Other / Not Specified, Other Business Medford, OR – Fire at commercial laundry business contained with help from sprinkler system January 10, 2017 viking210 Firefighters battled both fire and ice Thursday night in northwest Medford when they responded at 8:50 to a blaze at Alsco Inc., 980 Ellen Ave. The building, a commercial laundry facility, sustained “moderate smoke damage,” with no visible damage to the structure, according to an agency Facebook post. An investigation showed the fire ignited in a large dryer that had been filled with mop heads and other textiles. The materials were left in the dryer by accident, fire officials said, likely leading them to smolder, ignite, then spread to some nearby linen bags. Alarms in the building began to sound and the facility’s sprinkler system kicked on. Fire crews initially responded to the scene with four engines, but quickly upgraded the response to a second alarm because of the amount of smoke and the fire’s location deep in the building. “Second alarm is actually used for resource improvement,” said Medford Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Erin Sawall. “It could be for any myriad of needs.” Six engines from Medford Fire-Rescue and Jackson County Fire District No. 3 responded, tangling with ice outside while they fought the fire inside. Thursday night’s low temperature in Medford dipped to 18 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, turning the roads outside into a skating rink for firefighters while they prepared hoses. “It was a very icy scene,” Sawall said. “Crews operated in a pretty dangerous atmosphere.” Crews deployed salt to help. One firefighter did slip, Sawall said, but he wasn’t seriously injured. No other injuries were reported. Firefighters had the flames extinguished within a half hour, but spent almost three more hours on scene venting the buildup of smoke. Fire officials said the building’s sprinkler system was a big help in snuffing the flames. “It had some serious potential,” Sawall said. “Under these conditions, that’s the best we can hope for.”
Other Business Bend, OR – Fire at kettle corn business knocked down with help from sprinkler system December 29, 2016 viking210 Sprinklers and workers wielding fire extinguishers helped limit the damage when spontaneous combustion of soybean oil sparked a fire at a southwest Bend kettle corn business, fire officials said. Firefighters responded around 3:45 p.m. to the reported structure fire at Suzy Q’s Kettle Corn, located in a small commercial mall on Southwest Division Street, said Battalion Chief Dave Howe. The first crews to arrive found three sprinkler heads had activated and two people deploying fire extinguishers, Howe said. Firefighters made a quick knockdown of the fire and performed extensive overhaul and salvage, he said, noting that the fire sprinkler system helped contain the blaze until firefighters arrived on scene. Losses were estimated at $20,000 to the building and $10,000 worth of contents, both of which were insured, the fire official said. The fire’s cause was determined to be spontaneous combustion of natural soybean oils in fabric, Howe said. The fire official reminded the community that many types of natural oils can combust without a source of ignition, if not handled correctly. “Please follow the directions for disposal on all containers of natural oils,” Howe said.
Apartment Building, Residential Hillsboro, OR – Apartment fire caused by resident smoking in bed is limited by sprinkler system; No injuries December 5, 2016 viking210 An apartment’s sprinkler system is credited for limiting the damage of a mattress fire early Friday morning. Hillsboro Fire and Rescue say the fire started in a unit at Wyndhaven Apartments on SW Edgeway Drive. A woman told officials she was smoking in bed and fell asleep. The sprinkler system in her unit put out the fire but caused damage to furniture in the apartment and seeped into the apartment downstairs. Other resident’s in the complex fled. No one was injured. The total damage of the fire is estimated at $5,000.
Apartment Building, Residential Portland, OR – Sprinkler system credited with controlling apartment fire; No injuries reported September 15, 2016 viking210 A working fire alarm and sprinkler system helped people get safely out of an apartment complex Tuesday with a unit on fire, Portland firefighters said. When firefighters arrived at the complex at 12110 E. Burnside Street at about 10 p.m., smoke was coming from the back of a second-story unit. Firefighters said no one was injured. They said people had time to evacuate the building because the apartment’s fire alarm went off and the building’s sprinkler system put most of the fire out. Firefighters said the cause of the fire is being investigated.
Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic Bend, OR – No injuries as single sprinkler keeps mechanical fire in check at hospital August 31, 2016 viking210 A fire broke out in a washer for surgical instruments at St. Charles Bend early Wednesday, causing about $200,000 damage, but a fire sprinkler kept the damage from being far more severe, officials said. The blaze prompted closure of some areas of the hospital for a time, as well as the cancellation of all elective surgeries for the day. Shortly before 6 a.m., Bend fire crews responded to the reported fire at the hospital on Northeast Neff Road, said Deputy Fire Marshal Cindy Kettering. They arrived to find light smoke coming from the lower level of the facility. A machine used to clean surgical tools caught fire, said hospital spokeswoman Lisa Goodman. A single sprinkler head activated in the area and held the fire in check until crews arrived, Kettering said. There was some smoke and water damage to the lower level of the facility, and fire crews helped clear remaining smoke from the building. Investigators determined a heating element within the unit had overheated and failed, causing the fire, Kettering said. As with any alarm at the hospital, numerous Bend firefighters responded to the scene, clearing the area of smoke and water by about 6:40 a.m. No one was injured, Goodman said. As a result of the fire in the hospital’s central processing area, elective surgeries were canceled for the day, with only emergency procedures to be performed. The hospital’s lower-level floor, including the in-patient pharmacy, was closed for a time but had reopened by 7:30 a.m. Goodman said the hospital had resumed normal operations and that all scheduled caregivers should report to work as usual. Kettering said the fire was a clear example of the value of fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems,” which helped to isolate the fire area and quickly move to protect staff and patients. The sprinkler system minimized damage and will allow operations to resume in a timely manner. “Without a properly maintained and operational fire sprinkler system, the damage from today’s fire would have undoubtedly been far more severe,” Kettering wrote in a news release.
Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic Bend, OR – Early morning fire at hospital held in check by sprinkler system August 25, 2016 viking210 A fire broke out in a washer for surgical instruments at St. Charles Bend early Wednesday, but a fire sprinkler kept the damage from being far more severe, officials said. The blaze prompted closure of some areas of the hospital for a time, as well as the cancellation of all elective surgeries for the day. Shortly before 6 a.m., Bend fire crews responded to the reported fire at the hospital on Northeast Neff Road, said Deputy Fire Marshal Cindy Kettering. They arrived to find light smoke coming from the lower level of the facility. A machine used to clean surgical tools caught fire, said hospital spokeswoman Lisa Goodman. A single sprinkler head activated in the area and held the fire in check until crews arrived, Kettering said. There was some smoke and water damage to the lower level of the facility, and fire crews helped clear remaining smoke from the building. Investigators determined a heating element within the unit had overheated and failed, causing the fire, Kettering said. As with any alarm at the hospital, numerous Bend firefighters responded to the scene, clearing the area of smoke and water by about 6:40 a.m. No one was injured, Goodman said. As a result of the fire in the hospital’s central processing area, elective surgeries were canceled for the day, with only emergency procedures to be performed. The hospital’s lower-level floor, including the in-patient pharmacy, was closed for a time but had reopened by 7:30 a.m. Goodman said the hospital had resumed normal operations and that all scheduled caregivers should report to work as usual. Kettering said the fire was a clear example of the value of fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems,” which helped to isolate the fire area and quickly move to protect staff and patients. The sprinkler system minimized damage and will allow operations to resume in a timely manner. “Without a properly maintained and operational fire sprinkler system, the damage from today’s fire would have undoubtedly been far more severe,” Kettering wrote in a news release.
Office Building, Other Business Florence, OR – Possible arson fire at business center suppressed by sprinkler system August 24, 2016 viking210 Authorities suspect arson as the cause of a fire in the Florence Business Center after eight fire starts were discovered inside a business on 12th Street. At 6:41 a.m. Tuesday, Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue personnel were called to the business center after someone reported smoke coming from the building and water flowing from a sprinkler in the ceiling. Within 5 minutes, firefighters arrived but discovered no fire because the sprinkler had put the fire out. Authorities said it was “very obvious” that the fire starts were intentionally set. Three fire engines, one firetruck, three support vehicles and 12 firefighters responded. The structural damages are estimated at $25,000. Anyone with information is asked to call Florence police detective Brandon Ott at 541-997-3515.
Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill Forest Grove, OR – Sprinkler systerm keeps lumber mill fire from spreading August 18, 2016 viking210 Two mill workers were examined for smoke inhalation injuries after a fire at the Stimson Lumber Mill Sunday morning. The fire was reported Sunday morning at the Gaston-area mill on Southwest Scoggins Valley Road. The mill’s sprinkler system went off and kept the fire from spreading, Forest Grove Fire spokesperson Matt Johnson said. No word from officials on whether there was any significant damage to the mill. The two mill workers weren’t taken to the hospital, Johnson said.
Other - Retail, Retail West Linn, OR – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at nail salon; Neighboring business spared April 24, 2016 viking210 Several fire crews responded to a 2 alarm fire at the West Linn Central Village shopping complex at 8:45 a.m. Friday. The fire started at Aqua Nails Bar, a salon that is not yet open. Sprinkler systems extinguished the flames and fire crews called the second alarm to help clear out a large amount of smoke. Neighboring businesses evacuated and had minor smoke damage. There were no injuries. A Tualitin Valley Fire and Rescue investigator is still looking for a cause for the fire.
Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill Eugene, OR – Fire at Weyerhaeuser lumber products plant contained by sprinkler system April 15, 2016 viking210 A fire that caused minor damage to a Weyerhaeuser plant Saturday night in west Eugene started accidentally, officials said Monday. Eugene Springfield fire investigators say the blaze at the plant on North Bertelsen Road sparked in a piece of normally operating equipment. The fire was contained by the plant’s sprinkler system and later extinguished by firefighters. The fire was reported at 10:39 p.m. A number of the plant’s employees were evacuated, but no injuries were reported, fire officials said. A Weyerhaeuser spokesman said Sunday that crews were making repairs but that the fire did not cause long-term damage to the plant, which is expected to reopen in the near future. The plant employs about 170 workers, the company spokesman said. Lumber products including joists and beams are made at the west Eugene plant
