Tag Archives: South Carolina

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

North Charleston, SC – Hotel fire sprinkler extinguished cooking fire; No injuries reported

The North Charleston Fire Department (NCFD), St. Andrews Fire Department, and Charleston County EMS on Wednesday responded to a hotel on the 4800 block of Rivers Avenue for an active fire alarm.

Crews arrived shortly after 2:21 p.m. and were advised that the fire was on the second floor.

Upon locating the room, firefighters discovered that a fire sprinkler “had activated and extinguished a cooking fire.”

After ensuring that the fire was extinguished, crews “controlled the sprinkler system and started salvage operations on the first floor to reduce damage.” They also used ventilation fans to remove smoke.

No injuries were reported, and the occupants of the room were relocated.

Following the incident, NCFD is reminding the public of these facts:

  • Ninety percent of fires are contained by the operation of just one sprinkler.
  • A home with smoke alarms and fire sprinklers reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82%, relative to having neither, according to Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition.
  • Home fire sprinklers can contain and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive on the scene.
  • Modern residential sprinklers are inconspicuous and can be mounted flush with walls or ceilings.
  • Fire sprinklers save lives, reduce property loss and can even help cut homeowner insurance premiums.
  • Nationally, on average, home fire sprinklers cost $1.35 per square foot of sprinklered space in new construction.
Other - School / University, School / University

Charleston, SC – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in barracks at The Citadel; No injuries reported

Charleston County dispatch shows a reported fire at the Citadel.

The call came in at around 6:29 pm on Sunday, August 23.

Citadel officials say the fire was caused by an air conditioning unit that is above one of the barracks on campus.

The barracks were evacuated.

The fire caused the school’s sprinkler system to activate, which took care of the fire.

Officials say no one was injured during the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Jasper County, SC – Apartment kitchen fire on third-floor extinguished by fire sprinklers

Jasper County Fire Rescue is reminding the public of the benefits of having a sprinkler system after a sprinkler extinguished an apartment fire.

Fire officials say at 8 p.m. on June 16, crews were dispatched to the Brook Mill Apartments for a structure fire. When firefighters arrived, they found a kitchen fire in a third floor apartment had been extinguished by the sprinkler system.

JCFR says the sprinkler put out the fire before it spread to the entire apartment.

Automatic fire sprinklers reduce the risk of dying in a fire by 80%, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. To learn more about sprinklers, click here.

Apartment Building, Residential

Columbia, SC – Sprinkler system stops fifth-floor apartment kitchen fire; No injuries reported

A representative of the Housing Authority in Columbia reported water damage resulting from a fire in a fifth floor unit at a senior apartment building caused the evacuation of residents early Saturday evening.

Cynthia Hardy said a small kitchen fire occurred in a resident’s apartment at Arrington Manor, at the corner of College and Oak streets near Five Points, around 7 p.m. June 27, 2020. 

“Damage from the fire at the independent senior living facility was minimal, but the building sustained a lot of water damage,” Hardy said. “For safety precautions, fire department officials suggested shutting the building down, turning off the power, and relocating the residents while they restore the building.”

No injuries were reported and all 57 residents were relocated to area hotels and are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Columbia Housing CEO Ivory Mathews said, “when the sprinkler system in a residential building of that size is triggered, there are restoration and inspection steps performed by third party entities that must occur before re-occupancy is granted. Third party includes water damage restoration contractor, electrician, sprinkler system contractor, Dominion Energy and the Columbia Fire Dept. We anticipate the restoration and inspections work to be completed within 3 days.”

According to Housing Authority’s property directory, Arrington Manor was last renovated in August 1979 and opened for occupancy in 1981. The six-story apartment building features 14 efficiency apartments, 29 one-bedroom apartments and 13 two-bedroom apartments.

Apartment Building, Residential

Charleston, SC – Apartment kitchen fire controlled by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

The Charleston Fire Department (CFD), James Island Fire Department, Charleston County EMS, and Charleston Police Department responded to a fire at the 35 Folly Luxury Apartment building just before 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

According to CFD, dispatch was alerted to the fire by an automatic fire alarm as well as a 911 call from a resident. Crews responded within four minutes of the call.

Upon arrival, firefighters “encountered light smoke and searched the building.” They discovered that a small fire originated in the kitchen of an apartment, and was put out by the sprinkler system. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters “verified the fire had been extinguished, controlled the water to the system, and ventilated the smoke from the building.”

Department Store, Retail

Horry County, SC – Fire sprinklers extinguish fire at Marshalls; No injuries reported

Horry County Fire Rescue and the Horry County Police Department are investigating a fire at the Marshalls near the Highway 17 Tanger Outlets.

Crews are at 10816 Kings Rd. for a fire that was initially dispatched at 2:56 p.m.

Rescue officials say the fire was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system before it was able to spread.

There are no reported injuries and this fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Greer, SC – Mattress fire doused by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Greer Fire Department says their crews responded to a fire that broke out Thursday evening at a local apartment complex.

The department confirmed their response around 9:30 p.m. to the Avalon Chase complex on Avalon Chase Circle.

Crews later told us a mattress in a bedroom caught fire, and the flames were doused by the sprinkler system. Nobody was injured, but two families are displaced by water and smoke damage. The Red Cross is aiding them.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Hilton Head Island, SC – Fire sprinkler system contains fire to dishwasher at local resort; No injuries reported

A dishwasher was the source of a fire that started Saturday night in a villa unit at Hilton Head Resort, according to Hilton Head Island Rescue spokeswoman Joheida Fister.

It appeared to be a failure of the equipment, she said.

No one was injured in the fire that started about 7:30 p.m.

The building’s fire sprinkler system was activated and kept the fire contained to the dishwasher, she said.

The unit did sustain water damage but little fire damage.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Surfside Beach, SC – Strip mall fire brought under control by fire sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Emergency crews responded to a fire Monday morning at a strip mall in Surfside Beach.

A call came out for a fire at 1610 South Highway 17 Business at 6:39 a.m., according to an online post from Horry County Fire Rescue.

The fire was brought under control with the help of the building’s sprinkler system. The building was also worked for possible hot spots and ventilated during the overhaul process, the post states.

There were no reports of injuries.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.