Tag Archives: Oregon

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Bend, OR – Sprinkler system activated for large electrical fire; No injuries reported

An electrical fire caused about $350,000 in damage and losses at a downtown Bend office building late Saturday night, but an official said the sprinkler system prevented more damage.

Bend Fire and Rescue was dispatched around 11:40 p.m. to the reported fire in a two-story commercial building in the 100 block of Northwest Greenwood Avenue, Deputy Fire Marshal Susie Maniscalco said.

Police and fire personnel arrived to find flames and smoke coming from the second story and roof of the unoccupied building, which is equipped with a full fire sprinkler and alarm systems, Maniscalco said.

Crews got to the second floor and said a single fire sprinkler in the attic kept the fire from spreading through the attic.

“Had the fire sprinklers not been in place, the long-term cleanup and disruption of businesses would have been greatly impacted,” Maniscalco said in a news release.

The cause of the fire was determined to be an electrical fire relating to heat tape. No injuries were reported.

The building’s estimated value is $2.7 million, and property losses were estimated at $200,000, Maniscalco said. Contents were valued at $400,000, with losses of about $150,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

Hillsboro, OR – Sprinkler system activated for fire in apartment building

Firefighters say two people had to be rescued from an apartment fire in Hillsboro Wednesday morning.

At 10:08 a.m., a commercial fire alarm alert was received at the Washington County 911 dispatch center indicating fire sprinkler activation at 722 Northeast Autumncreek Way. Additional information to 911 reported white smoke coming from a third-floor apartment and that a person may be inside the unit.

The first fire engine arrived to find smoke showing from an upstairs unit and audible fire alarms. When firefighters made entry into the unit, they found heavy smoke, fire sprinklers flowing, and two persons inside the unit. Both people were rescued and taken safely down to awaiting paramedics.

The fire was quickly extinguished and contained to the single unit. The fire did not extend to any additional units but the apartment immediately below the fire was impacted by water from the sprinkler system.

A fire investigator determined the cause of the fire to be improper storage of smoking materials.

Apartment Building, Residential

Roseburg, OR – Cigarette fire at apartment extinguished by sprinkler system

A discarded cigarette started a fire at the Rose Apartments and caused the complex’s sprinkler system to flood the fourth floor, according to the Roseburg Fire Department.

Just after 1:30 a.m. Monday, firefighters responded to a water alarm at the apartments in the 800 block of Southeast Stephens Street, Roseburg. When they arrived, they found water flowing from the upper floors, into the stairwell and out of the front doorway.

When firefighters searched the building they discovered remnants of a fire that had likely started inside an upstairs closet where a used cigarette had been tossed into a garbage bin, according to a press release.

The apartment complex had an automatic sprinkler system installed and when it sensed smoke from the fire it activated and extinguished the fire. The sprinklers caused water damage throughout the building, including several rooms and common spaces, but quickly doused the flames and prevented it from growing, said Fire Marshal Brian Jewell.

“This is a great reminder that sprinkler systems can not only save lives, it can reduce damage to property if functioning properly,” he said in a press release.

Jewell said it’s important to check wastebaskets and cushions in rooms where people have been smoking and look for embers that are still burning.

“Cigarettes can smolder longer than most bedding materials can upholstery can resist igniting,” he said.

Apartment Building, Residential

Roseburg, OR – Apartment fire extinguished by single sprinkler head

A residential structure fire in Roseburg displaced an adult and several of their pets on Monday morning.

At 9:46 a.m. the Roseburg Fire Department personnel responded to a reported residential structure fire at 2665 NW Van Pelt Drive, #15. Firefighters arrived on the scene to find smoke inside apartment #15. The occupant and her dog were found to be outside of the residential structure.

The building had an automatic fire sprinkler system installed. A single sprinkler activated when exposed to the fire, effectively extinguishing it and preventing the fire from spreading.

Firefighters ensured the fire was completely out and conducted a primary search, locating and rescuing two birds that were inside the home. A secondary search found no victims and an overhaul was completed. One adult, one dog, and two birds were displaced due to the fire; however, no one was injured in the fire.

A fire investigator was on scene and the fire was determined to be caused by cooking and found to be accidental in nature.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Newport, OR – Sprinkler system controls laundry room fire at hotel

The automatic sprinkler system at the Best Western Plus Agate Beach Inn controlled a fire in the laundry room believed to have been started by spontaneous combustion.

The Newport Fire Department responded to a commercial fire call at 3019 North Coast Highway at about 12:45 a.m. Monday. Fire Chief Rob Murphy said responding firefighters found a blaze in the laundry room that had largely been extinguished by the facility’s sprinkler system, and they were able to quickly put down smolders and clear smoke from the building.

The entire hotel was briefly evacuated as a precaution — Murphy praised management for their execution of that process — but there was no damage to the main building, and guests were able to return to their rooms.

Murphy said the fire started by spontaneous combustion in a pile of laundry. Even after washed, the chief said, cloth can retain residue of oils and other chemicals. When that material is piled in large stacks, especially if it contains moisture, the oxidation of those chemicals releases heat with no place to escape, eventually building to ignition.

This kind of fire can be prevented by spreading laundry out as opposed to piling it, the chief said, adding that the incident was a great example of the value of fire alarm and suppression systems.

In an email to the News-Times, hotel manager Joshua Conrad thanked emergency personnel for their response and support.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Portland, OR – Sprinkler system activated for cooking fire at hotel

Smoke alarms were blaring and water was flowing after one man’s cooking led to a small fire overnight.

Fire crews were called out to the Larkspur Landing Suite Hotel in Hillsboro just after 1:30 a.m. Once they arrived, firefighters saw one hotel room’s fire sprinklers were running and smoke was filling the corridor. While crews went to work, the hotel’s occupants were told to shelter in place.

Firefighters reached the hotel room the water and smoke were coming from to find a man trying to extinguish a fire in the room’s kitchen area. The fire itself was extinguished and never reached any other rooms — but water from the sprinklers had flowed into the hallway and several other rooms.

Crews turned off the water flow then used a water vacuum to clean up the affected areas.

The man did suffer some minor burns to his hands and legs, but he denied medical service. No other occupants were injured, but some were relocated to other rooms.

An investigation determined the cause of the fire was unattended cooking. Remember to always be present while cooking and to keep things that can burn away from stovetops.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Redmond, OR – Motel fire contained thanks to fire sprinklers

A fire that broke out early Thursday morning in a room of the Redmond Super 8 Motel was stopped from spreading by an automated sprinkler, but not before guests were evacuated, officials said. Investigators determined it was caused by improper disposal of smoking materials.

Redmond Fire and Rescue crews were called around 2:20 a.m. to a first-floor room at the three-story motel on Southwest 21st Place, near the Redmond Airport, Captain Ken Brown said.

Motel staff was assisting in the evacuation of guests, helped by fire and police, as fire alarms sounded. The automated fire sprinkler system activated and confined the fire to the one room, where initial reporters said the carpet and mattress were engulfed in flames, Brown said.

Crews made entry into the room, put out the fire, checked for any extension into other rooms and searched each floor and room for any other occupants, he said.

They ventilated the smoke and restored sprinkler and alarm systems, allowing guests to return to their rooms within two hours of the call, except for those near the affected room, who were moved elsewhere in the motel.

Damages were estimated at $3,000 to $5,000. Deputy Fire Marshal Clara Butler said the accidental cause of the fire was determined to be improper disposal of smoking materials.

Mutual-aid assistance was provided by the Bend and Black Butte Ranch fire agencies, along with Redmond police and Pacific Power.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Bend, OR – Sprinkler system puts out restaurant fire after oil rags caught on fire

A northwest Bend restaurant’s bagged, laundered kitchen rags still had enough oil on them to spontaneously combust and spark a fire early Thursday morning that was stopped quickly by a sprinkler head, an official said.

Bend Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched around 4 a.m. to the report of a possible structure fire at Broken Top Bottle Shop & Ale Café on NW Pence Avenue, Battalion Chief Trish Connolly reported.

Crews arriving on scene saw smoke in the building, forced entry into the business and found a small sprinkler-controlled fire in the dining area, Connolly said.

The sprinkler system also set off all alarms in the building, alerting occupants in the apartments above the business, who evacuated with the help of police as fire crews arrived on scene. They were able to return to their apartments within an hour, Connolly said.

Fire crews made sure the fire was out and ventilated the businesses to reduce smoke damage, Connolly said.

The sprinkler system put out the fire, which began in the dining room from kitchen rags placed on a table, in laundry bags. Connolly said the fire was caused by spontaneous combustion from laundered rags which still had kitchen oils on them and were not separated after being dried.

Because the linen rags were in laundry bags and were not separated, the heat from the rags rose high enough to ignite the bags of linen.

Connolly said it’s more likely to occur in restaurants, spas and businesses where linens are used to clean up combustible substances, such as oils.

“Laundering does not get out all the residual oil, especially when the rags are used over and over with oil substances, so the residual oil builds up over time,” Connolly said.

Suggested laundry safety guidelines say separating rags after being laundered is important to avoid such fires.

Damage was estimated at $5,000 to the restaurant and $2,500 to the contents.

Fire damage to the building was minimal due to the quick dousing of the fire by the sprinkler system. On average, Connolly said, fires are controlled by activation of one or two sprinkler heads, which not only put out the fire but keep water damage to a minimum.

Hospital/Care Facility, Other - Hospital/Medical

Dalles, OR – Two fire sprinkler heads extinguish fire at medical center; No injuries reported

The Mid Columbia Medical Center building was damaged by what Hood River Fire Chief Leonard Damian described as “a small fire” with extensive water damage to the three-story commercial building, early on May 15.

The office of Overwatch Imaging and the Kobe Sushi + Bar were also damaged. The building is located on Nichols Parkway on the waterfront just east of Second Street near downtown Hood River.

The fire was extinguished by a sprinkler system that prevented any further fire damage, according to Damian.

“Most importantly, nobody was hurt and all patient files are secure,” said Christina McManigal, chief ambulatory operations officer at MCMC. “We are currently assessing the damage, but we do know that the Nichols Landing building will remain closed for restoration. It is too soon to know if the closure will last a few weeks or several months.”

All MCMC clinics and the hospital in The Dalles are open. MCMC’s Hood River-based providers have been seeing patients in The Dalles throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to do so while the Nichols Landing building is restored.

At 2:15 a.m., Hood River Fire & EMS crews responded to a water flow alarm at the MCMC building, in the 30 block of Nichols Parkway in Hood River.

“We were dispatched to a water flow alarm, a fire alarm that tells us possibly that a sprinkler system may be activated,” said Lt. Tony DePinto, who was first on the scene.

DePinto said that when HRFD firefighters arrived, they found the fire alarm system had activated along with smoke and a small fire on the third floor inside the building.  Fortunately, two sprinkler heads had extinguished the fire before it had extended any further.  Firefighters shut off the water flow, searched the building, determined the extent of damage, and ventilated the building to clear the smoke. Fire crews were able to remove smoke from the building and covered computers on the first and second floors to prevent any further damage from the water. MCMC medical scanning equipment was also protected from damage, according to Damian.

Hood River Fire & EMS was assisted by units from West Side Fire District, Wy’East Fire District, and Cascade Locks Fire Department.

The cause of the fire is presently under investigation.

“The fire sprinkler system activation prevented the building and its contents from significant damage and contained the fire as designed. Because of the small size of the fire, crews were able to concentrate on removing smoke and water from the building and protecting sensitive equipment from water damage, further reducing the damage from this fire.  Had the building not been equipped with fire sprinklers, the fire would’ve easily grown in size, causing major damage to the building and its contents,” Damian stated.

Apartment Building, Residential

Forest Grove, OR – Sprinklers extinguish fire sparked while residents move into new apartment; No injuries

Residents accidentally sparked a fire while moving into their new apartment on Wednesday evening, according to Forest Grove Fire & Rescue.

The fire at the Jesse Quinn Apartments in downtown Forest Grove occurred in a second floor unit. Firefighters arrived to find the flames had been extinguished by fire sprinklers. Crews then worked to mitigate the water from the sprinkler activation. They found water in two neighboring units and a tap house below.

Investigators say the residents while moving in had set a box on the stove, most likely accidentally turning it on at the same time. The box started to burn as they were bringing additional items up to the apartment.

Firefighters say three apartments are uninhabitable right now. Affected families are being assisted by the Red Cross. The tap house below, The Growler Garage, is closed until water damage can be mitigated and electrical wiring can be assessed, according to Forest Grove Fire & Rescue.

Firefighters from Cornelius, Hillsboro, and Banks assisted at the scene. Forest Grove police officers and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office also helped.