Tag Archives: Tennessee

Apartment Building, Residential

Hendersonville, TN – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished quickly by residential sprinkler system

The Hendersonville Fire Department responded to a fire at 7:42 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Luxe Apartment complex, where a kitchen fire occurred in building B. The fire was extinguished quickly by the sprinkler system, while the owners left the apartment, according to the release.  The fire department began salvage and overhaul and shut off the sprinkler system. No injuries were reported. The fire department remained on scene until all water was removed from the second floor apartment.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Mt. Juliet, TN – No injuries in assisted living facility fire contained with help from sprinkler system

An assisted living facility in Mt. Juliet caught fire Friday, forcing residents to evacuate the building. Mt. Juliet Fire Department was called to Mt. Juliet Health Care in the 1600 block of N. Mt.Juliet Rd. around 9 p.m. Friday evening. Firefighters went in and found a room on fire. The firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. After the fire was put out, all residents at the facility were accounted for and no injuries were reported. Fire officials said the sprinkler system in the building was activated and that aided in containing the fire. The fire department said that no residents will be displaced. An investigation into what started the fire is ongoing.

Office Building, Other Business

Knoxville, TN – Fire in downtown office building held at bay by sprinkler system

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A downtown Knoxville building caught fire Tuesday morning off Market Street.Fire crews said people reported smoke coming from the building at 713 Market Street around 6:30 a.m. The building houses a few law offices and no one was inside the building at the time of the fire. According to the Knoxville Fire Department, first responders found the fire in a second story wall. The fire was quickly put out and crews are unsure how it started as of right now. Firefighters said the sprinkler system held the fire at bay until they could arrive. The building suffered significant water damage.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Springfield, TN – Paint booth fire at manufacturer of material handling equipment doused by sprinkler system

This is an update following our live broadcast from Unarco earlier today. Employees at Unarco Material Handling Inc in Springfield were evacuated this morning after a fire erupted in the part of the plant where paint is applied, officials said.

When the Springfield Fire Department arrived heavy smoke and some fire was showing from the back of the plant, according to Springfield Fire Chief Jimmy Hamill.  Unarco is located on 16th Ave East in Springfield behind the Royal Inn. The call to 911 came in at 10:22 am Friday Morning.

According to Hamill, the fire was in the Paint-Line. Firefighters were able to knock down most the fire quickly but to fully access the fire a hole had to be cut in the roof. “Fortunately the sprinkler system had the fire in check. There was still quite a bit of fire but the Sprinkler system kept it contained to one area,” Hamil said.

According to Hamill, Unarco has an excellent safety record. “They have been in business for a long time and have excellent maintenance and safety people including good evacuation procedures. The cause of this fire is still under investigation but the last fire at Unarco was back in the late 90’s. When we arrived they had everyone evacuated and a representative was able to get with me, quickly, and tell me what exactly they had going on.” Hamill said.

Today’s fire damaged about 5% of the plant, Hamill said. Hamill said the rest of the plant was undamaged and employees should be able to go back to work.

The Emergency Management Agency assisted Springfield Fire and Robertson County EMS was on standby but no injuries were reported.

Hamill said he’s proud of the work the firefighters and officers did today.

Below is a recording of our live broadcast.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chattanooga, TN – Fire in mechanical room of 10 story apartment building extinguished by sprinkler system

Chattanooga firefighters have evacuated apartment building on West 6th Street, due to a small fire Friday night.  The call came in just before 8:15 p.m. from The 300 apartment building. Fire department spokesman Bruce Garner tells Channel 3, a small fire broke out in the mechanical room on the fifth floor.  Garner says the sprinkler system put out the flames before firefighters arrived at the scene.

Firefighters evacuated residents and thoroughly searched all 10 floors of the building.  Garner says firefighters are working to clean up the water from the sprinkler system.  No one was hurt.

Place of Worship

Chattanooga, TN – Sprinkler system limits spread of early morning church fire

Fire officials say a sprinkler system saved a local church from burning down this morning. Chattanooga firefighters, responding to an alarm around 4:30 a.m. at Silverdale Baptist Academy at 7236 Bonny Oaks Drive, found a small fire in a utility room, Lt. Joe Ervin said in a news release. The sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire, saving the church, which is valued at $4 million, according to the news release. Water from the sprinkler heads was still flowing until firefighters were able to shut it off, leaving some significant water damage. No injuries were reported. Firefighters said the fire might have originated around a melted mop bucket in the utility room. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Maryville, TN – Sprinkler system helps firefighters put out possible arson fire at BBQ restaurant

A fire that disrupted dinner Buddy’s Bar-B-Q in Maryville Saturday evening may have been deliberately set, according to Maryville Police Department. Maryville Fire Department received reports of a small fire at Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, 2020 Bridgeway Drive, at 7:58 p.m. Saturday. The first Maryville units arrived on the scene within three minutes, and firefighters quickly had the situation in hand.  According to Maryville police and fire chief Tony Crisp, the fire started in a toilet paper dispenser in the women’s bathroom. The fire appeared to have been deliberately set, Crisp said, and police are investigating it as an arson.  The restaurant’s sprinkler system did its job, Crisp added, kicking in and extinguishing much of the blaze by the time firefighters arrived on the scene.  Although the restaurant was evacuated during the crisis, the fire was ultimately contained within the bathroom. Crisp said the damage was relegated to a section of bathroom wall.  No one was hurt in the incident. The arson investigation is ongoing, as Crisp said there are currently no suspects

Apartment Building, Residential

Maryville, TN – Grease fire in sixth floor apartment put out by sprinkler system

Residents of Maryville Towers said they were able to return to their apartments Friday night after being evacuated earlier in the evening because of a grease fire on the top floor.  The apartment complex, located at 220 McGhee St., Maryville, was partially evacuated around 6 p.m. after a grease fire started on the sixth floor.

Firefighters said they responded to the building at 5:46 p.m. While the sprinkler system extinguished the fire, the water continued to run until authorities were able to locate a valve to turn it off. That was done around 6:25 p.m.

Maryville Fire Capt. Mike Davis said about 63 apartments were evacuated. No injuries were reported.  Residents told The Daily Times on Saturday they were allowed back into their apartments Friday between 10:30 and 11 p.m. They said a Maryville Housing Authority maintenance crew had to clean up several flooded apartments.  Davis said apartments all the way to the ground floor sustained water damage.

Dianna McCullough was one of the ground floor residents who had flooding in her apartment. She said workers did a good job cleaning up. “It was flooded all the way to the bathroom,” McCullough said. “… They did a really good job coming in and helping.”

McCullough said there were at least four people mopping up her apartment.

Firefighters said the fire started in apartment 618. Residents said everyone, including the male occupant of 618, was able to return to their apartments.

Davis said 15 firefighters and seven trucks from the Maryville and Alcoa fire departments responded. The Maryville Police Department, American Medical Response ambulance service and Blount County Rescue Squad also responded.

Davis said firefighters remained on scene until around 8 p.m.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Mt. Juliet, TN – Single sprinkler contains fire at elementary school

Mt. Juliet firefighters extinguished a fire last Sunday morning at Mt. Juliet Elementary School that damaged at least one classroom. Firefighters responded to the school at 2521 W. Division St. at about 8 a.m. According to Mt. Juliet fire officials, the fire started in “hotel-style” heater” that activated one sprinkler head in a classroom, and the school’s sprinkler system contained the fire. Fire damaged the classroom, and four adjoining classrooms suffered water and some smoke damage.

“Something did malfunction, and it did ignite,” said Mt. Juliet fire Chief Jamie Luffman. “There was a significant fire as you can see by that wall over there and it came through the wall.” Luffman said the sprinkler kept the fire contained until firefighters arrived and extinguished the remainder of the fire. The single sprinkler head released a significant amount of water that then leaked into adjoining classrooms, Luffman said. “Obviously this fire was intense for a short period of time,” Luffman said. 

Wilson County Schools spokesperson Jennifer Johnson said in an email clean-up crews responded to the school after firefighters extinguished the fire. Firefighters remained on the scene for several hours. Johnson initially said classes would resume as normal with students returning from spring break Monday, but she later said Monday would be considered a “student holiday” for students. All teachers and staff are expected to report for work as a teacher in-service day to help get the school ready for classes Tuesday.  “We are so grateful to the Mt Juliet Fire Department for their quick response and ability to contain the fire to such a small portion of the school,” Johnson said.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Kingsport, TN – Arson fire in McDonald’s bathroom extinguished by sprinkler system

The Kingsport Fire Department is on the scene of a fire at the McDonald’s restaurant on Lynn Garden Drive. According to KFD’s public information officer Barry Brickey, the fire was intentionally set in the bathroom.  The fire department reports the fire sprinkler put out the flames before the crews arrived.  KFD’s Station 5 is next door to the restaurant.  The case is being investigated by the fire marshal.  Very few details are known at this time. News Channel 11 is following this story. We’ll post more details as soon as they become available.