Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse Salt Lake City, UT – Warehouse fire contained by sprinkler system; Fire jumped to building from semi-trailer in parking lot July 29, 2015 viking210 The fire started about 3:30 p.m. in the parking lot at 879 S. Gladiola St. (3400 West), catching a semitrailer on fire and then jumping to the building, according to Salt Lake Fire Capt. Mark Bednarik. The fire reached one business, a leather and furniture company, while sprinkler systems in the building kept it from reaching other businesses. As many as 70 firefighters were on the scene Sunday afternoon, Bednarik reported, extinguishing the fire in the warehouse by about 5:15 p.m. Had it spread deeper into the warehouse, crews would have faced “a very different fire,” he said. “The potential is very high (for damage),” the captain said. “They use a lot of foams and a lot of synthetic materials, and once that ignites, there are very toxic fumes and very hot fires that are difficult to extinguish.” The fire caused at least $150,000 in damage to the business, Bednarik said, with the total expected to climb as water damage to the furniture business’ inventory is assessed. “One of the business owners made the comment that if the water soaks up into that foam, they could be throwing away $50,000 to $60,000 in product,” Bednarik said. “That’s probably what they’re going to be facing over the next week or so.” With the warehouse fire extinguished, crews turned their focus to the flames that had burned nearly an acre of vegetation and destroyed other items in the yard, including pallets, trash bins and other machinery. Firefighters remained on scene Sunday evening to manage a number of lingering burning and hot spots. “Once you get those plastics burning, they burn hot and they burn deep through that pile,” Bednarik said. “(Firefighters) are using a front loader from the city to break it apart and open it up.” Crews were also forced to deal with explosions coming from propane tanks and other items inside the building as they battled the blaze. The cause of the initial fire is unknown, though Bednarik said the fire does not appear to be suspicious. Crews closed roads for about a half a block around the building as they fought the fire.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant LaVerkin, UT – Sprinklers assist firefighters in weekend fire at manufacturing plant July 13, 2015 viking210 Agencies from around Southern Utah responded to a structure fire at SKF Manufacturing on Center Street in LaVerkin Saturday. Firefighters were paged out to the fire at about 1:30 p.m., Hurricane Valley Fire Chief Tom Kuhlmann said. The building has a sprinkler system in place, which came on during the fire, and firefighters backed up the sprinklers with hoses to control the blaze. Dawn McDowell, SKF Manufacturing’s operations manager, had been alerted about the fire by an alarm company and arrived at the scene about the same time the firefighters did. She was able to unlock the building, which had been closed down for the weekend, so the firefighters didn’t have to force entry. When responders got to the building, there was smoke pouring out of the windows, and they had to send a team in to track down the location of the actual fire. The team ended up finding the fire had originated in the area of one of the processing machines in the back corner of the building, Kuhlmann said. The responders had the fire controlled by 2:30 p.m. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Kuhlmann said, and the extent of the damage is not yet known as this report is published. There were no people in the building at the time the fire started, so no injuries resulted from the incident. The fire was contained to the inside of the building. McDowell said that in the 24 years she has worked at SKF, there have been no other fires there. SKF’s factory in LaVerkin manufactures hydraulic seals, she said.
Residential, Sorority / Fraternity Salt Lake City, UT – Suspected arson fire at University of Utah fraternity is contained by sprinkler system July 3, 2015 viking210 Fires at two fraternity houses at University of Utah are being investigated as arson, Salt Lake City Fire officials said Friday morning. At about 4:13 a.m., fire crews arrived on scene at the Pi Kappa Alpha house, 1431 E. 100 South, to find a fire on the third floor. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and kept it contained to one area of the house, which caused damage in the game room, according to a press release from SLC Fire. Just 18 minutes later, SLC Fire crews responded to the Beta Theta Pi house, 70 S. Wolcott St., on a report of a fire in the basement laundry room. When firefighters arrived, they found the sprinkler system had kept the small fire under control, the release indicated. Crews then quickly extinguished the remaining flames. Officials say the fires are likely connected. Both fires are currently under investigation. No injuries were reported at either incident.
Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Logan, UT – Fire at electronic parts manufacturer put out with help from sprinkler system June 29, 2015 viking210 What could have turned out to be a large business fire in Logan, was saved by the quick activation of fire sprinklers. The fire happened Tuesday at TMM technologies at 710 N 600 W. At the business they make computer circuit boards. Fire officials say some employees were doing, what they call “hot works” with grinders and torchers. During the process, a fire was ignited and it spread to the second floor. The fire sprinklers helped put out the fire. Fire officials say by the time they arrived, they were able to put out the rest with fire extinguishers. Everyone was able to go back to work. No one was injured.
Other - Retail, Retail Woods Cross, UT – Sprinklers limit damage in overnight fire at retail store May 30, 2015 viking210 Officials said a fire at a local business could have been much worse if sprinklers weren’t in place. The South Davis Metro Fire Department said a “water flow alarm” alerted them to the flames at about 11 p.m. When crews got to the “Candle Warmers Etc.” building near 19th W. and 24th S., they found the sprinklers were already putting out the fire. “The sprinklers obviously put the fire out and they do a great job of that and that’s why buildings like these are required to have sprinklers,” Fire Chief Dave Powers said. “So most of the damage now is just the water damage caused by the sprinklers going off and a little bit of the burn from the fire.” Officials said it appears the fire was an accident; investigators are working to determine the cause.
College/University (on campus), School / University Salt Lake City, UT – Sprinklers douse fire in University of Utah chemistry lab April 17, 2015 viking210 Authorities say a small explosion at a University of Utah chemistry building was caused by a chemical reaction inside a storage cabinet. Salt Lake City firefighters say the Thursday morning explosion was contained inside a sheet metal cabinet but emitted hazardous chemicals into the air. Salt Lake City fire department spokesman Jasen Asay says firefighters evacuated the building to clear chemical residue from the air and vent smoke. Asay says the explosion caused a small fire, but sprinklers doused it before crews arrived. Classes were canceled and the building is expected to remain closed for hours. Firefighters are investigating what chemicals were stored in the room.
Apartment Building, Residential Herriman, UT – Mattress fire extinguished by sprinkler system at apartment complex December 28, 2014 viking210 The fire happened at the Farm Gate Apartments just after 3 p.m. Friday. Officials with the Unified Fire Authority say a mattress caught fire. The sprinkler system put out the fire but caused water damage to one or two units. At least one family was forced out of their apartment and two people were being checked for smoke inhalation.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Sandy, UT – Quick work of sprinklers and firefighters save day spa from overnight fire December 18, 2014 viking210 Sandy firefighters credit a sprinkler system, along with their own quick response, for limiting a potentially major early Thursday morning blaze inside a commercial area. Crews were dispatched to the Sego Lilly Spa, 7475 S. Union Park Ave., at 4:19 a.m. Thursday. Once the flames were doused, it was determined the fire was sparked by a malfunctioning commercial dryer. The fire-suppression sprinkler system kept the blaze to one room until firefighters arrived
Apartment Building, Residential Layton, UT – Sprinkler system stops grease fire at apartment building December 13, 2014 viking210 A mother and her three children should be able to move back into their apartment, with their possessions virtually intact after a fire last week, thanks to an automatic sprinkler system that held a grease fire to the stove top. Layton fire crews were called to the fire at the Grayhawk Apartments, 2925 N. Church Street, where they found the woman standing outside her apartment building. “Fire crews found water coming from the second story landing of the complex,” Bitton said. “They entered the apartment and found one activated fire sprinkler running above the stove top and charred remains of a pan with tortillas in the sink.” Fire crews have seen numerous incidents where tenants would be displaced from their living space and their personal items and furnishing damaged beyond use without sprinkler systems, Bitton said. “Although devastating for this mother and her children, they can reoccupy with no significant fire damage spread,”Bitton said. The apartment complex’s sprinkler system is designed with a calibrated premix of glycerin to ensure there would be no freezing in the attic or breezeway areas, something Bitton said Layton fire officials are impressed with.
Food Processing, Manufacturing Sprinkler system helps control fire at Cargill Grain Mill (Ogden, UT) October 6, 2014 viking210 A fire broke out Thursday afternoon at the top of the Cargill Grain Mill near G Avenue and 27th Street. Seven emergency vehicles responded to the scene at about 4:20 p.m. after smoke was initially seen near the top of the structure. A fire had broken out on the ninth floor, a flour processing area, the Ogden Fire Department reported. All employees were evacuated from the mill with no injuries. A sprinkler system was activated as crews from the Ogden and Roy fire departments worked on the blaze. The cause of the fire is still being determined by investigators.
