Tag Archives: Texas

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Fort Worth, TX – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire at Wal-Mart; Damage limited to one aisle

A 36-year-old man lit a fire at a Wal-Mart in far north Fort Worth last week to create a diversion and steal money, but he “chickened out” and left the store empty-handed, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Gilberto Hernandez was charged with arson this week, accused in a fire at the Wal-Mart in the 2400 block of Avondale Haslet Road on July 3. The fire was contained to one aisle and was extinguished by the store’s sprinkler system.  Hernandez, in an interview with arson investigators, admitted setting the fire, according to an affidavit written by investigator M.B. Sims.

Hernandez said he had been “casing” the Wal-Mart for more than two months and had managed to steal a manager’s set of keys, the affidavit said. On July 3, he went to the store with his wife, who was unaware of his plans to set a fire. At the store, Hernandez grabbed a flammable product from the automotive department, spread it on merchandise in the drapes aisle and started a fire with a cigarette lighter.   At a cash register, he told an employee that he smelled smoke. “He said he made this comment so that someone would put the fire out,” the affidavit said. “He said he couldn’t go through with stealing the money after all.”

Investigators obtained surveillance video of Hernandez walking into the drapes aisle with a container of fuel additive, the affidavit said. Photographs and video of him leaving the store were released to news outlets last week and investigators received numerous tips identifying Hernandez as the suspect.  Fort Worth police initially arrested Hernandez at his home Thursday on an unrelated warrant out of Indiana. He remained in the Tarrant County Jail on Tuesday with bail set at $50,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

Richmond, TX (No Media Coverage) – Sprinkler system extinguishes apartment cooking fire

***FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED – NO MEDIA COVERAGE*** On 06/27/2017 Fort Bend County Fire Marshal’s Office was requested to respond to an apartment fire. The Richmond Fire Department was on scene.

Upon arrival we contacted the Incident Commander with Richmond Fire Department. He advised they respond for an fire alarm. Upon arrival they found one sprinkler head had activated in an apartment and had extinguished a kitchen fire on the stove. He also said there was no damage to the kitchen except for water damage. This fire occurred on the second floor.

The resident stated that he was cooking chicken with some cooking oil in a pan. He stated that he went to the bathroom while the chicken was cooking. He stated that while he was in the bathroom, he saw and smelled smoke. The sprinkler system went off and extinguished the fire.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Farmers Branch, TX (No Media Coverage) – Warehouse fire kept in check by sprinkler system

***FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED – NO MEDIA COVERAGE888 On June 25, 2017 at 12:08 pm, a fire occurred at 4263 Simonton Rd., Farmers Branch, TX 75244. The business occupying the warehouse is Friesing Investments. Fire originated at an overheated motor for an exhaust fan in the shop off the warehouse. Occupants sprayed with extinguisher and a sprinkler head activated and kept the fire from extending into the walls.

Government/Military

Houston, TX – Terminal fire at Bush Intercontinental Airport suppressed with help from sprinkler system

** BLOG NOTE: Smoke does not cause a sprinkler to activate.  Only heat from a fire **
A spokesman for Bush Intercontinental Airport says a sprinkler system was activated when charging batteries began to overheat and sent smoke into a terminal. Spokesman Bill Begley says the fire alarm in Terminal E was sounded just before 1 a.m. Friday.  Houston police earlier said a small fire occurred in the terminal but Begley says there were no flames. He says the batteries, which were charging in a utility closet, just produced smoke.  There was some disruption because a cleaning crew needed time to clean up the water from the sprinklers.  Police told the Houston Chronicle that flights could be disrupted, but Begley says the incident did not result in any delays.

Apartment Building, Residential

Farmers Branch, TX (No Media Coverage) – Sprinkler system tackles apartment fire caused by unattended candle

***FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED – NO MEDIA COVERAGE***  The Farmers Branch Fire Department responded to a residential apartment fire on June 3, 2017 at 4030 Valley View, Building 10, Apt #245 at 3:55 pm. The fire started in a bedroom while the occupant stepped out for a few minutes. . A candle was left unattended and ignited some tapestries hanging from the ceiling. The tapestries burned along the ceiling. The sprinkler system activated (1 head) and suppressed the fire. The other roommate was in another bedroom sleeping and was awakened by the smoke alarm and waterflow alarm. When he stepped out of his bedroom, he noticed the sprinkler system spraying water on the burning tapestries. He exited without incident. Other roommate returned 10 minutes later when fire department was already on scene and realized he left the candle burning.

Apartment Building, Residential

Orange, TX – Sprinkler system helps extinguish apartment fire after resident falls asleep while cooking

On Tuesday night, May 23, 2017 shortly after 9 p.m., the City of Orange Fire Department responded to 1010 State Highway 87 for a report of a apartment fire. Upon fire fighters arrival the fire was out in the single apartment. It appears the lady in the apartment was cooking and fell asleep. She managed to get the fire out along with the sprinkler system that was activated due to the smoke. The victim was treated at the scene by Acadian Ambulance Personnel and suffered minor injuries.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

College Station, TX – Early morning fire at BBQ restaurant controlled by sprinkler system

Rudy’s Barbecue in College Station had a fire scare early Wednesday morning. College Station Fire officials say people saw smoke coming from the building around midnight.  The building’s sprinklers were activated; keep the fire under control until firefighters arrived.  Officials say the fire was contained to the wooden fence outside of the building, and did not damage the inside of the restaurant.   No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Austin, TX – Sprinkler system helps limit spread of 3rd floor apartment fire

At least 2 people were displaced after an overnight fire at a southeast Austin apartment complex. Firefighters say the sprinkler system helped contain the fire to a 3rd-Floor apartment.  According to the fire department, an improperly discarded cigarette triggered the fire. Damage is estimated to be $18.000.  None was injured during the incident, according to AFD.

Other Business

Houston, TX – Sprinkler system suppresses high-rise fire on 25th floor; No injuries

An electrical short in a water cooler sparked a one-alarm fire Sunday morning in a Houston high-rise. Responding fire crews swarmed a tower in the 2000 block of West Loop South just after 9 a.m., according to Houston Fire Department spokesman Ruy Lozano.  But by the time firefighters got up to the 25th floor, the sprinklers had mostly extinguished the blaze and created “cold smoke” clinging to the floor.

“Smoke typically has a high temperature and rises, but because it was cooled by the sprinkler head it hugs the floor,” Lozano explained.  “It is a typical phenomenon to see in high-rise firefighting when sprinklers extinguish fires.”

Firefighters would typically clear out smoke through roof hatches. But given the stormy weather and low smoke, that approach didn’t work Sunday morning so crews were still on scene by noon, trying to find other ways to evacuate the smoke. The building was mostly empty at the time of the fire, although custodial staff and security were evacuated. No one was injured.   Arson investigators are still making an official determination on the cause of the fire, but Lozano said there is no reason to believe it was set intentionally.

Other - Retail, Retail

Lubbock, TX – Sprinkler system halts fire at Holland Gardens store

Lubbock Fire Rescue was called to the scene at Holland Gardens in Lubbock around 9:30 p.m., responding to a report of smoke at the building.

Fire officials tell us there was a small fire that was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. There was heavy smoke inside the Holland Gardens building and light smoke inside Tarpley Music next door.

Fire officials are working to determine the cause of the fire.