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
Apartment Building, Residential Portland, OR – Sprinkler activates in apartment fire that started outdoors April 14, 2016 viking210 Ten adults, four children and five pets were displaced from their apartments as the result of a two-alarm fire that damaged six units at a Northwest Portland complex Saturday morning. No one was injured on the fire at the complex in the 18000 block of Northwest Chemeketa Lane. Volunteers with the Cascades Region Disaster Action Team of the Red Cross responded to provided assistance for temporary lodging, assistance to address immediate basic needs, and information about recovery services and disaster health and mental health services. According to Tualitan Valley Fire & Rescue, at 9:45 a.m. on April 9, firefighters responded to Westridge Meadows Apartments after multiple callers reported heavy black smoke on the outside of one of the first floor units. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had spread from the exterior of the twelve unit building to the interior, moving rapidly to the second and third floor. First-arriving firefighters began an aggressive fire attack, quickly knocked down flames on the exterior of the building and then working their way floor by floor extinguishing the fire. Primary and secondary searches by crews confirmed that all occupants were able to get out. Firefighters worked for nearly 45 minutes to ensure the fire was out by extinguishing hot spots from the roof and pulling ceiling from inside apartments. All residents were able to exit the complex safely. One person was treated for a non-fire related medical need. The Washington County Sherriff’s Office, Portland Fire & Rescue and the Hillsboro Fire Department all assisted on the fire. A fire investigator has determined that the fire started on a balcony, but was unable to immediate learn how. The investigator will continue conducting witness interviews and the fire remains under investigation. The complex was equipped with a fire sprinkler system, which was activated once the fire moved inside the building. According to TVF&R, when a fire sprinkler system is present, the likelihood of injuries and costly damage is dramatically reduced. More information about fire sprinkler systems can be found at: www.tvfr.com/index.aspx?nid=144
