Tag Archives: Virginia

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Glen Allen, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at hotel; No injuries reported

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Staff at the Candlewood Suites hotel in the Short Pump area of Henrico County are working to relocate guests following an accidental fire in a second-floor suite.

According to a spokesperson for Henrico Fire & EMS, crews responded to the Candlewood Suites at 4120 Tom Leonard Drive just before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, for report of a fire.

The spokesperson said the occupants of a hotel room had noticed smoke coming out of the air conditioning and heating unit and reported it to the front desk.

When the smoke worsened, they left the room — which caught fire shortly after. The flames soon spread to the curtains above the unit.

The sprinkler system was triggered by the smoke, which automatically notified first responders. Additionally, these sprinklers kept the fire from spreading beyond the window area, which is “exactly what you want [the sprinklers] to do,” according to the spokesperson.

Fire crews reportedly arrived within three minutes of receiving the call. There was still some visible fire on the outside of the building, so firefighters worked to put that out before entering the building.

No injuries were reported, according to the spokesperson.

The hotel was damaged by the flames themselves, as well as the smoke, heat and soot that came along with it. Fire crews deactivated the sprinkler system when possible, but there was still some water damage, according to the spokesperson.

Due to this damage, occupants are being relocated by hotel staff. According to the spokesperson, they are being moved to either other available rooms or to another hotel.

The spokesperson said this fire is considered accidental. No other information is available at tis time.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Virginia Beach, VA – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire in high-rise apartment; No injuries reported

A kitchen fire in a high-rise apartment in Town Center has displaced one person and damaged several other units in the building.

The Virginia Beach Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the 4500 block of Commerce Street in Town Center on Tuesday evening. They arrived at about 8:35 p.m. After unsuccessfully attempting to reset the alarm, further investigation found water flowing from the door of an apartment on the ninth floor.

When they entered, firefighters found an active sprinkler head, fire and smoke in the apartment.

The fire was extinguished at 9:03 p.m. There was also water damage to twelve units below the apartment.

One person has been displaced. No civilians, firefighters or pets were injured.

The cause of the fire was found to be accidental from boxes left on a stove.

Apartment Building, Residential

Virginia Beach, VA – Sprinkler system contains fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

A fire forced residents out of a Virginia Beach apartment building on the afternoon of Sunday, April 2.

According to a spokesperson for the Virginia Beach Fire Dept., crews responded just before 2:00 p.m. Sunday to the Crescent Square Apartments on Diamond Springs Road.

Fire officials told News 3 no injuries were reported.

Fire crews said the fire is believed to be accidental and started in a kitchen.

Crews added a sprinkler system activation kept the fire contained, but power was turned off for the building as the electrical system has to be inspected by electricians.

The fire department says 72 people were temporarily displaced due to no power in the building. Residents will be able to return to the building once electrical is approved.

Additionally, the department says 20 of the units were impacted by water damage. Those who reside in the 20 water damaged units will be unable to return immediately.

Residential, Sorority / Fraternity

Charlottesville, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at fraternity

Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers on UVA Grounds had a fire in their house on Rugby Road Thursday night.

It happened around 10:00 p.m. Albemarle County Fire Rescue, the Charlottesville Fire Department and UVA Police arrived on scene.

According to ACFR, who is leading the investigation along with university police, the fire started in the basement. People inside used extinguishers to try to put out the fire before being forced to leave the room because of smoke. The smoke triggered the sprinkler system, something ACFR says was very important and could have saved lives. 

“Activating that sprinkler system enabled them the opportunity to get out of the house safely. So everyone was able to evacuate safely. It also reduced the fire’s destruction which gave time for the fire rescue units to get on scene,” said Abbey Stumpf, ACFR PIO.

ACFR says thanks to the sprinkler systems limiting the damage, displaced residents of the building will be able to move back in more quickly.

The university says a small number of people were treated for smoke inhalation, but there was no other injuries.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chesterfield, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

At least 10 people, possibly more, are looking for another place to sleep tonight after an apartment fire in Chesterfield.

Officials say at 6:30 p.m., crews were dispatched to the Colony Village Apartments. When they arrived, they found heavy smoke pouring out two third-floor windows. Crews say, luckily, the building’s sprinkler system was fully operational and put out most of the fire before they got there.

The fire was marked entirely under control just after 7 p.m.

10-12 people have been displaced, possibly more if water from the third floor trickles down to the other two levels.

There were no injuries whatsoever.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Gainesville, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fire in warehouse; No injuries reported

A two-alarm fire broke out in a warehouse in Gainesville at 11:09 p.m. Monday, October 10, 2022.

Fire crews were dispatched to Virginia Flooring Supply at 8683 Virginia Meadows Drive in Gainesville for a report of a commercial warehouse structure. When crews arrived, a second alarm was requested due to the conditions and building size, said Prince William fire and rescue Assistant Chief Matt Smolsky.

Crews found the fire was located inside the warehouse and extinguished the flames. The building sustained moderate damage. No injuries were reported. 

No one was inside the business when flames broke out, said Smolksy. The Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was accidental and originated in the warehouse’s refrigerator area.

The Building Official determined the structure was unsafe to occupy.

Smolensky said this incident illustrates the successful operation of an early notification and sprinkler system, which helped to keep the fire under control). The county’s building code requires the system, he adds.

“Had the structure not been equipped with these systems, the loss would have been more substantial, and the risk to firefighters would have been greater,” added Smolsky. “Business and homeowners are reminded to make sure your fire protection systems are properly maintained and tested as required.”

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Roanoke, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at restaurant; No injuries reported

A fire at a Roanoke restaurant has been ruled by investigators to be electrical.

Roanoke Fire-EMS was called late the morning of September 17 to the fire on the 100 block of Campbell Avenue SE in downtown Roanoke. Crews found there had been a fire at the front of a restaurant, Cedars Lebanese Restaurant, activating the building’s sprinkler system, which put out the fire.

No injuries were reported.

Damages to the building and its contents are estimated to be $13,000, according to fire investigators.

Apartment Building, Residential

Roanoke, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

An interior sprinkler system helped to douse a Monday morning fire at an apartment complex, according to Roanoke County emergency services.

Firefighters were summoned to the Ridgeview Apartments on Hawthorne Road around 10 a.m. by E-911 reports of smoke and water being emitted from a second-story apartment. There they found unattended cooking materials in a unit whose resident was not present.

The apartment’s sprinkler system had already contained the fire. The incident caused water damage to four units in the multistory residential complex and smoke damage to the apartment where the fire originated.

The Roanoke County fire marshal estimated damages at $25,000. No injuries were reported.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant, Uncategorized

Chesapeake, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at sushi restaurant; No injuries reported

The Chesapeake Fire Department responded to a fire at Shiki Sushi & Hibachi in the Mt. Pleasant Market Place late Wednesday night.

Chesapeake firefighters received the call for a commercial fire at 11:30pm at 1464 Mt. Pleasant Road. The businesses alarm company called 911 reporting audible alarm and sprinkler water flow.

The Fire Department arrived nine minutes after dispatch and found a strip mall, with an audible alarm and a smell of smoke coming from the restaurant. Crews had to force entry into the business after noticing smoke through the windows since the business was closed for the evening.

Upon entering, crews found a large amount of smoke and the sprinkler system was activated. The sprinkler system successfully put out the fire before crews entered the business. After firefighters checked the adjacent businesses and found no fire spread, the fire was marked out at 12:11am.

According to Chesapeake Fire Department, Shiki Sushi & Hibachi representatives are on scene evaluating the extent of damage to the business and believe they will be closed tomorrow. No other businesses were effected and there were no injuries.

Chesapeake Fire Marshals are conducting an investigation to determine what caused the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Norfolk, VA – Sprinkler system activated for fourth floor apartment fire; No injuries reported

A fire in a waterfront apartment building in Norfolk has – at least temporarily – displaced all of its residents. 

The fire alarm in the building went off at about 4:50 p.m. in “The Roebuck” in the 500 block of Front Street, across the street from the offices of PETA.

We’re still waiting for more official information from Norfolk Fire and Rescue, but the department’s Public Information Officer told us the fire was contained to one apartment and the sprinkler system was activated and caused water damage. 

A producer who works here at 13News Now lives in the building and tells us that the fire appears to have started in an apartment on the fourth floor.

According to our producer, everyone self-evacuated from the building. She also said she was told there were no injuries.

There’s been no word from the building’s management company about the extent of damage and when repairs might take place. We also don’t know exactly how many people were displaced.

This is the second time in two days in which a large number of residents in an apartment building have been displaced by a relatively minor fire. On Saturday, a fire broke out in the kitchen in an apartment the Heron’s Landing complex in Chesapeake displacing several residents. In this instance, the sprinkler system was also activated and caused damage to at least 30 apartments.

This is a developing story. We’ll update it once we get more information.