Tag Archives: Texas

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Tyler, TX – Sprinkler system helped contain fire in high school science room

The Tyler Fire Department brought a fire in a science room at John Tyler High School under control about 6 p.m. Wednesday, District Chief Cordell Parker said.

The fire department received a general fire alarm about 5:30 p.m. The first fire unit on the scene reported smoke, prompting a regular fire alarm and additional units from the fire department responded, including three fire engines and a ladder truck.

The sprinkler system was activated and helped contain the fire in the science room, Parker said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Belton, TX – Overnight apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A stove that was left on led to a fire in a second-floor unit at the River Springs at Barge Ranch apartments, 3300 N. Main Street, on Sunday night. A sprinkler system in the unit put the fire out, according to a press release from Paul Romer, public information officer for the city of Belton.  Nobody was injured in the fire, but it displaced two adults – one in the unit where the fire occurred and another person from the unit directly below.  The Belton Fire Department responded to a call about the fire at about 11:15 p.m. on Sunday by sending two engine trucks and two ambulances. The Temple Fire Department provided mutual aid with an engine and a ladder truck.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Lufkin, TX – Fire at Outback Steakhouse caused by lightning strike controlled with help from sprinkler system

Three Lufkin Fire stations responded to an electrical fire believed to be caused by lighting on the front porch of Outbeak steakhouse.  No injuries were reported, but damage to paneling on the outside roof occurred according to Battalion Chief Eric Parrish.  “We believe the lights outside of the restaurant caught on fire signaling the sprinkler systems to activate,” Parrish said. “This in combination to response from our units are what extinguished the fire.”  No one was harmed, and those in the restaurant at the time the fire began all exited the premises safely. Parrish said he believes Outback will be closed for the next couple of days until damage is fixed, and the exact cause of the fire is determined.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Austin, TX – Fire at Crowne Plaza Hotel extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

The Austin Fire Department responded Friday night to a hotel just off of I-35 in North Austin after a fire inside a third floor room. Guests were evacuated from the Crowne Plaza Hotel around 9:00 p.m., but were allowed back in a short time later. No injuries were reported.  The Austin Fire Depart. says a sprinkler system extinguished the fire believed to be related to an electrical problem in an HVAC system. One room was damaged with smoke, while other parts of the hotel have water damage. In all, there’s about $250,000 worth of damage.  Guests who cannot return to their room have been relocated by the hotel.

Other - Retail, Retail

McKinney, TX – Electrical fire at Sherwin Williams paint store controlled by sprinkler system

McKinney Fire Department (MFD) responded to an incident Oct. 28 at Sherwin Williams, 310 N. Central Expressway, and discovered a fire sprinkler system had activated and was controlling an electrical fire in the rear of the store. Two sprinkler heads are credited for the minimal damage and reinforced the value of fire sprinkler systems. No injuries were reported from the fire.

“This successful sprinkler save demonstrates the effectiveness of an automatic fire sprinkler systems in a commercial environment. Had the sprinkler system not been present, the outcome could have been very different,” said Deputy Fire Marshal Andrew Barr.

Approximately 36 MFD personnel and investigators from the Fire Marshal’s office responded to the fire and mutual aid from Allen, Fairview and Frisco fire departments was requested. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

For additional information on fire protection systems, code requirements or other fire prevention topics, visit www.mckinneyfire.org or call 972-547-2879.

 

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

San Antonio, TX – Sprinklers activate when oven causes fire at restaurant south of downtown

An oven was to blame for a fire early Monday morning that damaged a building south of downtown, fire officials said.

When firefighters arrived around 6:30 a.m. at the King William Professional Building in the 800 block of South St. Mary’s Street, they found flames shooting from an air conditioning unit above Francis Bogside Pub.

Fire Chief Charles Hood said the fire was quickly extinguished, but there was significant water damage from the sprinkler system, fire officials said.

No one was hurt in the fire.

Hood said the fire doesn’t appear to be suspicious.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

San Antonio, TX – Sprinkler system quickly put out hotel kitchen fire during wedding reception

Two people were taken to a nearby hospital and two floors were evacuated after a fire erupted Saturday night during a wedding banquet at a downtown hotel.

San Antonio Police Department Sgt. Bryan Patten said the fire started on the second floor at about 7:30 p.m. in the Sheraton Gunter hotel, 205 E. Houston St.

According to San Antonio Fire Department Captain Craig Balter, a cooking stove caught fire during a wedding banquet, producing heavy smoke that filled the first and second floors.

The sprinkler system quickly put the fire out, but the floors were soaked and the smoke had to be vented from the building.

Residents were evacuated and two people were treated for minor injuries, officials said.

Groomsman Matthew Guevara said they had just sat down to eat their food when their wedding planner told them to evacuate.

“I did not feel the reality of it until I walked out and was hit hard by the smoke,” Guevara said. “It’s a real specific kind of smoke with plastic burning.”

Guevara said he saw one person being escorted by first responders with a burned arm and another person had a breathing mask, possibly for smoke inhalation.

The 200 block of East Houston Street was closed off for at least two hours as more than 15 units initially responded to the scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Katy, TX – (No Media Coverage) – No injuries at apartment complex as sprinkler system limits fire to one unit

*** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED ***  A fire occurred at the Westgreen Apartments in the 500 block of Westgreen in Katy, TX (unincorporated Harris County). A grease fire caused the activation of one sprinkler head in the kitchen. Fire damage was limited, and contained to the one unit. One sprinkler head completely extinguished the fire, and no injuries were reported.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Grapevine, TX – (No Media Coverage) Two clubhouse fires at Cowboys Golf Club extinguished by sprinkler system

*** NO MEDIA COVERAGE – FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED *** Cowboys Golf Club is distinguished as the first and only NFL themed golf club in the world. Franchise owned by the Dallas Cowboys; the property is described as one of the region’s only all-inclusive world class golf resort properties. The club is open to the public not only golf, but also dining, hospitality and private events, weddings, golf tournaments, corporate outings, business meetings, fundraising galas and other special occasions.

The clubhouse is a multi-level building that encompasses a lobby, restaurant, bar, pro shop, and administrative staff. The club house is protected by a fire alarm and a sprinkler system. The sprinkler system that protects the clubhouse is both a wet and dry system.

On January 15, 2016 at approximate 22:12 the Grapevine Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 1600 Fairway Drive (Cowboys Golf Club). Fire crews investigated and found that on the lower level, where the carts are serviced and stored and where supplies are kept, that a sprinkler head had activated due to a fire. The fire was contained and extinguished by one sprinkler head. After reviewing the video cameras, it was determined that the cause of the fire was due to careless smoking of an employee. The damage was minimum and the business was able to open the next day and sustain normal operating hours. The monetary loss of the fire was minimized to sprinkler repair and minor restoration and cleanup cost.

And then on October 8, 2016 at 22:19 the Grapevine Fire Department responded to another structure fire at the same above address. The fire crews determined that there was a sprinkler head activation on the lower level. Fire investigators determined through video surveillance that fire was caused by the recklessness of an employee playing around with a lighter. The employee was using the lighter to catch a cardboard box full of golf tees on fire. He mistakenly thought he had put the fire out. After about 2 hours of a slow smoldering fire, the fire was able to grow eventually large enough to activate one sprinkler head. The fire was contained and extinguished by the single sprinkler head.

Both fires at the Cowboys Golf Club have many similarities. Both fires were initiated by careless human acts and both fires were extinguished by the same sprinkler head. Not only did the same sprinkler head protect the building, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in replacement cost, content loss and revenue, but the sprinkler head also protected the people that were remaining on the floor above. During both incidents the fire was able to grow without notice to the point of being put out by a sprinkler head and the only knowledge of the fires was when the fire alarm activated alerting everyone of a problem.

The simple installation of a sprinkler system proves that it is much more than code compliance. It is about when lighting strikes and in this incident twice, the sprinkler saved and protected property and lives.

Other - Retail, Retail

Bedford, TX – Arson fire at convenience store put out by sprinkler system

Bedford police want to find the man who tried to set a convenience store clerk on fire who possibly ended up burning himself.  Police say the robber walked into a Bedford store Thursday night, took money from the clerk and set the place on fire, pouring some kind of flammable liquid in the store and on the clerk.

“The guy got the money out of the register and got it from Harry,” Quick Track Manager Sharron Meeks. Police say the man had a brown hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. His only weapon appeared to be a bottle wrapped in a red rag and filled with what the store thinks was gasoline.

“Your heart sinks because you think how can someone be so cruel to not value life enough that they would do something like that to another human being?” said Meeks.

The video shows the man walk into the store. He poured the liquid on the counter and then went to the cash register where the clerk gave him money. The suspect then poured the liquid behind the counter and on the clerk.

“Wanted the money of the cash register, and he gave it to him, Meeks said. It was a close call for the clerk. People with the company say the sprinkler system put out the fire and probably saved the clerk from being burned. Police believe the suspect slipped and fell as he ran out and may have burn injuries to his hands, arms and upper chest.

“You see robberies in this business a lot, but this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen,” Meeks said. “The scariest.”