Tag Archives: Tennessee

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Dandridge, TN – Fire at monofilaments plant extinguished by sprinklers; System credited with averting disaster

A fire suppression system averted potential disaster last Thursday afternoon at the Wetekam Monofilaments USA manufacturing facility in Dandridge. Fire Chief Andy Riley reported that the department responded at 12:07 p.m. to a fire alarm at the 93,000 square foot building, where a fire had filled the machine shop with thick smoke.

“The visibility was zero inside the building, but we were able to use a thermal imaging camera to determine that the fire had been put out by six sprinkler heads that had been activated.” Based in Germany, Wetekam makes yarns that are used in the weaving, automotive, medical, upholstery, and other industries. The company has over 30 workers locally and invested several million dollars in its plant in the Jefferson County Industrial Park.

Riley said all workers were evacuated from the building but were expected to be able to return to work this week since fire damage was contained to the machine shop wall and did not affect the production line. “This was a case where the fire suppression system did the job it was designed to do,” he said. “The back wall was apparently lit up in flames when the call came in, but the sprinklers got it out quickly.”

The fire was accidental, but the cause has not been determined, the chief said. No one was injured. The machine shop was unoccupied when the fire started, but employees in the general area reported hearing a crash before smelling smoke, Riley reported.

Firefighters were on the scene for about three hours at the 956 Pine drive building clearing smoke from the interior with heavy fans. Firefighters also used a power saw to cut into the rear wall and remove damaged insulation.

Volunteer firefighters from Kansas-Talbott and Lakeway Central responded under mutual aid but were diverted to another call in their district, Riley said. New Market and White Pine volunteer firefighters then responded to the Pine Drive location. A total of 22 firefighters worked on the operation.

Wetekam, one of the largest monofilament makers in Europe, bought the Dandridge plant two years ago. The company was established in 1965.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Oak Ridge, TN – Fire in air conditioning unit at Comfort Inn suppressed by sprinkler system

An Oak Ridge hotel that was shuttered after a fire prompted the evacuation of all guests early Saturday morning is expected to reopen either late Monday or early Tuesday, Oak Ridge Fire Marshal Travis Solomon said. The five-story, 112-room Comfort Inn at the corner of Rutgers and Illinois avenues was about 90 percent occupied, mostly with students participating in rowing practice and with off-road enthusiasts, when the fire was reported shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday.

The blaze was in an air-conditioning unit at one end of the fourth floor, Solomon said, and the fire department is still trying to determine what ignited the blaze. The hotel’s sprinkler system was activated by the blaze and helped suppress it, he said. “That shows that sprinkler systems, they not only save property, they save lives. It could have been a lot worse.”

The fourth-floor hallway was filled with thick black smoke, and firefighters had to assist people disoriented by it and help them down the stairwell, Solomon said. Three people were initially missing during the evacuation, and hotel staff “did a fantastic job determining who was missing and needed to be found.”

All were located. One person was evaluated for possible smoke inhalation but didn’t require medical attention. Solomon said hotel personnel found other hotels for the guests. Thirteen firefighters and seven firetrucks responded. The fire department is inspecting the hotel’s fire alarm and sprinkler system, Solomon said.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Cleveland, TN – Sprinklers help keep dumpster fire from spreading into store

One of the anchor stores at Bradley Square Mall was closed Sunday after a fire occurred in a dumpster/trash compactor just outside the business. At approximately 1:15 p.m., the Cleveland Fire Department responded to a fire reported at the Belk department store. According to CFD reports, firefighters found the fire in the dumpster outside the loading dock of the store. The flames were quickly extinguished.

Additional units were called to the scene and made entry to the stock room area of Belk, where they found heavy smoke. The sprinkler system had also been activated and water was flowing into the stock room, reports said. The fire in the dumpster was brought under control approximately 15 minutes after the first fire units arrived, and the sprinkler system was soon disabled.

Heavy-duty fans were brought in to remove any residual smoke from the business. Battalion Chief Robert Gaylor said in his report that there was substantial smoke and water damage in the stock room area, and some smoke damage in the store’s shopping area.

The store manager told the fire department that Belk would close for the remainder of the day and reopen on Monday. “The mall manager as well as security and the store manager were on the scene and were very helpful in assisting us with evacuating the mall and securing the area,” Gaylor’s report stated.

Due to the nature of the fire, the Arson Investigation Division was called to the scene and was attempting to determine the cause of the fire Sunday afternoon. It remains under investigation today.  No injuries were reported from the fire.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Loudon, TN – Fire at ceramics plant controlled with help from sprinkler system

A fire Monday afternoon at a ceramic tile plant in Loudon started when a motor began burning and then ignited hydraulic fluid, fire officials said. The Loudon Fire Department was alerted about 1:15 p.m. Monday to the blaze at the Del Conca USA Plant.

According to Mike Brubaker, chief of the Loudon Fire Department, the fire started in a machine that presses and forms the ceramic tiles. The fire grew in intensity and seriousness once the hydraulic fluid caught fire, according to Brubaker. No injuries were reported.

The plant’s sprinkler system activated, which helped to suppress the fire. It took crews about 30 minutes to bring the fire under control, according to Brubaker.  The Lenoir City Fire Department worked with the Loudon Fire Department to fight the fire.

Manufacturing Plant

Apison, TN – Fire in paint shop at manufacturing facility contained by sprinkler system

Tri-Community Volunteer Firefighters responded to a 9-1-1 call Thursday afternoon to a commercial business fire on Apison Pike.  Employees of Paladin Attachments, formally known as C&P Attachments, told firefighters that they were working in the Paint Shop and saw a hot spot on one of the filters.

They tried to cool it down, but it burst into flames.  Employees called 9-1-1 and safely evacuated. Firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the building.

The fire had spread and set off the sprinklers.  Firefighters say the sprinkler system did help stop the fire from destroying the entire business.  The Fire Marshall’s Office is looking into the cause of the blaze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other - Retail, Retail

Nashville, TN – Early morning fire at Anthropologie store extinguished by sprinkler system

Fire crews responded to a one-alarm fire at women’s clothier and life-style brand business Anthropologie in Green Hills early Tuesday morning.  Firefighters were called to the store, located at 4031 Hillsboro Pike in the Hill Center Green Hills, around 6:30 a.m.

Fire officials told News 2 the fire began when a display near an outlet caught on fire. The store’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire by the time firefighters arrived.

The fire was contained to the display but inventory was damaged by water from the sprinkler system and smoke. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Oak Ridge, TN – Fire in dust filtration system at manufacturing facility is contained by sprinkler system

More than 20 employees were briefly evacuated when a fire alarm sounded in a manufacturing facility where products are made from depleted uranium, but there was no radiological release.  The fire occurred about 9:30 a.m. Monday when dust in a filter system at Manufacturing Sciences Corp., S. Illinois Avenue, ignited.

“All it takes is a spark to set it off,” Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said.  There’s a built-in sprinkler system that was activated and quelled the blaze. Kerley said there is “negative pressure” in the building where air is always pulled into it and is filtered. “Everything was contained in the building,” he said.

Manufacturing Sciences is also involved in special metals handling.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Jackson, TN – Machine fire at automotive parts manufacturer suppressed by sprinkler system; Plant reopens next morning

The Jackson Fire Department was called to a fire at the UGN plant Monday after an injection mold machine malfunctioned and caught fire. According to Capt. David Thompson, damage from the fire was contained to the machine itself and its exhaust system. There was minimal damage to the plant, he said.

“It could’ve been [worse],” Thompson said. “If they didn’t have a good sprinkler system, the exhaust goes all the way up to the ceiling so there could have been a fire on the roof real quick. “Everything went the way it was supposed to,” Thompson said.

Thompson said UGN, which makes car parts, had to be shut down for the night, but is expected to be reopen this morning.

Department Store, Retail

Hixson, TN – Fire at Kmart store contained to printing room by sprinkler system

Firefighters battled a small fire at a Kmart in Hixson Sunday.  When firefighters got to the store on Highway 153, they noticed smoke coming from the right, front portion of the building that is used as a printing room.

The fire was contained to the printing room and officials say the sprinkler system inside help keep the fire under control. Chattanooga Fire Chief Don Bowman says it appears the fire started from one of the printers.  The store was evacuated and employees told officials it’ll take one to two days to clean up the damage.