Tag Archives: Tennessee

Apartment Building, Residential

Franklin, TN – Single fire sprinkler controls apartment kitchen fire, protecting occupants and building;

A single fire sprinkler head controlled a kitchen fire in a three-story, 24-unit apartment building Thursday night, protecting the occupants as well as the building.

According to Franklin Fire Investigator Will Farris, the family of four was not home when their second floor unit in the IMT Cool Springs apartments, 101 Gillespie Dr., caught fire. 

Farris said the fire appeared to have been caused by a pan of oil that was left heating on the stovetop which ignited after the family left the residence. 

Farris said one fire sprinkler head above the stove activated, and the flow of water triggered an automatic fire alarm.  The Franklin Fire Department was dispatched by the fire alarm monitoring company just after 6:30 PM.   Upon arrival firefighters forced entry to the apartment.  They found the fire being controlled by a single sprinkler, completed extinguishment, and shut off the fire sprinkler system.

Farris said in addition to the apartment where the fire originated, two other apartments sustained water damage.  He estimated total damage at $30,000.  Farris stressed that the fire would have become deadly within minutes and the building would have sustained far more fire, smoke and water damage had it not been equipped with sprinklers.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Cool Springs, TN – Sprinkler system slows spread of fire after restaurant fryer malfunctions; No injuries reported

A Cool Springs restaurant fire Saturday morning was caused by a cooking equipment malfunction, according to Franklin Fire Marshal Andy King.

The Franklin Fire Department was dispatched to Bricktops restaurant, located at 1576 W. McEwen Dr., just before 9 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find smoke showing and fire on the roof.

King said the restaurant had been closed due to the coronavirus but had reopened Saturday morning to prepare takeout and delivery orders for the Easter weekend. He said a fryer malfunctioned when it was re-started and ignited the fire.

According to King, employees attempted unsuccessfully to extinguish the fire, which spread through the hood system to the roof.

King credited the activation of the automatic fire sprinkler system with greatly reducing damage and slowing the spread of fire inside the building. He also credited the quick response of Franklin firefighters, as well as units from Brentwood Fire & Rescue, which were dispatched via the cities’ mutual aid agreement.

King estimated damage at $50,000. No one was injured.

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

Franklin, TN – Fire sprinkler extinguishes fire at unoccupied pediatric clinic; No injuries reported

A fire broke out at an unoccupied pediatric clinic in Franklin just before 9 p.m. Friday. The flames were extinguished by the building’s automatic sprinkler system.

When the sprinkler system was triggered, the fire alarms sounded, dispatching the Franklin Fire Department to the location. Those crews arrived at Pediatric Associates of Franklin – located at 570 Baker’s Bridge Avenue – and found light smoke and one active sprinkler. The sprinkler had extinguished a fire in a patient examination room before firefighters made it there.

Franklin fire investigators said the damage was limited to the room where the small blaze began.

Damage to the building is estimated to be less than $10,000. No interruption of business or care is expected for the practice.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Ooltewah, TN – Fire sprinkler system keeps fire contained to janitorial closet at nursing home; No injuries reported

The Life Care Center in Ooltewah escaped major fire damages when a fire suppression system at the facility activated around 5:40 Saturday evening.

The Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department responded to a 911 call reporting a kitchen fire at the nursing home near 5911 Snow Hill Road.

The Highway 58 VFD reported a small fire in a laundry bin. The fire sprinkler system kept the fire contained to the janitorial closet.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the Chattanooga Fire Department, no injuries were reported but HCEMS was on the scene.

The Chattanooga Fire Department says all residents were temporarily moved to another wing of the facility.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chattanooga, TN – Fourth floor apartment fire kept in check by fire sprinklers

Crews with the Chattanooga Fire Department battled a fire at the Vista Cameron Harbor apartments that broke out overnight in the middle of frigid temperatures.

According to the fire department, the first fire company that arrived reported a fire on a fourth-floor balcony.

Firefighters made their way into the apartment and found the sprinkler activated in the bedroom.

Glass from the balcony doors broke due to the fire and the sprinkler activated kept the fire from spreading.

Firefighters extinguished a small fire on the balcony that remained after the sprinklers were activated.

Several apartments received water damage due to the sprinklers. Fire crews used tarp to cover the affected areas.

All occupants were evacuating the building upon the arrival of firefighters.

Due to the frigid temperatures, apartment occupants were sheltered on the first floor until they got approval to return to their apartments.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Red Cross was called to assist two people.

Apartment Building, Residential

Murfreesboro, TN – Sprinkler system prevents stove top fire from spreading through apartment

Sprinklers prevented a stove fire from spreading after dousing flames at The Blue Apartments, 2707 S. Rutherford Blvd., Thursday afternoon, Dec. 12, causing water damage to several units.

When Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) firefighters arrived on the scene around 2:30 p.m., the building’s fire suppression system had already triggered, which extinguished the flames.

The preliminary investigation revealed the tenants may have accidentally turned on a burner while cleaning. A pot with grease heated up, causing it to catch fire.

The 500 building was evacuated as a precaution.

Fire crews were able to shut off the sprinkler system and used fans to blow smoke out of the unit and overhaul the apartment.

“Sprinklers do save lives and property. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of sprinklers,” said Fire Marshal Carl Peas. “We also encourage residents to never leave food on a stove unattended.”

Several apartments sustained minimum water damage from the sprinkler system. Electricity was turned off to several units while the maintenance crews restored the units.

Residential, Single Family Home

Pigeon Forge, TN – Sprinkler system saves $1.2 million cabin containing fire to single room

Fire sprinklers saved a $1.2 million luxury cabin from going up in smoke according to the Pigeon Forge Fire Department.

The PFFD was dispatched in response to a fire alarm around 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, indicating a water flow alarm in an unoccupied cabin at 4125 Sherwood Heights Way.  Calls from other nearby cabins indicated that smoke and flames were visible from the cabin’s first floor. 

Firefighters arrived to find a three-story, 6,400-square-foot rental cabin with a working fire with flames visible from the rear of the cabin. 

A sprinkler located outside a mechanical room contained the fire to a single room. Shortly thereafter, the fire was completely extinguished by firefighters.  

“The cabin, with an estimated worth of $1.2 million and the capacity to sleep 48 guests, incurred approximately $15,000 in damages,” PFFD Chief Tony Watson said. “We have no doubt that the sprinkler system prevented the loss of this cabin and minimized damages. This event further demonstrates the value of sprinkler systems in all properties.”

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Knoxville, TN – Sprinkler system helps extinguish fire at gas station; No injuries reported

Officials are investigating after crews responded to a fire at a gas station early Saturday morning.

Rural Metro crews said they arrived on the scene of a reported structure fire on the 2000 block of East Governor Highway and found the sprinkler system activated and flowing water.

Crews were already working a house fire in East Knoxville, so assistance was requested from the City of Knoxville and Seymour Volunteer Fire Department, according to reports.

Officials said crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire with the help of the sprinkler system.

The Marathon gas station was not open at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

Officials said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chattanooga, TN – Apartment sprinkler system extinguishes stove fire

Chattanooga firefighters were called to an apartment fire off East Brainerd Road on Tuesday.

It happened shortly after 5:00 p.m. at Reserve at Creekside in the 1300 block Reserve Way.

CFD spokesperson Lindsey Rogers says visible flames were initially reported but were put out by the sprinkler system by the time crews arrived.

Rogers says resident said she had put a pot with oil on her stove and fell asleep.

The resident and her pets were able to escape without being hurt.

Rogers says maintenance technician who went to check on the situation at the apartment suffered minor smoke inhalation.

Rogers says the damage to the apartment was minor.

Stay with the WRCB app for updates to this story.

Apartment Building, Residential

Knoxville, TN – Fire sprinkler system contains fire at apartment complex

The Knoxville Fire Department responded to a fire that occurred in the early evening on Saturday.

The apartment fire took place at the Tenn Student Living Complex located on Cumberland Avenue.

KFD correspondent Mark Wilbanks says that a “cooking incident” started the fire causing the apartment’s sprinkler to go off. The apartment below was also affected due to some pretty severe flooding.

Student Carson Jinks is a resident of the apartment below the unit on fire. She explains that her room has been completely flooded due to the incident.

“I started hearing a weird noise around my shower and all the sudden water just started spewing from the vents in my bathroom. Now there’s water under all of my carpets and coming through the walls into the living room and kitchen. There’s basically a lake in my living room,” said Jinks.

The residents of the unit in which the fire occurred explained that they are being moved into the Volunteer Hotel located on Cumberland avenue at UT until further notice.

Residents of the complex have been safely evacuated from the building while KFD works on the incident.