Tag Archives: Texas

Apartment Building, Residential

Cleburne, TX – Fire in apartment at historic building contained to room of origin by sprinkler system

Cleburne firefighters say that an apartment fire in a historic downtown building was limited to the room of origin thanks to the building’s sprinkler system. That said, firefighters also noted that the building’s sprinkler system appears to be “substandard and poorly installed.”

Firefighters responded at 6:43 p.m. to the 400 block of East Henderson Street on reports of an earlier fire already extinguished. The fire originated in the kitchen of an apartment on the building’s second floor because of a pan of unattended oil on the stove top. The occupants told firefighters they went downstairs to eat but returned to find that the pan of oil had caught fire and spread to the microwave oven and cabinets above the stove, according to reports.

The occupants were unable to shut the sprinkler system off, which resulted in water damage to the kitchen area and the apartment below. Cleburne Assistant Fire Chief Keith Scarbrough said the fire may have caused far more damage but for the sprinkler system.

“Sprinkler systems work,” Scarbrough said. “Statistics from across the U.S. show that they put fires out 97 percent of the time. Of the other 3 percent, 1 percent is because of mechanical failure like weather or freezing temperatures.

“The other 1 percent is because someone turns them off and the last 1 percent is because the fire’s too big for the sprinkler’s capacity. That’s instances where someone originally used the building for offices or something like that and installed a system to handle that but later repurposed the use of the building, like making it a warehouse or paint processing facility and didn’t upgrade the sprinkler system to suit the new purpose.

“But, in my career here, I’ve seen three earlier instances where sprinkler systems almost certainly saved buildings from being lost, two school fires, a manufacturing plant fire and now this fire.

“Sprinkler systems are one of the most effective fire fighting processes available, which is why all businesses and even homes should have them.”

Firefighters responded to an industrial oven fire at 12:38 a.m. Saturday in the 200 block of West Industrial Boulevard to find heavy smoke emitting from the roof level of the plant.

Excess materials within the system caused the plant’s industrial ovens to catch fire. Workers on scene extinguished some but not all the fire having to quit because of heavy smoke. Cleburne firefighters completed the task and remained on scene until the ovens cooled sufficiently.

Firefighters responded to reports of a possible house fire at 8:05 p.m. March 2 in the 1700 block of Shawnee Drive.

Homeowners told firefighters they left a pot of chicken unattended on the stove. They turned the stove off and removed the chicken but the incident filled the home with smoke.

Firefighters checked but found no signs of heat or fire in the house. They set fans to clear the house of smoke and made note that the pot contained a burned chicken.

Apartment Building, Residential

McKinney, TX – Sprinkler activation stops apartment kitchen fire

The McKinney Fire Department (MFD) responded to a water flow alarm at 3300 N. McDonald St. this afternoon. A cooking fire went out of control, but before it could spread, the fire sprinkler system kicked in. It took one sprinkler head to stop the fire.

FEMA reports more than half of all residential fires are due to cooking. No other risk factor comes close.

Ways to prevent a kitchen fire:

– Never leave cooking food unattended.

– Use a timer so you’ll remember the stove or oven is on.

– Always check the kitchen before leaving the home or going to bed.

– Enforce a ‘kid-free zone” at least three feet from the stove.

– Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen and near sleeping areas.

“Keep your cooking areas clean of grease and clear of flammable clutter like pot holders or food packaging,” said Mike Smith, McKinney Fire Marshal. “A few steps can save you a serious injuries or damage.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Atascocita, TX – (No Media Coverage) Apartment fire extinguished by single sprinkler

*** FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED – No Media Coverage ***
On March 6, HCFMO investigators were requested by Atascociata Fire Department to assist with an apartment fire. Investigators determined a resident tried to move a burning pot of grease outside. When the resident moved the burning pot through the living room, one sprinkler head activated, putting the fire out. Damages: $4,000; Pre-incident value: $20,008,000.

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Boerne, TX – (No Media Coverage) Utility room fire at long term care facility contained by single sprinkler head

**NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Department Reported ** On 3/2 at approximately 8 am a fire occurred at a long term care facility.  The fire was located in the utility room and was due to a gas fired water heater malfunction.  One sprinkler head activated and contained the fire to the utility room.  Fire loss was under $2500.  Appraised property value is $2.1 million.

Apartment Building, Residential

Humble, TX – (No Media Coverage) Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by single sprinkler

**NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Department Reported ** On Sunday February 25, 2018 investigators reported a sprinkler save at 4475 Wilson RD APT #7306. The tenant was heating up grease to fry food on the electric stove top when the fire occurred. The apartment suffered fire damage to the microwave and kitchen cabinet of each side of it. A single sprinkler head activated and extinguished the fire prior to fire department arrival.

Total Property Damage from Fire/Sprinkler Activation: $7,000
Total Property Value: $306,000

Apartment Building, Residential

McKinney, TX – Apartment kitchen fire stopped by automatic sprinkler system

A man fell asleep shortly after starting to heat grease in a pan on last Friday. He woke up to a fire and attempted to throw the flaming pan into the sink, but missed. Fortunately, the Treymore in McKinney Apartments on Wilson Creek Parkway have fire sprinklers in the units. The McKinney Fire Department arrived to find the fire sprinkler activation had extinguished the flames.  “This could have been much worse. Grease fires can spread quickly. It is important to stay alert when you turn a stove or oven on,” said Chief Mike Smith, McKinney Fire Marshal.

Apartment Building, Residential

Houston, TX – (No Media Coverage) Sprinkler system controls apartment fire caused by unattended incense burning

**NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Department Reported** On Friday 02/23/2018, investigators responded to the Lexington at Champions Apartments in reference to an apartment fire. Tenants left incense burning, unattended, and it caught clothing on the floor on fire. The fire occurred on the 3rd floor of the apartment, in the tenants bedroom. One sprinkler head in the bedroom activated and kept the fire from spreading.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cypress, TX – (No Media Coverage) Kitchen grease fire extinguished by single automatic fire sprinkler

**NO MEDIA COVERAGE – Fire Department Reported** On Sunday February 18, 2018, Cypress Creek Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at 11111 Grant Road. Engine 21 arrived on location at Building 11 with active alarm. Units were told there had been a fire in unit 1128. Crew investigated and found a extinguished grease fire in the kitchen sink. A single sprinkler head activated and extinguished the fire.  PIO spoke with the tenant and he advised he was heating up grease and walked away to use the restroom. He came back out and the pot was smoking. He picked up the pot and carried it to the sink. During the moving of the pot it started to flame up so he sat it in the sink and turned the water on. The pot flared up and shortly after, the sprinkler activated and put the fire out. Property and contents lost valued at $10,000. Total property value, $260,000.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Odessa, TX – Sprinkler system activates in fire at retail store in shopping mall

Odessa Fire Rescue responded to a fire at the At Home located at Music City Mall on Sunday night, which is now under investigation as possible arson. An auto sprinkler alarm notified OFR of the fire, which they responded to around 8:30 p.m. Sunday at Music City Mall, 4101 E. 42nd St, Odessa Spokeswoman Andrea Goodson said. Goodson said there is little detail available on the fire due to it being under investigation, but Goodson said it was contained fairly quickly and there were no injuries reported. An At Home employee said the store is currently open, but about half of the store is closed off due to the damage.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Houston, TX – Electrical fire in industrial building knocked down by sprinkler system

A fire that damaged a building in a northwest Houston industrial area Wednesday night was likely electrical, officials said.

The Houston Fire Department was initially called out to reports of a fire in a building around 9:40 p.m. at the intersection of Fairway Park Drive and Mitchelldale Street, just northwest of Loop 610 along U.S. 290.

There are a variety of commercial buildings and single-story offices in the vicinity of the building. The business housed there, Aramsco, is a rental provider of equipment for restoration companies.

Firefighters had to cut their way in through garage doors, and they found fire along a wall that separates an office and warehouse. The fire was extinguished quickly.

The sprinkler system went off and had already taken care of much of the fire, fire department officials said.

The arson division is investigating, but the incident could have been an electrical fire, officials said.

No injuries were reported.