Tag Archives: North Carolina

Primary / Secondary School

Asheville, NC – Sprinkler quells fire that started in art kiln at charter school

An indoor kiln’s exhaust fan at Evergreen Community Charter School failed Thursday night, causing heat to build up and the sprinkler to activate. The Asheville Fire Department responded to the school shortly after 8 p.m., said spokeswoman Kelley Klope.

The sprinkler system cooled the kiln and prevented a fire, she said. Had there not been a sprinkler system, the heat buildup could have ignited nearby combustibles and the overhead ceiling, which could have caused a structure fire, Klope said.

The school’s art room sustained minor heat damage to some overhead lighting and minor water damage. Sprinkler systems use less water to suppress early onset fires than fire crews do, Klope said.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, if a home fire occurs, the risk of dying decreases by about 80 percent when the home is equipped with a fire sprinkler system.

Apartment Building, Residential

Sunset Beach, NC – Fire Chief credits sprinkler system for extinguishing overnight apartment fire

The cause of a fire that broke out early last Saturday at a Calabash apartment complex is still under investigation. Firefighters were called to the 7136 building at The Tides at Calabash on Town Center Road off Old Georgetown Road at 2:35 a.m. Oct. 17.

Damage was confirmed to a third-floor breezeway wall and ceiling, according to apartment management. Calabash Fire Chief Randy Bork lauded the complex’s external sprinkler system for quickly extinguishing the fire and preventing it from spreading.

Residential, Single Family Home

Chapel Hill, NC – Home cooking-related fire put out by sprinkler system

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A sprinkler system extinguished a cooking-related fire Tuesday at a home in the Southern Village Neighborhood in Chapel Hill. Just before 1 p.m., Chapel Hill fire received a call from an alarm monitoring company reporting a fire at 500 Market Street.

Six trucks responded to the call as a sprinkler system was able to put the fire out. Responding fire fighters worked to ensure the fire was out. Chapel Hill fire officials said the cause of the fire was cooking related. No one was injured in the incident.

Other - Retail, Retail

Winston-Salem, NC – Sprinkler system contains storage room fire at furniture store

The fire started about 10 a.m. in a rack storage area at the rear of the Colfax Furniture and Mattress store at 801 Silas Creek Parkway, said Battalion Chief Jeff Henley of the Winston-Salem Fire Department. No one was injured. The building’s sprinkler system helped contain the fire, Henley said.  It took 31 firefighters about 30 minutes to put out the fire.

The store’s employees and its customers left the store safely after the fire began, Henley said. Investigators are trying to determine how the fire started, Henley said. He didn’t have an estimate of how much damage the fire caused.

The store’s warehouse manager first heard a muffled explosion or some type of loud noise shortly after the store opened at 10 a.m., said Jackson Braswell, the store’s manager. That employee then saw a rug burning, Braswell said. The sprinkler system was activated, and someone called 911.

“The most important thing is that everyone got out safe,” Braswell said. “The sprinklers did their job.” Braswell didn’t immediately know how soon the store will reopen. “We will be back up and running as soon as we can,” Braswell said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Wilmington, NC – Sprinkler activates to confine kitchen apartment fire; No injuries

The Wilmington Fire Department responded to a fire at 11:18 p.m. at 505 Cobblestone Drive, Apartment 206. The department release states that the fire started on a stove after cooking was left unattended. Crews activated the building’s sprinkler system and confined the fire to the stove top. Damage was estimated at $5,000 and no one was injured, the release states.

Apartment Building, Residential

Wilmington, NC – Sprinkler system contains apartment fire to kitchen; No injuries

Wilmington Fire Department crews responded to an apartment fire located at 106 N. Water St around 2:45 p.m. Saturday. Battalion Chief Chris Nelson said a sprinkler system located in the apartment controlled the fire, keeping it contained to the kitchen where the fire started, until firefighters arrived on scene.

The occupant was home at the time, but no one was injured. A total of seven trucks responded as well as units from NHRMC EMS and Wilmington Police Department.  Nelson said there was minimal fire damage to the apartment and some water damage to apartments below where the fire started.

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Durham, NC – Sprinkler system helps firefighting effort at recycling center

Durham firefighters were called at 7:57 p.m. to 4619 Industry Lane in response to a structure fire at Sonoco Recycling.

Once on scene firefighters determined that “moderate smoke” was coming from the rear of the building. Employees told firefighters where the fire started and that a piece of machinery used to bale recyclable material was on fire.

Firefighters were able to control the fire within about 10 minutes. A sprinkler system in the building helped the firefighting effort.

Fire investigators determined the cause of the fire was an overheated motor in a baler machine. No one was injured and only the machine and a “large amount of recyclable material” were damaged.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Rockingham, NC – Cotton mill fire held in check by sprinkler system

The sprinkler system at Wade Manufacturing kept a fire from spreading at the facility Wednesday afternoon. Rockingham Fire Chief Harold Isler said the department responded to the fire after receiving a commercial alarm call around 3:48 p.m. When crews arrived at the cotton fabric mill, smoke was showing from a door on the right side of the building on River Road, he said.

Once inside, firefighters discovered two bales of debris — swept up from the floor of the facility — on fire with open flames and heavy smoke. Isler said the bales “looked just like cotton.” “What kept it in check was the sprinkler system,” Isler said, which kept the fire dampened until fire crews could arrive.

 Using 300 feet of 1 ¾-inch hose, firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames. All damage was confined to the bales and there was no structural damage, nor were there any injuries to factory workers or firemen, according to the chief.

 The cause of the fire is still under investigation. “One of the biggest issues we had was getting the smoke out,” Isler said. In addition to the building’s exhaust fans, firefighters set up fans inside the building to help ventilate the facility. Cordova Fire and Rescue was called for mutual aid to make sure there were enough people on the scene, Isler said. Although some commercial calls turn out to be false alarms, Isler said, “You can’t take any of them lightly.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Fayetteville, NC – Another off-campus apartment saved from fire by sprinkler system

Four Fayetteville State University students were displaced Tuesday evening after the stove in their apartment caught fire, activating the sprinkler system, which then extinguished the blaze. Firefighters were dispatched at 6:56 p.m. to 1302 Coley Drive at University Apartments, off Murchison Road adjoining Fayetteville State University, according to a news release from the Fayetteville Fire Department.

When firefighters arrived, they didn’t see any visible fire from outside and saw the residents had begun to evacuate. The sprinkler system contained the fire to just the stove. Firefighters were able to stop the flow of water from the sprinkler head while salvaging property and removing the smoke, the release said. The apartment received light damage from the water and smoke.

Firefighters restored the fire protection system and assisted the university in finding housing for the four students. There were no injuries reported, the release said. The three-story building contains 24 apartments.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Huntersville, NC – Sprinklers assist firefighters in extinguishing restaurant fire

Crews responded to Yoshi’s Grill on Gilead Road just after 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday and found heavy smoke coming from the building. Firefighters were able to get the fire under control around 8:45 a.m. and said sprinklers were activated. Firefighters said the fire started near a washing machine and the restaurant was closed at the time.  No one was hurt.