had previously been destroyed in a fire in October 2012.

Glenside Fire Company assisted by Edge Hill and LaMott fire companies responded to the scene to “make sure the hazard was addressed” and clear the smoke and odor of gasoline from the building, O’Neill said.

Apartment Building, Residential, Residential High Rise

Honolulu, HI – High rise apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Honolulu firefighters rushed to a Kinau Street apartment early Thursday following reports of an odor of smoke. According to the Honolulu Fire Department, more than 10 firefighters were dispatched around 1:30 a.m. to Kinau Vista located at 1150 Kinau Street. Upon arrival at 1:35 a.m., they discovered that an activated sprinkler head extinguished a fire that broke out earlier. HFD did not have further details regarding the fire, but there were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire and damage estimates are under investigation.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Victoria, BC, Canada – Fire at Indian restaurant contained by sprinkler system

Patrons of Saaz will be able to enjoy the restaurant’s south Indian cuisine again, perhaps as early as June 30, an owner said Wednesday.

Co-owner Raj Gupta said building assessors and insurance adjusters are only beginning to look over the fire and water damage, estimated at $150,000. But Gupta said Saaz, at 535 Yates St., near Wharf Street, could reopen as early as the end of the month if damage is not too extensive and repairs and renovations can be completed.

Nobody was injured. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Gupta said he has received a number of calls from people sad to the hear news of the fire. “Hopefully, everything will come back,” he said.

The fire broke out just after 11 p.m. Monday, after the restaurant, which opened in 2013 and specializes in the cuisine of southern India, had closed for the night.

Price’s Alarms alerted firefighters to an alarm on the premises, while someone called 911 reporting possible flames. Victoria police also advised the fire department of flames seen from the rear of Bastion Square. Firefighters arrived and broke down a nearby door, smashing out the glass.

The restaurant’s sprinklers had activated and kept the fire contained, said Battalion Chief Dave Bicknell, and firefighters were able to extinguish the flames within minutes. The fire started in an area used as a busing station and for storage, he said. According to the Victoria Fire Department, the fire began in an area used as a busing station and for storage.

A few hours after the Saaz blaze, a small fire was reported at 701 Esquimalt Rd., across from Dalton Street in Vic West. Victoria firefighters responded about 3 a.m. to the report of smoke in the building. Upon arrival, crews found light smoke in the basement and the ground floor of the apartment building. It turned out a chair in a common area of the basement had been smouldering.

The apartment’s manager discovered it and moved it to the rear parking lot. Fire crews removed the smoke with fans. Residents were able to return to their suites once the smoke had cleared.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fayetteville, NC – Overnight apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system

Occupants of six units in the Carlson Bay Apartments off Cliffdale Road were displaced this morning after a small fire in one of the residences. The fire at 975 Bassman Lane was reported at 12:33 a.m., a Fayetteville Fire Department release said.

Heavy smoke was coming from one unit in the three-story building when firefighters arrived. An automatic sprinkler head in the apartment had extinguished the fire, the release said.  Heat and smoke damage were confined to the one apartment, but six were affected by water damage.

No injuries were reported.

Residents of the building were evacuated as a precaution but were allowed to return once firefighters had left. The Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents. The fire started in the living room of the apartment, the release said, but the cause has not been determined.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Plymouth, MN – Garage fire is kept from spreading into townhome thanks to sprinkler system

At 11:23 p.m. on Thursday, June 2, the Plymouth Fire Department responded to 16787 39th Avenue North for a house fire. The first units arrived and found a tuck-under attached garage fully engulfed with fire spreading to the house. All occupants were evacuated with no injuries. One firefighter sustained a foot laceration and was treated and released.

There was significant damage to the garage, but thanks to a sprinkler system that activated, minor damage was caused to the living space. The adjoining townhouse units were cleared of smoke and those residents were allowed back inside their homes.

Plymouth Police, Wayzata Fire, Golden Valley Fire, Loretto Fire, Maple Plain Fire, Minnetonka Fire and North Ambulance assisted. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and is under investigation.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Halifax, NS, Canada – Shopping center fire extinguished by sprinkler system; Fire spread limited

Firefighters responded to a store fire in the Halifax Shopping Centre last Tuesday evening. Ben Moss Jewellers suffered both smoke and fire damage, as well as problems due to the water from the sprinklers the blaze set off.

“We received a call about an alarm at the centre at 10 p.m. and upon our arrival, we realize a sprinkler was flowing,” said Halifax Fire spokesman Scott Blackburn.  “We made our way in and we observed the issues at the jewelry store. The fire had been extinguished from the sprinkler.”

There were 14 responders and they forced their entry into the store to clear the area and do ventilation work. There were no injuries. Firefighters believe they may have a cause for the fire.

“There are renovations going on. There was welding work going on above and we believe sparks may have hit and ignited combustible material on the customer counter.”

The Halifax Shopping Centre was open Wednesday, except for Ben Moss, which was slated to be shut down in the next few weeks due to poor financial performance.