Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse Tualatin, OR – Sprinkler system contained fire from battery test at warehouse April 15, 2019 viking210 A fire broke out Thursday during a new product test of six large lithium-ion batteries at a Tualatin warehouse. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue said crews responded to the 20000 block of Southwest 115th Avenue about 5:05 p.m. Someone from the business that was performing the testing reported the batteries were on fire. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze, but it took a while to completely extinguish the flames. The building’s automatic sprinkler system helped contain the fire and minimize damage to the building and its contents. A hazmat team responded, and authorities carried out a water containment plan to minimize any environmental effects, according to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. The hazmat team also monitored air quality and set up a decontamination process for crews that had been directly exposed to smoke and flames, the agency said. Surrounding businesses were evacuated as a precaution, according to the agency, and no one was hurt. A fire investigator responded to determine the cause of the one-alarm blaze. The fire and rescue agency didn’t publicly identify the business where the blaze occurred in a news release late Thursday.
Apartment Building, Residential Bend, OR – Apartment grease fire “could have been much worse” if not for activated sprinkler February 19, 2019 viking210 Bend Fire says a residential sprinkler system saved an apartment from major damage, Monday. A unit responded to an alarm at the Outlook at Pilot Butte apartments, just before 2:30 p.m. They discovered a resident tried to put out a grease fire by putting a pan in the sink and turning on the faucet; that resulted in a ball of fire, which activated the sprinkler. The fire was out before the investigator arrived and no fire engines were called to the scene. While the blaze caused about $2,700 in damage, Bend Fire says no one was hurt and it could’ve been much worse had the sprinklers not activated. They also remind you to never put water on a grease fire. Use a lid to cut off the supply of air to the flames.
Apartment Building, Residential Milwaukie, OR – Third floor apartment fire contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported February 15, 2019 viking210 Firefighters used oxygen to revive a cat found inside a burning Milwaukie apartment on Wednesday morning, officials said. Crews were called out about 10:30 a.m. on reports of a fire on the third floor of the Hillside Manor apartment building. There were no reports of injuries. Arriving fire crews worked to evacuate the building and quickly contain the fire to the third floor. 31 people have been rescued from their homes due to the water from the fire hoses and from the building’s sprinkler system. The Red Cross is going to offer temporary housing for those people.
Apartment Building, Residential Medford, OR – Apartment fire knocked down by sprinkler system December 10, 2018 viking210 At around 4:40 P.M. Wednesday, Medford Fire-Rescue responded to a fire alarm in the 2600 block of West Main in Medford. Within a minute the fire was upgraded to a structure fire. Multiple smoke alarms and a sprinkler system were activated inside one of the first floor apartments within the complex. Neighbors were seeing smoke, but no active flames as they began self-evacuating due to the sounding alarms. Within five minutes, the first arriving engine was able to quickly confirm that the fire was knocked down by the sprinkler system. Since all of the apartments are protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system, it also limited the damage and danger to the residents in the entire complex. The cause of the fire is under investigation. This incident serves as a reminder to check your smoke alarms and their batteries. Have a plan for your family, and what you’ll do if the alarm ever goes off.
Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant Springfield, OR – Fire at Quality Inn and Suites controlled with help from sprinkler system December 8, 2018 viking210 Guests at the Quality Inn and Suites in the Gateway area of Springfield were forced to evacuate due to a fire Monday night. Eugene Springfield Fire said they received a call at about 9 p.m. about an attic fire at the hotel. “At this point we’re in the mode of assisting the property owner and property management to restore as much as possible to a working functional level,” Battalion Chief Chris Paskett said at the scene. Firefighters say the building also has water damage from the sprinkler system down to the parts of the hotel’s first level. The cause of the fire is unclear.
Apartment Building, Residential Canby, OR – Balcony fire on third-floor apartment extinguished by sprinkler system August 2, 2018 viking210 Residents woke to a fire on the balcony of their third-floor apartment Thursday, Canby Fire District said. The residents went to grab a fire extinguisher from outside the door and when they returned, the fire was under control thanks to a sprinkler a tenant discharged. The sprinkler completely extinguished the flames. “Without the fire sprinkler system this fire would have grown before we arrived and would have caused severe damage to the structure and displaced several tenants all the safety devices working smoke alarms, fire sprinklers and properly placed fire extinguishers at this apartment complex made a difference tonight,” Nikki Hietschmidt, Canby Fire District captain, said. Crews were dispatched to the fire, but the sprinklers controlled it before they arrived.
Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill Eugene, OR – Fire in silo at lumber mill is put out by automatic sprinkler system July 21, 2018 viking210 A sprinkler system put out a fire that started at BJB Milling and Lumber Wednesday night. Crews were dispatched just before midnight to the mill near Seneca Road and Roosevelt Boulevard in Eugene. The fire started in a silo on the mill’s property, and fire officials said the sprinkler system prevented what could have been a huge blaze. The cause remains undetermined. Just two months ago, a fire devoured the 190,000-square-foot Whitsell mill in Saginaw in just half an hour. That blaze caused $10 million in damage. The Whitsell mill’s sprinkler system was ruled to be inadequate.
Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility Springfield, OR – Fire at recycling facility contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported June 27, 2018 viking210 Employees evacuated as sprinklers and firefighters extinguished a fire in the recycling facility at International Paper in Springfield on Tuesday morning. Fire crews responded to the 48th Street facility at 7:48 a.m. “Crews arrived to find all employees safely evacuated outside and the building filled with smoke. Employees reported fire in a pile of general recyclable materials. The building is protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system. The sprinkler system activated keeping the fire in check until fire crews arrived to complete extinguishment and over haul.” A Eugene-Springfield Fire Department official said firefighters initially sounded a second-alarm fire and that all available crews headed to the scene. Officials say it appeared a second alarm was called because of a large amount of smoke in the recycling portion of the plant. Quick response by fire crews, along with the sprinkler system in place, took care of the fire before it had a chance to grow, according to the fire department. No injuries were reported and workers will be allowed to return before the day is over. The cause has been deemed accidental.
Residential, Single Family Home Heppner, OR – House fire extinguished by residential sprinkler system May 22, 2018 viking210 Public Safety Log: May 18, 2018 — Heppner fire crews were dispatched to a fire at a home at Lakeview Heights on Willow Creek Road. The caller said the flames were out but the ceiling was melting and the fire sprinkler was going off.
Other Business Eugene, OR – Overnight fire at truck repair shop controlled by sprinkler system May 22, 2018 viking210 A sprinkler system is being credited with saving a landscaping company’s truck repair shop in southwest Eugene after it caught fire early last Thursday. The fire was reported at the Rexius truck shop on Bailey Hill Road shortly after midnight by an employee in the area who heard “some banging type noises” from the shop, according to Battalion Chief Lance Lighty. The employee went to the shop, discovered the fire and called 911, Lighty said. Firefighters arrived and found smoke in and around the building. The building’s sprinkler system was on and had helped contain the fire to the shop, Lighty said. The remaining fire was extinguished quickly by crews. Smoke and water damage was minor, and large fans removed the smoke. The fire was under control within 10 minutes, Lighty said. “Quick notification and activation of the sprinkler system prevented a large-dollar loss to the building and disruption to the business,” Lighty said.
